Forensics chap 3

fingerprint

an impression left on any surface that consists of patterns made by the edges on a finger

latent fingerprint

a hidden fingerprint made visible through the use of powders or other techniques

patent fingerprint

a visible fingerprint that happens when fingers with wood, ink or som other substance on them touch a surface and transfer the pattern of their fingerprint to that surface

plastic fingerprint

a three-dimensional fingerprint made in soft material such as clay, soap, or putty

ridge pattern

the recognizable pattern of the ridges found in the end joints of fingers that form lines on the surfaces of objects in a fingerprint. They fall into three categories: arch, loops, and whorls

minutiae

the combination of details in the shapes and positions of ridges in fingerprints that make each unique, also called ridge characteristics

arch

a fingerprint patter in which the ridge patterns originates from one side of the print and leaves from the other side (5%)

loop

a fingerprint pattern in which the ridge pattern flows inward and returns in the direction of the origin (65%)

core

a center of a loop or whorl

whorl

a fingerprint patter that resembles a bullseye (30%)

delta

a triangular ridge patter with ridges that so in different directions above and below a triangle