AFTE Range of Conclusions

The AFTE Range of Conclusions was developed by the Criteria for Identification Committee and adopted by the Association membership at its annual business meeting in April 1992 (and published in the AFTE Journal Volume 24, Number 3).

1. Identification
   Agreement of a combination of individual characteristics and all discernible class characteristics where the extent of agreement exceeds that which can occur in the comparison of toolmarks made by different tools and is consistent with the agreement demonstrated by toolmarks known to have been produced by the same tool.
2. Inconclusive
   1. Some agreement of individual characteristics and all discernible class characteristics, but insufficient for an identification.
   2. Agreement of all discernible class characteristics without agreement or disagreement of individual characteristics due to an absence, insufficiency, or lack of reproducibility.
   3. Agreement of all discernible class characteristics and disagreement of individual characteristics, but insufficient for an elimination.
3. Elimination
   Significant disagreement of discernible class characteristics and/or individual characteristics.
4. Unsuitable
   Unsuitable for examination.