1. What do they tell us? IMPRESSIONS

2. Forensic Impressions Shoes are a Fascinating Item of Clothing Since criminals must enter and exit crime scene areas, it should therefore be reasonably assumed that they may leave their footwear. Criminals have become smarter and wiser by beginning to frequently wear protection over their hands to avoid leaving fingerprints and masks over their faces to avoid eye witness identification. However, they are rarely aware of, or make little attempt to, conceal footwear. Why are footwear impressions overlooked? 2 main reasons: 1- The lack of training and education in the proper searching, collection, and reservation of the evidence 2- The evidence is under valued or not understood In many cases, footwear evidence can lead to positive identifications of which particular known shoe made the print. Footwear evidence can provide investigators with certain information that can assist them implicating a suspect. Most footwear evidence, when collected and preserved properly, can provide: The type, make, description, approximate size, the number of suspects, the path through and away from the crime scene, the involvement of the evidence, and the events that occurred during the crime

3. Four Basic Methods of Recording Footwear Impressions at the Crime Scene 1- Photography-taking photos of the impression if visible 2- Documentation/Sketching 3- Casting-providing a mold of the impression 4- Lifting-like fingerprints, lifting the impression for further analysis Crime Scene Footwear Evidence Footwear evidence can be found in two forms, impressions and prints. Impressions-The impression is normally described as a 3-D impression, such as an impression in mud or a soft material. Prints- The print is described as a print made on a solid surface by dust, powder, or a similar medium.

4. Footwear evidence, as well as latent fingerprints, is classified into three categories of crime scene prints: Visible Prints: A visible print occurs when the footwear steps into a foreign substance and is contaminated by it, and then comes into contact with a clean surface and is pressed onto that surface. This print can be visibly seen by the naked eye. Plastic Prints: When the footwear steps into a soft surface such as mud, snow, wet sand, or dirt creating a 3D impression. This type of impression can be photographed and then cast. These impressions allow the examiner to see length, width, and depth. Latent Prints: Most overlooked print and are generally found on smooth surfaces. They can be developed the same way latent fingerprints are. These impressions should be photographed prior to any recovery process.

5. Casting an Impression Three dimensional impressions should always be cast if there is clarity and the surface will permit. Why Cast? 1- The cast gives life like and actual-size molding of the original impression including uneven surfaces and depths. 2- The cast gives reproduction of microscopic characteristics. 3- In deep impressions, the casts gives reproduction of characteristics of the side, outsoles, and mid-soles of the shoe, which usually are not reproduced in photographs. 4- Focus or scale problems are eliminated. 5- Provide tangible 3-dimensional evidence. 6- Backs up the photographs.

6. Forensic Odontology Forensic odontology (forensic dentistry) is the study of teeth and tooth marks, as applied to civil and criminal cases. Mainly involves the identification of an assailant by comparing a record of their set of teeth (dentition) with a record of a bite mark left on a victim. Forensic Odontology in History…….. Agrippina- Mother of Roman emperor Nero. In 49 B.C., Agrippina ordered the death of her rival Lollia Paulina, who was in competition with her to be the wife of Emperor Claudiua. Agrippina demanded to see Lollia Paulina’s head as proof of her death, but she wasn’t sure that her rival was dead until she noticed Lollia Paulina’s distinctive discolored front teeth. Paul Revere- Was also a dentist as well as a blacksmith. Helped identify Revolutionary War dead who had been buried on the battlefield by their teeth and dental work. Forensic dentists are board-certified specialists who deal primarily with bite mark evidence. Types of Teeth: -Teeth aren’t fingerprints; they aren’t inherently unique from birth. -Patterns of tooth wear also vary and change overtime. Not only can people be identified by their teeth, you can also learn a lot about their lifestyles and habits by the state of their teeth. -In the United States, most dentists use the Universal System. In this system, each of the 32 adult teeth are assigned a number. Number one is the upper right third molar, while number 32 is the lower right third molar.

7. Tooth Identification: -There is no database of teeth that correspond with databases of fingerprints or DNA. -Dental records are how forensic dentists identify the dead. -Victims of fire are often identified by their teeth, which can withstand temperatures of more than 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. -Forensic investigators can retrieve DNA samples by extracting the pulp from the center of the tooth. Bite Mark Analysis: -Fairly new; mid 1970’s -People vs. Marx, 1975: Marx Standard-bite mark evidence admissibility. -Usually in conjunction with other types of physical evidence -Extremely complex with many factors involved in a forensic dentist’s ability to determine the identity of the perpetrator. Investigators noticed at some crime scenes, criminals have left their bite impressions on food, chewing gum,or more commonly, on the skin of their victims, especially in cases of battery, rape, child abuse, and homicide.

8. Forensic dentists use several different terms to describe the types of bite marks: *Abrasion- A scrape on the skin Artifact-When a piece of the body, such as an ear lobe, is removed through biting *Avulsion- A bite resulting in the removal of skin *Contusion- A bruise (most common) *Hemorrhage- A profusely bleeding bite *Incision- A clean, neat wound *Laceration- A puncture wound

9. Several Types of Impressions Left by Teeth: *Clear Impression- There was significant pressure *Obvious Impression- Medium pressure *Noticeable Impression- Biter used violent pressure to bite down How Forensic Dentistry Works: -Forensic dentists are either called by a medical examiner or a police investigator. -One of the first thing they’ll do is obtain a saliva sample from the bite-Take photographs. -Make multiple impressions, casts, or molds of the bite mark. -Once a suspect is apprehended, the forensic dentist makes one or more impressions of the suspect’s teeth, comparing them to the recorded bite marks. -The THEORY behind forensic dentistry is that now two mouths are alike (even identical twins are different), and that teeth, like tools, leave recognizable marks.

10. The Most Famous Bite Mark Case of the 20 th Century In January 1978, a manhunt was underway for one of the most notorious serial killers in the history of the United States. Ted Bundy was being held in a small jail in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, while awaiting trial for the murder of Caryn Campbel. He escaped by sawing through a metal plate in the ceiling, going through the crawlspace above and walking out through the apartment of the jailer, who happened to be out for the night. After traveling through Illinois, Michigan, and Georgia, Bundy ended up in Tallahassee, Florida. On January 15th, 1978, he went into the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University. He bludgeoned four students with a club and strangled them. Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman were killed. Bundy also sexually assaulted Levy and bit her, leaving clear bite marks. Bundy was recaptured in February 1978 and eventually went on trial for the murders he committed In the Chi Omega house. The bite mark was the only piece of physical evidence that he left at the scene. Investigators took plaster casts of Bundy’s teeth, which showed that his teeth were unevenly aligned and that several of them were chipped. A forensic dentist was able to show that these casts matched with photographs of the bite mark from the body of Lisa Levy. This evidence was instrumental in his conviction; if Bundy hadn’t bitten Lisa Levy while assaulting her, he may not have been found guilty.