ABSTRACT
The soles, as well as other areas of footwear, which can be involved in the impressionmaking process, contain a large variety of features. As with any mass manufactured item, most of the features that comprise footwear and their soles are class characteristics. Shoes also contain identifying characteristics that can make them unique. For the most part, the unique identifying characteristics are features that are randomly acquired as they are worn; however, some may also occur in the manufacturing process. The understanding, recognition, and proper evaluation of these class and identifying characteristics in the comparison of footwear impression evidence is essential in reaching the proper conclusion.
