5. Footwear Examination and Analysis

The examination of footwear that has been associated with a crime scene is a multidisciplinary task in the context of identification. Podiatrists usually become involved in forensic footwear examination where a suspect has been found and the task is to associate or disassociate that person to footwear already linked with the crime scene. A podiatrist’s assessment of shoes in this context involves the analysis, comparison, and evaluation of wear features of the insole/sock liner and the internal and external aspects of the upper structure of the shoe and the outsole. In addition to comparing known and questioned footwear items together, the forensic podiatrist may also wish to examine the suspected wearer or wearers of the shoes to look for features of the foot that may provide additional linking or disassociating factors. This chapter describes the processes involved in the forensic podiatry analysis of footwear in the identification process.