What is the meaning of individualization in this context?

• A. Exclusion
• B. Identification
• C. Inconclusive
• D. No value

Answer: (B)

Individualization in this context means linking a piece of evidence to a single, specific source with a high degree of certainty. It’s about proving that the item originated from one particular source rather than from a general class. For example, unique fingerprint ridge patterns, distinctive ballistic marks on a bullet tied to a specific firearm, or a DNA profile matching a particular individual all illustrate source-level identification, not just a broad category. This goes beyond identifying the type of evidence to asserting its unique source. Exclusion would mean it didn’t come from that source, inconclusive would mean there isn’t enough evidence to decide, and no value would mean the evidence isn’t informative. The best description here is identification.