PHYSICAL EVIDENCE MANUAL - Crime Scene Investigator Network

Physical Evidence Manual
the cast is dry.
4. Allow the cast to dry for a minimum of twenty minutes in warm weather,
longer in cold, wet conditions.
5. Carefully lift the cast. Do not try to clean it; cleaning will occur in the
laboratory.
6. Package the cast in a large brown paper bag or cardboard box (not
plastic) and allow to dry for an additional 48 hours.
Two-Dimensional Impressions/Prints
A two-dimensional impression is one where there is no significant depth to the
impression. A thin deposit of dust, mud, blood, or other material from a shoe onto
a hard surface may create these impressions.
• Floors, glass, desktops, doors, paper items, etc. can retain a dust or
residue impression at a scene. Some impressions may be clearly visible
while others may be partially or totally latent.
• Latent dust shoeprints can be located by turning out all lights and shining
a flashlight across the surface of interest at a low angle. For example, to
search for latent shoeprints on a vinyl floor, place the flashlight on the floor
(or near it) and allow the long beam of light to shine across the floor.
• Photograph the impressions, as described above, before collecting.
• Attempt to enhance or lift the impression only if the entire item cannot be
retrieved from the scene and submitted to the laboratory.
• Dust and residue impressions may be lifted with an electrostatic lifting
device or gelatin lifter or adhesive lift. Contact the laboratory for
information on where to purchase an Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter or lifts.
• Impressions made by wet or damp footwear can sometimes be enhanced
by carefully dusting with fingerprint powder. A small portion of the
impression should be dusted first to test the success of the powdering
technique. The impression is then photographed and can be lifted with a
contrasting gelatin or adhesive-lifting material. Contact the laboratory for
information on where to purchase lifts.
Exemplars and Standards
Elimination Prints
There may be several people who have legitimately walked into a crime scene.
These include first responders, medical personnel, members of the crime scene
team, funeral home or Medical Examiner’s Office personnel, individuals from the
District Attorney’s Office, etc. These people may leave their shoeprints at the
scene and it can become difficult to distinguish evidentiary shoeprints from those
that are artifacts of the crime scene processing..
Adopted: May 2002
Revisions: 6
Last Revision: January 31, 2008
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