1. Dactyloscopist
Fingerprint expert

2. Evidence 3 different kinds of fingerprints Latent Prints Patent Prints
Plastic Prints

3. Latent Prints
A chance or accidental impression left by skin on a surface
Chemical, Electronic, and physical processing techniques show visualization of the invisible print
Print comes comes from sweat, motor oil, blood, paint, ink…
Very valuable physical evidence

4. Latent Print

5. Patent Prints Friction ridge impressions of unknown origins
Transfer from a foreign material on a finger onto a surface
Visible
Photographed rather than lifted
Ex: ink, dirt, blood…

6. Patent Prints

7. Plastic Prints Friction ridge impression from Finger Palm Toe Foot
Keeps the shape of the ridge detail
Ex: melted candle wax, thick grease
Visible and doesn’t need photography

8. Plastic Prints

9. Fingerprint Capture
The machine mainly determines the difference in the ridges and the valleys
Two kinds of readers
Solid-state fingerprint reader
Optical fingerprint reader

10. Classifying fingerprints
4 different kinds of fingerprints:
Arch
Loop
Whorl
Tented Arch

11. Arch

12. Loop

13. Whorl

14. Tented Arch

15. Case Study: Conviction Through Enhanced Fingerprint Identification
In 1990 an unknown assailant sexually molested and fatally stabbed a young woman. The only evidence was a pillowcase, found next to the victims body. It had several blood stains, one stain showed some faint fingerprint ridge detail.

16. Investigation
Pillowcase to the departments forensic unit for bloodstain pattern analysis
Stains were consistent with a knife blade
Fingerprint had enough ridge detail to go further into the investigation
Image enhancement developed likely suspects and the the DNA proved the fingerprint match was correct

17. Interview
“What kind of educational background do you have to have in order to work as a fingerprint expert?”
“It depends, there are different levels. There is on the job training and job preparation training; NCIC National Crime Index Certification and International Association of Identification. The person with the least amount of experience has worked here for 7 years.”

18. “What is a typical day like for you?”
“It depends, I examine fingerprints of individuals that are arrested and process their identification to check their previous arrest history. I also review the work of coworkers to make sure they make proper identifications.”

19. “Are you a forensic specialist all the time or do you have a "day job"
“There are different shifts. There is a late unit and a temperate unit which is 24 hours. There are three 8 hour shifts each day. There is a shift from 4am to 3 pm.”

20. Resources