Forensic tire tread evidence records and analyzes impressions of vehicle tire tread

Tread

The tread of a tire or track refers to the rubber on its circumference that makes contact with the road. As tires are used, the tread is worn off, limiting its effectiveness in providing traction. A worn tire tread can often be retreaded. The word tread is often used incorrectly to refer to the...

s for use in legal proceedings to help prove the identities of persons at the crime scene

Crime scene

A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place, and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators or in rare circumstances, forensic scientists....

. Every tire will show different amounts of tread wear, different amounts of damage in the form of tiny cuts and nicks. These unique characteristics will also show on the impression left by the tire.

This forensic technique was first invented in 1930 by David Chapman, a researcher affiliated with the Sheriff's Office in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...

, in the United States.

External links

• Scientific Working Group on Shoeprint and Tire Tread Evidence (SWGTREAD), from the International Association for Identification