1. 6th Grade Forensic Science
Fingerprints
… and other types of forensic prints!!
6th Grade Forensic Science
T. Trimpe

2. Why are fingerprints so important in forensic science?

3. Fingerprint Principles
According to criminal investigators, fingerprints follow THREE fundamental principles:
A fingerprint is an individual characteristic; no two people have been found with the exact same fingerprint pattern.
A fingerprint pattern will remain unchanged for the life of an individual; however, the print itself may change due to permanent scars and skin diseases.
Fingerprints have general characteristic ridge patterns that allow them to be systematically identified.

4. Fingerprint Classes
There are 3 specific classes for all fingerprints based
upon their visual pattern: arches, loops, and whorls.
Each group is divided into smaller groups as seen in the lists below.
Arch
Plain arch
Tented arch
Loop
Radial Loop
Ulnar loop
Whorl
Plain whorl
Central pocket whorl
Double loop whorl
Accidental

5. Interesting Info ADD TO NOTES Did you know? Fingerprint Factoids:
~ 65% of people have loops
~ 35% have whorls
~ 5% have arches
Did you know?
Dactyloscopy is the study of fingerprint identification. Police investigators are experts in collecting “dactylograms”, otherwise known as fingerprints.
ADD TO NOTES

7. Arches
Arches are the simplest type of fingerprints that are formed by ridges that enter on one side of the print and exit on the other. No deltas are present.
Tented Arches
Similar to the plain arch,
but has a spike in the center.
Spike or “tent”
Plain Arch
Ridges enter on one side and
exit on the other side.

8. Loops
Radius
Ulna
Left Hand
Loops must have one delta and one or more ridges that enter and leave on the same side. These patterns are named for their positions related to the radius and ulna bones, i.e. the bone the loop opening is facing towards.
L – Radial Loop
R - Ulnar Loop
L – Ulnar Loop
R - Radial Loop
Delta
X-Ray Imagine:

10. Whorls Central Pocket Whorl Plain Whorl
Whorls have at least one ridge that makes (or tends to make) a complete circuit. They also have at least two deltas. If a print has more than two deltas, it is most likely an accidental whorl.
Central Pocket Whorl
Plain Whorl
Draw a line between the two deltas in the plain and central pocket whorls. If some of the curved ridges touch the line, it is a plain whorl. If none of the center core touches the line, it is a central pocket whorl.

11. Whorls – Part 2 Double Loop Whorl Accidental Whorl
Double loop whorls are made up of any two loops combined into one print.
Delta
Accidental Whorl
Accidental whorls contain two or more patterns (not including the plain arch), or does not clearly fall under any of the other categories.

12. The Accidental Whorl…

13. Identify each fingerprint pattern.? A B
Right Hand
Left Hand
Answer Key: A - Plain Whorl, B – Double Loop Whorl, C – Ulnar Loop, D – Tented Arch, E – Plain Arch C
Right Hand E D
Right Hand
Left Hand

14. It’s time to make some prints!
Avoid Partial Prints
GOOD PRINT Get as much of the top part of your finger as possible!

15. Directions
1st – Roll the “pad” portion of your thumb over the ink pad from the left side of your thumb to the right. You do not have to push down really hard!
2nd – Roll the “pad” portion of your thumb from the left side of your thumb to the right in the correct box on your paper to make a thumbprint.
3rd – Continue this process to make a fingerprint of all ten fingers on the “CPS Fingerprints” worksheet.
4th –Use your notes and a magnifying lens to help you figure out what type of pattern is found in each of your fingerprints. Label each one with the pattern’s name.

16. Other types of prints Footprints
When investigating a crime scene, investigators look for signs of animal activity. If an animal leaves tracks in the snow, an investigator can estimate how big it was or how it moved.
Investigators look at how big the tracks are and how far they sink into the snow.
The stride, the length between the tracks, can be measured. Strides far apart indicate that the animal was moving quickly or running.

17. When looking at a set of footprints, investigators are able to determine how fast a person was walking or if they were running or jogging.
When footprints are closer together, it can be concluded that the individual was walking.
Prints that are farther apart indicate that the person was running.
Investigators can also tell how heavy a person was based on the depth of the depression left in the soil.
Deeper tracks indicate a heavier person, while shallow tracks indicate a lighter person.
They can also tell how tall a person is and what their shoe size is.

20. TIRE Prints
Whose Tire is it?