This course reviews essential information about footwear impressions, including their detection and treatment at the crime scene; photography, casting, and lifting impressions; obtaining known exemplars of shoes for examination; photographic, physical, and chemical enhancement methods; barefoot impressions; shoe sizing; and footwear databases.The course also includes several hours on the explanation of footwear manufacturing techniques and their usefulness in the examination process. It explains and teaches basic evaluation of footwear evidence and is designed for laboratory examiners who will be examining footwear evidence and who also must provide written reports and expert testimony of their results.
The course includes numerous hands-on practical exercises (cases) which will be worked by each student. These will be critiqued and discussed. Numerous case examples will also be presented throughout the week.
The course is designed to be beneficial for all levels of experience of footwear examiners.