ABSTRACT
Forensic scientists distinguish between class and individual characteristics of forensic evidence. Class characteristics are features that group items by type. For example, a group of people may have black, brown, blonde, or red hair. A person cannot be identified based solely on class characteristics such as hair color, eye color, ethnicity, and so on. Conclusive identification of an individual can only be accomplished with individualizing characteristics. What characteristics make someone an individual? Fingerprints and DNA can conclusively determine individuality on a biological level. Otherwise, a preponderance of class characteristics can narrow a field of potential individuals to one particular person. For example, the following class characteristics can narrow down a suspect pool to potentially identify a suspect in a crime:
Each of these class characteristics alone does not narrow down the field of potential suspects. However, any individual associated with the crime who also possesses all of these attributes may be a likely suspect.
