Footprints

For years, criminal investigators and forensic scientists have used fingerprints as a method of determining identity. More recently, footprints have been discovered to be an equally reliable identifier.

Every person's foot has a unique set of ridges that make up a print that is not exactly matched by any other human being. Much like with fingerprints, the pattern of the footprint is a specific characteristic that can pinpoint any one particular person. An actual footprint can be researched and matched to an existing print that is on record, such as from a birth certificate.

Footprints are used as a method of forensic science, but most often, the prints at a crime scene do not come from a bare foot. To compensate, scientists have created methods of identifying shoe prints. The indentations on the ground made by any shoe can be studied, recorded, and matched to prints found at other locations. Therefore, if one set of shoeprints is found at the scene of a crime, it can be compared to another set of prints found at a separate crime scene. A matching print will let investigators know that the same person was involved in both crimes.

To preserve the prints, detectives take detailed photographs that can be scanned into computers for analysis. In many cases, a casting will be made of the print so that a duplicate may be produced. The casting process involves pouring a dense liquid into the actual shoe imprint and allowing it to set. After the liquid solidifies, it can be picked up as one piece so that an exact replica will be available for future reference.

Forensic scientists can also make other determinations about a suspect based on their shoe print. The size of the shoe allows them to estimate the height of the person in question. By studying how deep the print is in connection with how solid the soil was and whether or not the ground was damp at the time, investigators will also have a better idea of the weight of any person who leaves a footprint behind. All of these methods can help to determine the identity of a person who may have been involved in a serious crime.

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