title: Statistical analysis of barefoot impressions.
abstract: Comparison of the shapes of barefoot impressions from an individual with footprints or shoes linked to a crime may be useful as a means of including or excluding that individual as possibly being at the scene of a crime. The question of the distinguishability of a person's barefoot print arises frequently. This study indicates that measurements taken from the outlines of inked footprint impressions show a great degree of variability between donors and a great degree of similarity for multiple impressions taken from the same donor. The normality of the set of measurements on footprint outlines that we have selected for this study is confirmed. A statistical justification for the use of the product rule on individual statistical precisions is developed.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Identification Research Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R2 Canada. robert.kennedy@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Irwin S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Pressman
authors.forename: Sanping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Ari E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pressman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups