The first comparisons made of shoe casts at the laboratory are those which determine CLASS CHARACTERISTICS of the shoe. Such examinations include the design, size, and manufacturer of the shoe. Whether the shoes have been resoled or reheeled, as well as the design, size, and manufacturer of the material used in the repair work, can also be revealed. The Laboratory examiners establish the general class characteristics of an article by examining the cast and making comparisons with samples at their disposal.
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The second and most important type of examination is to establish a significant number of points of comparison or similarity for identification in order to identify an imprint as having been made by a particular shoe. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS acceptable as evidence may be cuts, tears, manufacturing defects, signs of irregular wear, or any other unusual characteristics which set the object apart from similar objects in the same class category.