1. Fingerprints History and Anatomy
All Rights Reserved South-Western / Cengage Learning © 2012, 2009
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

2. Historical Development
3rd century B.C. in China—oldest known documents
Ancient Babylon ( B.C.)—fingerprints pressed into clay tablets marked contracts
1684—Dr. Nehemiah Grew’s paper describes the patterns on human hands, including the presence of ridges
1788—Johann Mayer noted that the arrangement of skin ridges is never duplicated in two persons
#3 is actually Dr. Nehemiah Grew.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

3. Historical Development
1823—Jan Evangelist Purkinje describes nine fingerprint patterns; none are in use today
1856—Sir William Herschel (right) began the collection of fingerprints and noted they were not altered by age
1883—Alphonse Bertillon used anthropometry to identify criminals that were repeat offenders using 11 body measurements
#5 is Johannes Purkinje. And you might want to mention that none of his nine patterns are used today. You might also want to mention that Bertillon’s method (called anthropometry) had nothing to do with fingerprints (although it’s important in fingerprint history). Hos method involved taking 11 different anatomical measurements of his subjects.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

4. Historical Development
1888—Sir Francis Galton (r) identified and named minutiae patterns and Sir Edmund Richard Henry developed the fingerprint classification system still used in the US
1891—Iván (Juan) Vucetich collected all ten fingerprint impressions and noted measurements. He was the first to use fingerprints in a criminal case in 1892
1896—Sir Henry, with two colleagues, created a system that divided fingerprints into groups. All ten fingerprints are imprinted on a card (called a tenprint card) along with other notations
#8. Galton (who was Charles Darwin’s first cousin) didn’t develop the system of classification we use today. He played around with some pattern classification, but he’s really known for naming the minutiae that you have on slide #18. Henry (along with his minions) did develop the system that’s still in use today. #9 Vucetich developed his own classification system that was used in Argentina. And it was Vucetich that made the first fingerprint identification in a criminal case in That identification, plus Vucetich’s classification system led to the abolishment of Bertillon’s anthropometry system in Argentina in favor of fingerprints. Then the rest of the countries followed suit. #10 The card displaying impressions of all ten fingers is called a Tenprint Card.

5. Example of a Tenprint/10-Print Card
Again, this would be called a Tenprint Card or a 10-Print Card.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

6. Levels of Organization in the body
Multicellularity makes possible a division of labor at the cellular level
Cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems maintain relatively stable internal environments

7. What Are Fingerprints?
All fingers, toes, feet, and palms are covered in small ridges
Ridges help us grip objects
Ridges are arranged in connected units called dermal, or friction, ridges
Fingers accumulate natural secretions and dirt
Fingers leave prints on objects we touch
Did you mean leave or create?
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

8. Structure of Skin: Anatomy
Glands:
Eccrine: secretes largely water, with both salts and amino acids. Found on palms of hands, feet. Most important for fingerprints.
Apocrine: secretes pheromones and other organic materials. Found in axial and genital regions.
Sebaceous: secretes fatty or greasy substances. Sprouts a hair.
The inorganic substances from eccrine glands are primarily salts and amino acids.

9. Structure of Skin: Anatomy
Layers of skin:
Epidermis: outermost layer, provides a waterproof barrier
Dermis: beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands.
Subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis): is made of fat and connective tissue.

10. Structure of Skin: Fingerprints
Location of Sweat Glands: Most numerous in the palms and the soles, where they open on the summits of the papillary ridges.
Stimulus Responses: The chief stimuli to sweating are heat, emotion, and gustatory perspiration (eating spicy foods). Emotional perspiration occurs characteristically on the forehead, axillae, palms, and soles.
I might add gustatory perspiration (from eating spicy foods), although heat and nervousness apply most to suspects committing crimes.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

11. Fingerprint Formation
1. Basal layer grows faster than the layers above and below it
2. Basal layer collapses and folds to form intricate shapes
Fingerprints are made of an arrangement of ridges, called friction ridges.
Each ridge contains pores, which are attached to sweat glands under the skin.
You leave fingerprints on glasses, tables and just about anything else you touch because of this sweat.

12. Inheritance of Fingerprints
Do Intro to Fingerprints Family Activity
Read Scientific American: Inheritance of Fingerprints article
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

13. Classification of Fingerprints
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

14. Characteristics of Fingerprints
There are 3 general fingerprint distinctions:
ARCH
About 5%
WHORL
About 30%
LOOP
About 65%
of the population
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

15. Characteristics of Fingerprints
Forensic examiners look for
Core (the center of a whorl or loop)
Deltas (whorls/loops) (triangular regions near a loop)
Ridge count
Counting the number of ridges between the core to the edge of the delta
Distinguishes one fingerprint from another although many have same ridge count
The cores, deltas, and ridge counts are used primarily in fingerprint classification, although they can be used as part of a fingerprint examination (comparison and identification). Deltas are found in whorl patterns as well as loop patterns. The ridge count (which is actually the number of ridges between the core and the delta) can distinguish between some fingerprints, but there are many fingerprints out there that have the same ridge count.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

16. Characteristics of Fingerprints
Plain Whorl
There are actually 4 sub-categories of whorls. The one that isn’t shown here is the Plain Whorl.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

17. Characteristics of Fingerprints
Tented arches can be tricky. The one shown here does not have a delta. But there is one type of tented arch that MAY have a delta. The subject may be too complicated (and too boring) to be introduced in this class.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

