Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology

 
Week 14

Casting and Molding

Casting and Molding
Introduction
When an item like a shoe or a tire comes into contact
with a soft surface, it leaves behind a pattern showing
some or all of its surface characteristics known as
impression. The collection and analysis of impression
evidence found at the scene of a crime can often be very
important to an investigation.
The major types of impression evidence are shoeprints, tire tracks, tool marks and the marks that are found on a fired bullet.
Impressions can be found in a variety of surfaces including dust, carpet, mud, and, very significantly, blood. Collection of an
impression is a specialized forensic task because, unlike a hair or bullet, an impression cannot just be packaged and taken back to
the laboratory. Impression evidence is often fragile; a tire track may deteriorate or even be destroyed by rainfall, for example.
There is a need for the forensic scientist to retain as much information as possible when collecting impression evidence.
Definition of Terms:
Cast- reproduction of an object, known as positive impression..
Subject- an impression that is to be reproduced.
Mold- impression made or left by an object, known as negative impression.
Molding- process of reproducing the impression of an object.
Casting - a process whereby a reproduction of an object is secured by introducing a suitable
hardening material into the impression.
Impression – a strong mark produced by pressure that goes below the surface. A stamp, form or figure resulting from physical contact. It causes damage to the object.
Imprint – weak mark made by pressure that stays on the surface.
In scientific criminal investigation the problem of reproducing the faithful representation of an object is of great evidential value. In many cases reliance has been placed on photographic method. In
cases involving footprints, tool marks, tooth impressions, photographic representation may not serve the purpose. Using a mold called moulage can only make a faithful reproduction of these objects.
 Moulage – a faithful reproduction of an impression with the use of casting materials. It is admitted that moulage cannot reproduce all characteristics of the object under all
circumstances but whatever is mission in a moulage it can be supplied by the photograph.

Casting material – any material which can be changed from a plastic or liquid state to the solid condition.
For foot impression and tire impression, Plaster of Paris is the best casting material.
Other Casting Materials:
1. Wood’s metal – used for small impressions as tooth
impression, tool impression.
2. Plastic material – like plasticine and dental composition.
Used for small impression. Dental composition is the best
casting material for making the cast of tool marks.
3. Negocoll - used for human body as cast of hand or face.
It is rubbery gelatinous consisting of colloidal magnesium soap.
4. Celerit - brown substance used for backing and
strengthening the hominid (human being)
Casting is the process used to replicate three-dimensional prints or marks. It is widely used to obtain the exact
replicate of tool marks, tire tracks, shoeprints, and sometimes teeth. Casting is of paramount importance in forensic
sciences as it allows a crime scene investigator to collect an identical copy of a mark or print from a scene, which can
then be compared to a seized tool, shoe, or tire in order to establish a link between a suspect and a crime scene .
 Casting can only be accomplished on three-dimensional
marks or traces. In the case of tool marks, for example,
casting can be used to obtain the perfect copy of the
mark of a screwdriver used to force open a door during a
burglary (robbery). With a shoeprint, it allows for the
shoeprint of a thief that was left in the soil outside the
window of the apartment he or she exited to be
preserved as evidence. A vehicle used to flee the scene
of a murder could leave tire tracks in the snow, which can
be recorded and saved for later comparison with a
suspicious vehicle. Casting is also used to record dental
characteristics of a body and compare these
characteristics with known dental records in order to
make a proper identification.
PROCEDURE OF CASTING:
a. Photograph and measure the impression;
b. Remove leaves, twigs, or loose objects that may have
fallen into impression. Debris that is embedded in the
surface of impression should remain;
c. Preserve the impression by spraying it with a fixative
agent (hairspray) to make the surface impervious to the
liquid that will be poured in;
d. Place a retaining wall on the impression;
e. Mix a Plaster of Paris and water in a proportion of 7
parts Plaster of Paris to 4 parts water;
f. Pour the Plaster of Paris mixture into the impression;
g. Place the reinforcement material;
h. Pour again the remaining Plaster of Paris mixture until
1 inch of its thickness;
i. Allow the cast to harden for about 20-30 minutes; and
j. Mark the impression with the following minimum
information: case number, time and date casted, place of
casting, name of person who made the cast or other
identifying marks. This should be done before the cast is
completely hardened.
 
Shoeprint and Tire Impression
Shoeprint and tire impression evidence is another form of
valuable physical evidence that is often encouraged at the crime
scenes. Since criminals must either walk or drive to and/or from
the crime scene, it should be reasonably assumed that traces of
the impression evidence will be left behind. The recognition,
collection, and examination of this impression evidence can
provide irrefutable proof of the presence of an individual or a
vehicle at a crime scene or in contact with a victim.
Tire tracks are the impressions left by tires on the surfaces onto
which a vehicle drove. Not all tires and all surfaces will leave tire
tracks. If the surface is soft or semi-soft, such as mud, dirt, or
snow, the tire will leave an imprint under the weight of the
vehicle. If the surface is hard, such as road pavement, the tire
might still leave a trace, if dirt or dust was present. As with other
traces such as fingerprints or shoeprints, tire tracks are extremely
important in forensic investigations. They enable identification of
the vehicle that left them. Tire tracks are usually found in road
accident scenes or in the access and escape routes of other
crime scenes.
Common sample of tire prints
TIRE CHARACTERISTICS

-Class characteristics - include size and general patterns.

