IAI Footwear study plan

IAI Footwear · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Footwear and Tire Track Examination

Define the scope of footwear and tire track examination, distinguishing impression evidence from trace and pattern evidence, and write a one-paragraph scope statement in your own words.
Label a blank diagram of a shoe sole and heel with at least 15 named regions (toe, ball, arch, heel, outsole edge, lug, sipe, etc.) and describe what each region typically records.
List the three impression types (patent, latent, plastic) and give a footwear example and a tire example for each, noting which recovery methods apply.
Build a terminology glossary of 30 terms covering outsole, midsole, tread, pitch, groove, sipe, wear pattern, and class versus individual characteristics, with a one-sentence definition for each.

A 30-term glossary plus a labeled sole/tread anatomy diagram with a written scope statement.

Week 2

Describe the manufacturing process for athletic and dress footwear well enough to explain why molds, mold position, and mold variations create class and sub-class characteristics.
Explain tire construction (tread cap, shoulder, sidewall, bead) and how mold design, tread pitch, and wear indicators generate identifying features.
Differentiate class characteristics from individual (accidental) characteristics and classify 10 example features as one or the other with justification.
Draft a comparison checklist you would apply when deciding whether two impressions share a common source.

A written class-versus-individual characteristics comparison table covering 10 footwear and 10 tire features.

Week 3

Sequence the steps of documenting a footwear or tire impression scene, from initial survey through photography, casting, and collection.
Write the exposure and lighting settings you would use for a 2D latent impression on a hard floor and for a 3D impression in soil, and justify each choice.
Explain the purpose and correct use of an oblique or low-angle light source, a scale, and a photo log for impression evidence.
Identify three common documentation errors that weaken later comparison and describe how to prevent each.

A one-page field documentation protocol with a photo sequence checklist and a sample photo log.

Week 4

Compare casting media (dental stone, plaster of Paris, sulfur, and gel-based products) on accuracy, working time, and suitability for soil, snow, and blood impressions.
Write step-by-step casting procedures for a 3D impression in soil and in snow, including border preparation and reinforcement.
Explain when electrostatic lifting, gelatin lifters, and adhesive lifters are appropriate for dry or dusty 2D impressions, and when they are not.
Describe proper packaging, labeling, and chain-of-custody practices for cast, lifted, and photographic impression evidence.

A casting and recovery decision matrix mapping impression type and substrate to method, with a short chain-of-custody form.

Week 5

Explain the ACE-V (analysis, comparison, evaluation, verification) process as applied to footwear and tire impressions and describe the output of each stage.
Describe how to prepare known exemplars (test impressions) from a suspect shoe or tire, including inking, pressure, and substrate matching.
List the criteria for determining suitability of a questioned impression and apply them to three short written scenarios.
Distinguish identification, exclusion, and inconclusive conclusions, and write a sample conclusion paragraph for each.

A written ACE-V walkthrough of a sample case with a suitability determination and a drafted conclusion statement.

Week 6

Explain how wear patterns, accidental damage, and manufacturing defects are used to individualize a shoe or tire, and note the limits of each.
Describe how to evaluate size, tread design, and mold variation to narrow a tire or footwear search, including the pitfalls of relying on size alone.
Outline how footwear and tire evidence can link scenes, link a suspect to a scene, or support or refute a stated account.
Identify three sources of error or bias in impression comparison and state a mitigation for each.

A two-page case study analysis linking a footwear impression and a tire impression across two scenes, with stated limitations.

Week 7

Summarize the reporting requirements for impression evidence, including what must appear in the examination record and the final report.
Explain the examiner's obligations for peer review, technical review, and testimony, and how to present limitations honestly under cross-examination.
Draft answers to five likely cross-examination questions on suitability, standards, and error rates.
Review your own week 2 through week 6 deliverables and correct any technical inaccuracies you find.

A mock report plus a five-question cross-examination Q&A sheet with corrected prior work.

Week 8

Assemble a one-page quick-reference sheet covering impression types, recovery methods, ACE-V, and conclusion categories.
Complete a timed 60-question self-test drawn from your own notes and score at least 80 percent.
Re-study every missed item and write a short explanation of the correct answer for each.
Write a personal weak-area list with a plan for continued review after the exam.

A scored 60-question self-test with a written remediation log for every missed item.

Week 2: Can classify 10 unseen footwear or tire features as class or individual characteristics with correct justification.

Week 4: Can select the correct recovery method and write the full casting procedure for soil, snow, and a dry latent impression without notes.

Week 6: Can complete an ACE-V walkthrough end to end and state an identification, exclusion, or inconclusive conclusion with reasons.

Week 8: Scores at least 80 percent on the timed 60-question self-test and has a remediation note for every missed item.