Interpretation and Evaluation
David P. Baldwin, John Birkett, Owen Facey PhD, Gilleon Rabey · 2013
The findings of tool mark examination will need to be interpreted and evaluated. In this chapter, ‘interpretation’ is meant to be an explanation of what one has observed, and ‘evaluation’ to be the weighing up of what the interpretation findings mean with respect to prosecution and defence cases. In any forensic tool mark examination, a logical thought process should develop to incorporate both interpretation and evaluation. The basis for evaluation should be considered from the very start of an examination by having a question that is being asked by the submitting authority clearly formulated. Making and comparing further test marks or comparing a different area of mark and tool may give a better correspondence. Another consideration is when there are apparent differences between a crime mark and a known item and the examiner has to assess these to determine if they are significant or not.