Footprints

In my group of four we each made and footprint in dirt like this:



My Footprint

  After each footprint was made, we filled out a data sheet that required information such as the length, width, defining characteristics, subtrate, and weather conditions. It is important to know the climate of where the footprint was found and the terrain, or substrate, on which it was taken. Examples of possible substrates include dirt, mud, sand, and concrete. Footprints help us identify the approzimate size of a suspect and what type of shoes they were wearing when they comitted the crime. Also, if there are any disinct markings, such as a dent in the heel, that marking could be analyzed and then be compared with the shoes of the suspects.

After the practice, I came to the conclusion that footprints/footprinting is more helpful when trying to eliminate suspects rather than identify the individual the committed the crime. I thought the exercise was rather simple and footprinting is one of the easier aspects of a crime scene to analyze because footprints are easier to identify than, for example, fingerprints and hairs/fibers.