What category of evidence provides known standards, such as fibers and paint?

Class evidence refers to material that shares common characteristics with a group of objects or individuals, rather than being linked to a single source. Fibers and paint are excellent examples of class evidence because they can often be identified as belonging to a certain category or type, but they do not definitively point to a specific source. For instance, many fibers might come from the same type of fabric or a wide range of products, and many paints can be traced back to a specific brand or type but can't uniquely identify an individual or a particular incident.

This type of evidence is useful in making connections during an investigation; it can establish that certain materials found at a crime scene are consistent with materials associated with a suspect or another piece of evidence. However, because it does not provide a definitive identification, it is considered less conclusive than individual evidence, which can point uniquely to a suspect or item.

In contrast, the other categories such as linking evidence focus on establishing connections specifically between individuals or events, standards evidence would refer to accepted benchmarks in forensic science that help to analyze evidence, and motive evidence relates to the reasons behind a crime. The process of classifying these materials as class evidence helps investigators to build a broader understanding of the case and draw connections that guide their