Please contact Forensic Assurance to check availability for late purchase tests.
Standard (Static) Proficiency Test Design: $180
Declared Double Blind Proficiency Test Design: $235
Description: Each proficiency test will contain digital images of different footwear impressions in a variety of mediums, which may include three-dimensional impressions in dirt/sand/snow and two-dimensional impressions in dust and/or developed with powders or other enhancement techniques. The tests will also contain digital images of the tread of known shoes and known shoe impressions for comparison to the questioned impressions. Participants are requested to examine and process the digital images of the questioned impressions as they would do in actual casework, and compared these images to the known shoes/impressions.
2024 Footwear Identification Proficiency Test
Purchase Deadline: October 30, 2023
Distribution: week of April 29, 2024
Answer Submission Deadline: July 29, 2024
2025 Footwear Identification Proficiency Test
Purchase Deadline: November 1, 2024
Distribution: week of April 21, 2025
Answer Submission Deadline: July 21, 2025
Standard (Static) Proficiency Test Design: Each forensic practitioner will receive the same test samples as others in their laboratory, with the correct answers being the same. The test will be comprised of some of the same proficiency testing items used in the declared double blind test design, and the samples that are used will be different for every testing cycle. The static proficiency tests will have the same purchase deadlines, distribution dates and answer submission deadlines as the declared double blind test designs.
Declared Double Blind Test Design: Each forensic practitioner will receive a test composed of randomly selected unknown and/or known proficiency testing items, with the correct answers being specific to each test. Participants will be unable to gain information regarding the answers to their test through discussions with others participating in the same testing cycle, or with those administering the test. These blind elements are incorporated into the design of our tests to reduce the effects of bias on testing results. Forensic Assurance proficiency tests are declared (the participant knows that they are taking a test).
Please contact Forensic Assurance to check availability for late purchase tests.