200 word response 1 reference/intext citation
Due 1/24/2025
Post 1
Williams
Beyond its definition, how does “class characteristic” influence the broader context of evidence analysis in criminal investigations? Consider scenarios where class characteristics might be misleading or insufficient. Provide an example where reliance on class characteristics alone could lead to complications or misdirection in an investigation.
Class features are the things that make an individual object, tool, or material be classified under a particular class rather than distinguishing it as a separate item. Manufacturing processes cause these characteristics and are typical for all batch, brand, or type items. Park et al. (2024) assert that class characteristics form the basis of a criminal investigation since they help define from whom or what the investigation began in the first instance. However, due to their general approach, they can cause confusion and misdirections when relied solely on. For example, a shoe print left at a crime scene may show which brand or model was worn, but it will not reveal who wore the shoes, especially where many people are wearing the same shoes. Such scenarios raise the problem of excluding characteristics peculiar to the class and the danger of premature identification of suspects solely based on general data. Hence, they incorporate individualizing characteristics like unique impact points or foreign objects to avoid doubt and deviation from the actual course of the case investigation.
