Imprints are heavily useful in forensic identification. The most common example of an imprint sample in terms of physical evidence is the presence of fingerprints. It is an example of an individualization pattern that can be “packaged” and brought inside the laboratory unlike a reconstruction pattern.
Fingerprints found on physical evidences can now be stored and examined inside the laboratory and are important due to their ability to identify the unique individual associated with it. Friction ridge skin pattern is a method of analyzing fingerprints and comparing with other imprints found on evidences so as to identify a unique individual (Gaensslen, Harris and Lee, 2008).
Indentation is a three dimensional pattern which results from soft contact with an object as opposed to an imprint (Gaensslen, Harris and Lee, 2008). A track and trail pattern made on sand, mud or earth can be described as an example of an indentation. This is due to the soft nature of surfaces such as sand which would result in an indentation. Indentations are useful marks that can allow useful examination of physical evidences as they indicate directions. In the case of track and trail pattern, drag marks can be followed and blood trails can be compared by means of chemical tests.
Physical patterns include skid marks and other marks let by vehicle tires. Skid marks and other tire marks can be used for reconstructing car accidents and other incidents involving an automobile. Skid mark analysis is usually performed by an expert or a forensic engineer (Gaensslen, Harris and Lee, 2008). Various measurements such as length of a mark can direct towards different possibilities. These marks are documented either as a videotape or a photograph and then reconstructed and compared by means of a laboratory based examination.