18. Characteristics of Fingerprints
Basic patterns can be further divided:
Loops (60-65%)
Arch patterns (5%):
4% plain
1% tented
Whorl patterns (30%):
2% central pocket
4% double loop
0.01% accidental
% plain whorl
Even twins have unique fingerprints
Again, there are actually 4 different whorls. And there are also 2 different types of loops. I don’t see that mentioned here.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

19. Fingerprint Minutiae Patterns
The accepted terminology today is: 1. ending ridge. 2. bifurcation. 3. short ridge. 4. dot. 5. bridge (or crossover). 6. spur. 7. island (sometimes, enclosure). 8. This would really just be considered two bifurcations. 9. A delta is not one of the minutiae. This is a dot and a bifurcation trifurcation. 2
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

20. Types of Fingerprints
There are 3 types of prints that investigators look for at crime scenes:
Patent fingerprints—visible prints
Contaminated print: visible prints transferred onto smooth surfaces by blood or other liquids
Plastic fingerprints—indentations left in soft materials such as clay or wax
Latent fingerprints—made visible by dusting with powders or the use of chemicals
Patent prints are considered to be visible prints. So plastic prints are a sub-category of patent prints. #1 is actually describing something called a contaminated print, which is also a sub-category of patent prints.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

21. Fingerprint Forensic FAQs
How are latent fingerprints collected?
You can speed up the development of a print treated with ninhydrin by applying heat and humidity. A steam iron works great for this. The other name for cyanoacrylate fuming is superglue fuming. Cartridge cases also work well with silver nitrate. You might mention that iodine sublimates, much like dry ice.
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

22. Fingerprint Forensic FAQs
Can fingerprints be erased?
Only temporarily; they will grow back if removed with chemicals. EXCEPTION! If you damage the dermal layer of skin
Is fingerprint identification reliable?
Yes, but analysts can make mistakes
Can computers perform matches in seconds?
No, but the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) can provide a match in 2 hours
They can actually be erased if you get into the dermal layer of the skin. AFIS is actually the acronym for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (which is a little different from IAFIS).
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

23. The Future of Fingerprinting
New scanning technologies
Yield detail in minute patterns
Reduce analytical mistakes
Analyze trace elements of objects on the skin
Technologies that recognize patterns in
Retina
Face
Veins in your palm
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

24. Types of Prints and Developing

25. Latent Prints Not visible to the naked eye.
Consist of the natural secretions of human skin glands
Eccrine: secretes largely water, with both salts and amino acids. Found on palms of hands, feet. Most important for fingerprints.
Apocrine: secretes pheromones and other organic materials. Found in axial and genital regions.
Sebaceous: secretes fatty or greasy substances. Sprouts a hair.

26. Developing Latent Prints
Idea is to make print stand out against its background
Requires substances that interact with secretions
Lasers and alternative light sources are used to view (find!) latent fingerprints in conjunction with other methods.
May be necessary to attempt more than one technique, done in a particular order so as not to destroy the print.
LASER’s and ALS’s are usually used in conjunction with other methods. Very few fingerprints will have inherent luminescence (luminesce on their own).

27. Physical Developing
Dusting/Powders: adhere to both water and fatty deposits. Choose a color that contrasts with background.
Use on rigid/non-porous material such as glass, plastic, or metal
Dust adheres to oil and sweat left behind
Dusting is not considered a chemical method (as the title of the slide says) because there’s no chemical reaction. It’s considered a physical method. Do you mean rigid/non-porous instead of ridged/non-porous?

28. How to roll fingerprints: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7N-4UNAzsw
How to dust for prints:
How to lift prints:
How to roll fingerprints:

29. Chemical Developing Iodine Fuming Ninhydrin Silver Nitrate
Cyanoacrylate (super glue)
Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 6

30. Iodine Fuming
Iodine: fumes react with oils and fats to produce a temporary yellow-brown color.
Use on porous and non-porous surfaces such as paper, index cards, magazines, and cardboard
Sweat and oil will absorb iodine vapors

31. Ninhydrin
Ninhydrin: reacts with amino acids to produce a purple color.
Use on porous surfaces such as paper, tissue, and clothing

32. Chemical Developing
Silver nitrate: reacts with chloride to form silver chloride, a material that turns gray when exposed to light.
Cyanoacrylate: “superglue” fumes react with water and other fingerprint constituents to form a hard, whitish deposit.
The students may find it amusing to learn that if you heat superglue too much it turns into cyanide gas.

33. Iodine Fingerprint

34. Ninhydrin Fingerprint

35. Cyanoacrylate Fingerprints

36. Other Types of Prints Lips: several common patterns
Voice: electronic pulses measured on a spectrograph
Foot: size of foot and toes; friction ridges on the foot
Shoes: can be compared and identified by type of shoe, brand, size, year of purchase, and wear pattern

37. Palm Prints
friction ridges can be identified and may be used against suspects

38. Retinal Prints
The blood vessel patterns in the eye may be unique to individuals.
They are used today for various security purposes.

39. AFIS Automated Fingerprint Identification System
Uses scanner to convert image to digital minutiae that can be compared
With AFIS: takes 20 minutes to search L.A. fingerprint database.
Without AFIS: takes 67 years
IAFIS—the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, which is a national database of 10-print cards from all over the country
Not all fingerprint cards are in IAFIS.

40. Lip Prints
I think I once dated the one on the top right. 