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footwear.

Soil evidence from a victim or suspects clothing can indicate an association between victim and suspect. For instance, if a suspect lives in a particular neighborhood with a specific soil profile and this profile matches one found at a crime scene or on a victim, then one must suspect that the suspect left that sample at the scene.

"Double transfer" is even more convincing. If soil profiling to a suspects home territory is found on a victim or in their home and soil from the victims home territory is found on the suspects clothing or footwear the probability of the suspect having been at the crime scene increases dramatically. The mathematic probability of two matching profiles being found at both scenes by coincidence increases. For example the probability of transfer to one site occurring by coincidence might be 1 chance in 800. When double transfer occurs the probability of that occurring by coincidence becomes 1 chance in 64,000 (Crocker, 1999).

Inorganic or manufactured matter found in the soil recovered from a suspect's footwear or clothing can be very site specific. Particles of glass, rubber and other industrial products can be used to link a suspect with a particular location. In the not-uncommon case of crimes at industrial locations this can be particularly useful.

How to collect Samples

As already mention in the indoor scene vacuuming can be used to collect samples. The methods of collection will vary from scene to scene.
In a break and enter where house plants are found upset a sample of the soil may be used to link the suspect to a scene. Soil from the garden or yard can also be used to track the suspect's direction of travel and point of entry. Most garden soils are unique. The gardener in charge will have added some favorite materials (sometimes specific to particular plants) in order to improve the garden. The materials tend to be different in every garden. Some gardeners might use compost while others might prefer ammonium pellets, sand, peat or wood chips.

Samples taken from the interior of a vehicle can indicate many things. A soil sample from the gas or brake pedal of a vehicle can link a suspect to a location. Soil from a trunk or backseat can indicate digging. When graves are dug to hide bodies the various levels of the soil are disturbed. If the suspect lays a shovel on the back seat or in the trunk the soil from the lower levels of the grave may be deposited on the seat or in the truck. Soil from tools such as shovels should

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