Which of the following best defines class characteristics?

• A. Features unique to a single source such as DNA or fingerprints.
• B. Features shared by a group such as size, shape, or brand.
• C. Features that are temporary and easily altered.
• D. Features only found in digital data.

Answer: (B)

Class characteristics are features shared by a group that allow you to categorize evidence rather than identify a single source. They include things like size, shape, or brand—traits that indicate the evidence belongs to a particular category or class, but not to a unique item. In forensic practice, these help narrow down possibilities by showing what group the evidence could come from, while individual characteristics—such as unique DNA sequences or distinctive fingerprint minutiae—are needed to pinpoint a single source. The other options describe traits unique to one source, temporary changes, or digital data alone, which do not define class characteristics.