1. Fingerprint Minutiae

2. Warm Up
Objective: Scientists will describe fingerprints and their use by analyzing fingerprints.
1. What is the topic?
2.  What will you be doing?
 Why is this important?
 How will you know if you have done well?

3. Warm Up
Objective: Scientists will describe fingerprints and their use by analyzing fingerprints.
1. What is the topic? Fingerprints and their use
2.  What will you be doing? Analyzing fingerprints
 Why is this important? Evidence; future career choice
 How will you know if you have done well? Able to describe fingerprints and their use; analyzed fingerprints

4. Introduction
Ridgeology: The study of the uniqueness of friction ridge structures and their use for personal identification.
Minutiae: Points where the ridge structure changes.

5. Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
IAFIS is a computerized system capable of reading, classifying, matching, and storing fingerprints for criminal justice agencies. 
Quality latent fingerprints are entered into the IAFIS for a search for possible matches against the state maintained databases for fingerprint records to help establish the identity of unknown deceased persons or suspects in a criminal case.
IAFIS Video Link:

6. Fingerprint Identification
When minutiae on two different prints match, these are called points of similarity or points of identification.
At this point there is no international standard for the number of points of identification required for a match between two fingerprints.
However, the United Kingdom requires a minimum sixteen points while Australia requires twelve.
There are no legal requirements in the United States on the number of points. Generally, criminal courts will accept 8 to 12 points of similarity.

7. Ridge Characteristics

8. Ridge Characteristics
Bifurcations: The point at which one friction ridge divides into two friction ridges.

9. Ridge Characteristics
Bridges: A connecting friction ridge between parallel running ridges.

10. Ridge Characteristics
EYE aka Enclosure/Lakes: A single friction ridge that bifurcates and rejoins after short while and continues as a single friction.

11. Ridge Characteristics
Ending Ridge: A single friction ridge that terminates within the friction ridge structure.

12. Ridge Characteristics
Crossover: A point where two ridges intersect.

13. Ridge Characteristics
Dots: An isolated ridge whose length is also the same as its width.

14. Ridge Characteristics
Short Ridges: Friction ridge of varying lengths.

15. Ridge Characteristics
Hook: A bifurcation with one short ridge branching off of a long ridge.