1. FINGERPRINTS

2. History of Fingerprints

3. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
Chinese used fingerprints to sign legal documents as far back as three thousand years ago
William Herschel, an English civil servant (India), required natives to sign contracts with an imprint of their right hand – Hindu custom?

4. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
In 1880, Scottish physician, Henry Fauld wrote that skin ridge patterns could be important in identification work
A thief left his fingerprint on a whitewashed wall – compared with 1st suspect - No match; compared with 2nd suspect with positive association

5. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
Fauld offered to set up a system of fingerprints at Scotland Yard (at his own expense)
Rejected in favor of the Bertillon System
This decision reversed less than two decades later

6. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
The first systematic attempt at personal identification was devised and introduced by the French police expert, Alphonse Bertillon, in 1883.

7. Bertillon’s System Relied on:
Portraite Parlé – Detailed description of the individual
Full length and profile photographs
Anthropometry – A system of precise body measurements

8. ANTHROPOMETRY A method of identification
Based upon the premise that the dimensions of the human skeletal system remained fixed from age 20 until death
Eleven (11) measurements taken - to include height, width of head & length of left foot

9. FRANCIS GALTON In 1892, published the classic work Finger Prints
In this book he discussed the anatomy of fingerprints and suggested methods for recording them
Proposed three pattern types: loops, whorls and arches

10. FRANCIS GALTON No two prints are identical
An individual’s prints remain unchanged from one year to the next

11. SIR EDWARD HENRY Englishman
In 1897, proposed another classification system which is still in use today
Most English-speaking countries use some version of Henry’s classification system

12. In the United States
1901 – First systematic use of fingerprints adopted by the New York Civil Service Commission
1904 – American police received training in fingerprint techniques from Scotland Yards representatives
1924 – Fingerprint records from the Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth merged to form records for the new FBI

13. Admissibility of Fingerprints
Challenged in the case of United States v. Byron C. Mitchell
Argued under Daubert guidelines that fingerprints were not unique
Judge upheld admissibility and ruled:
1. Human friction ridges are unique
and permanent
2. Human friction ridge skin arrangements
are unique and permanent

14. PHYSIOLOGY OF FINGERPRINTS

15. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FIRST PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridges develop
their Unique form
in the fetus

16. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
SECOND PRINCIPLE:
A Fingerprint will remain
LARGELY UNCHANGED
during an
Individual’s Lifetime

17. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
THIRD PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridge Patterns
and their details
are UNIQUE
No Two Fingers have yet been
found to possess IDENTICAL
RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS
(even identical twins!!)

18. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FOURTH PRINCIPLE:
FINGERPRINTS CAN BE SYSTEMATICALLY CLASSIFIED by GENERAL RIDGE PATTERNS

19. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
MINUTIAE - Ridge Characteristics Define Individuality
IDENTITY
NUMBER
RELATIVE LOCATION
COMPARE POINT BY POINT
POSSIBLY 150 POINTS ON THE AVERAGE FINGERPRINT

20. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
MINUTIAE - Ridge Characteristics Define Individuality
HOW MANY POINTS
MAKE A MATCH?
Depends on experience and
knowledge of the examiner
Usually 8 to 16

21. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FRICTION SKIN RIDGES
Palm Side of Fingers and Thumbs
Soles of Feet
Provide Firmer Grasp
Resistance to Slippage
Lines corresponding to
Hills (ridges) & Valleys (grooves)

22. SKIN COMPOSED OF LAYERS OF CELLS EPIDERMIS - OUTER
DERMIS - INNER LAYER
DERMAL PAPILLAE -
IN BETWEEN

23. SKIN RIDGES CONTAIN PORES
Openings for ducts from sweat glands
Perspiration discharged to surface of skin
Transfer is called LATENT FINGERPRINTS

24. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
ARCHES 5%
LOOPS
60% - 65%
WHORLS
30% - 35%

25. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
ARCHES - least common of three general patterns
RIDGES ENTER ONE SIDE OF PATTERN AND EXIT ANOTHER
PLAIN ARCHES - wavelike pattern
TENTED ARCHES - sharp spike

26. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
LOOPS - most common type
Ridges enter one side and exit same side
ULNAR LOOP - opens toward little finger
RADIAL LOOP - opens toward thumb

27. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
LOOPS -
CORE
TYPE LINES
DELTA

28. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
WHORLS - FOUR TYPES
Plain
Central pocket loop
Double loop
Accidental
ALL HAVE TWO DELTAS & TYPE LINES

29. FINGERPRINT DEVELOPMENT

30. VISIBLE - Types of Fingerprints
RIDGES PLACED ON A SURFACE AFTER CONTACT WITH A COLORED MATERIAL
(blood, paint,grease, ink)

31. RIDGES LEFT ON A SOFT MATERIAL
Types of Fingerprints
PLASTIC -
RIDGES LEFT ON A SOFT MATERIAL
(putty, wax, soap, dust)

32. TRANSFER OF BODY PERSPIRATION OR OILS
Types of Fingerprints
LATENT -
HIDDEN OR INVISIBLE
TRANSFER OF BODY PERSPIRATION OR OILS
MUST BE ENHANCED

33. NON-POROUS Types of Surfaces GLASS, MIRROR, PLASTIC, PAINTED SURFACES
ENHANCE WITH SUPER GLUE and/or POWDER

34. ENHANCE WITH CHEMICALS
Types of Surfaces
POROUS
PAPER, CARDBOARD, CLOTH
ENHANCE WITH CHEMICALS

35. METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
FINGERPRINT POWDERS
BLACK (white surfaces)
GRAY (dark surfaces)
FLUORESCENT (multi-colored surfaces)
MAGNETIC (leather or rough plastic)
ADHERES TO PERSPIRATION and/or BODY OILS

36. METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
CHEMICALS
IODINE FUMING
NINHYDRIN -
- REACTS WITH PROTEINS
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER -
- SILVER NITRATE BASED
- USED WHEN OTHER METHODS UNSUCCESSFUL

37. METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
CHEMICALS
SUPER GLUE FUMING -
CYANOACRYLATE ESTER
NON-POROUS SURFACES
CREATE FUMES WITH HEAT
PORTABLE WAND AVAILABLE

38. METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
FLUORESENCE
PERSPIRATION CONTAINS COMPONENTS THAT FLUORESCE WHEN ILLUMINATED WITH LASER LIGHT
HIGHLY SENSITIVE
ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE
QUARTZ HALOGEN
ZENON ARC
INDIUM ARC
DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH DNA TESTING

39. PRESERVATION AND COMPARISON OF FINGERPRINTS

40. PRESERVATION OF ENHANCED PRINTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
1:1 SCALE
LIFTING
TAPE
HINGED LIFTER

41. PRESERVATION OF ENHANCED PRINTS
DIGITAL IMAGING
SCANNER
DIGITAL CAMERA
VIDEO CAMERA
ENHANCE WITH FILTERS, CONTRAST OR BRIGHTNESS
REMOVE BACKGROUND COLORS
SCALING / RESIZING TOOLS
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON

42. A F I S
Automated
Fingerprint
Identification
System

43. A F I S
Automatic Scanning Devices Convert Fingerprint Image into Digital Minutiae
RIDGE ENDINGS
BIFURCATIONS

44. A F I S Types of Databases Arrest Prints (KNOWNS)
Forensic Prints (CRIME SCENE)

45. A F I S
SEARCH ALGORITHM DETERMINES DEGREE OF CORRELATION BETWEEN THE QUESTIONED AND KNOWN PRINTS

46. A F I S THOUSANDS OF COMPARISONS PER SECOND
ALL SELECTED PRINTS VERIFIED BY TRAINED EXAMINER
STANDARDS ENABLE AGENCIES TO EASILY EXCHANGE DATA

47. FINGERPRINT EXAMINER 4 YEAR DEGREE 2+ YEARS TRAINING
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Written Test
Proficiency Test
Continuing Education
International Association for Identification (IAI)