Which type of evidence can allow forensic scientists to narrow down a group?

Class evidence is important because it allows forensic scientists to categorize physical evidence into a general class or group, which helps them to narrow down potential suspects or sources. This type of evidence does not pinpoint a specific individual but can link a piece of evidence to a broader group of people, objects, or materials that share common characteristics.

For example, class evidence might include fibers from clothing, type of soil from a crime scene, or the make and model of a vehicle tire. If a forensic scientist finds fibers that match a specific brand of clothing, they can conclude that the fibers came from that brand's clothing, narrowing down the potential suspects to those who own or wear that brand, but not identifying an individual.

In contrast, individual evidence, such as a fingerprint or a DNA sample, can directly identify a specific person. Circumstantial evidence refers to evidence that implies a fact or event without directly proving it, while direct evidence typically includes eyewitness accounts or video footage that definitively establish a fact. Each of these types of evidence plays a different role in forensic science, but class evidence is particularly useful for narrowing down possibilities within a broader context.