After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

• List the common types of material that are encountered as trace physical evidence that is recovered from incident scenes.
• Describe the specialised processes that are used to collect both questioned and control samples of at least one common type of trace recoverable evidence.
• Outline the means by which trace recoverable materials may be characterised to obtain both class characteristics and points of comparison.
• Appreciate the investigative, associative, corroborative and, where applicable, individualising value of recoverable trace evidence.