Procedures

Since latent footprints can be invisible to the naked eye, it is very important not to disturb them when setting up a crime scene as to not destroy any evidence. Criminals may wear gloves to avoid fingerprints but most of them don't know about shoeprints so these are a great way to obtain evidence. When taping up a crime scene, the officer in charge should leave enough space for the entry and exit, because the criminal had to come in and out of the scene. Usually the room is made dark and prints are searched for with an oblique lighting source. Outside prints are usually searched for first due to weather. When an officer should enter a crime scene he should use a stepping into your own footsteps procedure as to not make any more prints than necessary. When prints are found it is important to photograph them before they are cast or lifted and in multiple angles with a scale included such as a ruler. When the casts are done they shouldn't be cleaned but left to dry for 2 days. Searching for footprints should deffinitely be one of the top priorities when searching a crime scene. Another interesting fact that can be obtained from shoe size is that the length of a persons foot divided by .15 equals their height. I have size 13 shoes but only 11.5 inch feet so if you do the math it will give you 74 inches which is pretty close to my height. Another interesting fact is that when carrying heavy weights your foot prints are actually deeper, and when running it is more exaggerated at the toe and heel regions