-Individual characteristics - include regular wear and tear as
well as accidental cuts or holes.

Tire Impression
Tires are made of semi-hard rubber and are characterized by
class and individual characteristics. Class characteristics include
size and general patterns. Individual characteristics include
regular wear and tear as well as accidental cuts or holes. These
characteristics may be reproduced in the tracks left by the tire,
depending on the surface and the circumstances under which the
track occurred.
When examining a crime scene that contains tire tracks, forensic
science can play a major role in establishing the possible identify
of a car or motorcycle that was present at the scene and
matching it with a vehicle of a suspect.
Various methods are used to “lift” tire tracks from different
surfaces including making a cast with dental stone and
photographing the tracks with a scale device. Wherever possible,
the original item containing the impression should be retrieved to
be taken to the laboratory.
Dental stone or die stone is a much better substitute for
making a cast of the tire tracks to create a three-dimensional
impression.
Shoeprints:
Shoes create impressions at the scene of a crime called
shoeprints and can be extremely informative to the forensic
investigator. The sole of a shoe picks up various kinds of material
as a person walks, and this readily transferred to other surfaces,
creating an impression that can reveal the pattern on the sole.
Investigators look at soil, particularly around the potential entry
and exit points of a crime scene, as well as carpet, linoleum,
paper, and dust to try to detect shoeprints. If a shoeprint is found
in a pool of blood, it can serve as incriminating evidence.
There are three kinds of shoeprints: patent, plastic, and latent.
1. Patent shoeprints are clearly visible and come from tracking
through a substance like paint or dirt and leaving some behind
each time a step is taken.
2. A plastic shoeprint occurs when a shoe sinks into a soft
substance like snow or mud.
3. Latent shoeprints are those that are not visible to the naked
eye and often occur on a hard surface like glass or concrete. The
techniques used for collecting shoeprints vary, but include
dusting with special powders, electrostatic lifting, and making
plaster casts. A photographic record is always taken as well.
Each individual has their own way of walking, which has
an impact on the way their shoes wear down, and this
will be evident in the shoeprint. It may be possible to
determine if the perpetrator had a foot deformity or a limp
from the way their shoes have worn down. As someone
walks, the soles of their shoes also acquire a unique
pattern of damage consisting of tiny cuts, scratches, and
abrasions. Because no two people ever tread exactly the
same route over a period of time, this damage pattern is
unique to each shoe sole and can be powerful
individualizing evidence
To compare a shoeprint found at the scene of a crime
with that from a suspect’s shoe, the investigator has to
create a print from the latter. One way is to coat the shoe
sole with a light oil pressing it into foam rubber
impregnated with oil. The shoe is then pressed onto
paper, creating an oily print that can be visualized with
magnetic powder. If a plastic print is needed for
comparison, the shoe will be pressed into a similar
surface to the one in which the shoeprint was found. It is
important to try to reproduce the mechanism by which
the original shoeprint was made in investigating a
suspect’s shoeprint. The argument that both came from
the same source—the suspect’s shoe- then becomes
much more convincing.
LABORATORY EXAMINATION

The laboratory examination of shoe print and tire

impression evidence can lead to one of several
conclusions that are usually dependent upon the quality
and degree of discernible detail that has been left behind
with the impression.
1) Positive proof of contact the shoe/tire with the surface;
2) The possibility that contact did occur; or
3) The possibility that contact did not occur.
Types of Examinations
1) Comparative – conducted to determine if a known shoe or tire
made the impression.
2) Investigative – conducted on impressions to provide
information regarding manufacture or design descriptions that
may provide investigative leads.

The characteristics of impression evidence that allow for

comparative examination consist of three elements:
1) Design characteristics – this is the basic pattern of the shoe
sole or tire tread design. These patterns are usually patented
although illegal copies or “knock-offs” are often reproduced and
are somewhat specific to a manufacturer. Usually many shoes or
tires are produced that have this basic pattern design.
2) Wear patterns – as the shoe or tire is worn or
used on a vehicle the pattern area will wear down
as erosion of the tread or sole material takes
place. This wear pattern generally follows a
somewhat “normal” progression. However, other
factors such as the gait or walking pattern of an
wearing the shoes, or the front end misalignment
of the tires on a vehicle of the under or over
inflation of the tires will have an effect on the
overall wear pattern. It must be remembered that
the wear pattern alone will not provide the basis for
positive identification.
3) Accidental characteristics- during the normal use
of a shoe or tire some damage such as small cuts
and nicks are imparted on the tread or pattern
surface. These characteristics are known as
“accidental” and occur randomly on all tire and
shoe designs commonly in use. Assuming the
agreement of the design characteristics and wear
patterns, the “match” of accidental characteristics
may allow for the positive identification of a
particular shoe or tire as having made a particular
impression.