Chapter 13: Fingerprints

Accidental whorl

A type of print pattern consisting of the combination of two different types of patterns (excluding the plain arch) with two or more deltas

ACE-V

Four steps (analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification) followed to evaluate and identify a latent fingerprint according to Ashbaugh; accepted widely in the latent fingerprint examiner community.

Apocrine gland

A type of sweat gland.

Arch

one of three basic fingerprint patterns; with ridges that form a hole

Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)

biometric technology that uses digital imaging to store and analyze fingerprint data

Bifurcation

A fingerprint pattern in which a ridge splits into two.

Biometrics

Science and technology of using individually variable features of the human body for identification.

Central pocket whorl

One of several types of whorl patterns in fingerprints.

Core

The center of a whorl pattern in a fingerprint.

Cyanoacrylate

super glue

Delta

part of a whorl pattern in fingerprints

Development

A process applied to a latent fingerprint to make it visible.

DFO

A chemical fingerprint developer (1,8-diazafluoren-9-one).

Dot

a fingerprint characteristic where a ridge is very short in length

Double loop whorl

One of several types of whorl patterns in fingerprints.

Eccrine gland

a type of sweat gland

Enhancement

Rendering an impression more visible through physical, photographic, chemical, or digital methods.

Friction ridge skin

Skin on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and fingers in humans and some primates that forms ridges and valleys. Friction ridge skin forms classifiable patterns on the end joints of the fingers.

Furrows

valleys between ridges in fingerprint patterns

Henry system

Classification of 10-fingerprint cards so that they can be stored in large files. The system has been rendered largely obsolete by AFIS, but was widely used in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Hinge lifters

one-piece fingerprint lifters

Individual characteristics

Feature that is unique to a specific item; information in a specific context about some aspect of a crime scene. Examples include a print left by a shoe consistent in all respects to the defendant's shoe, a hair consistent in all respects to a sample of hair from a Caucasian female, or handwriting features attributable to a particular person. See also minutiae.

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)

a national database of fingerprint and criminal history information that is maintained by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division

Iodine fuming

Nondestructive method of visualizing latent fingerprints based on the interaction of iodine vapors with lipids in the latent residue; usually used to develop fingerprints on items with high intrinsic value.

Island

A ridge pattern in fingerprints where two bifurcations face each other

Latent fingerprint

Fingerprint that cannot be seen under normal ambient lighting. A latent print requires some type of enhancement to clarify ridge details sufficiently to allow comparison and identification.

Loop

one of three basic fingerprint patterns where ridges enter on one side of the print, curve around, and exit on the same side

Magna Brush

Trademark version of magnetic brush that uses magnetic powders to enhance latent fingerprints.

Minutiae

Ending ridges, bifurcations, and dots in the ridge patterns of fingerprints; the quality and quantity of these features serve as the basis of comparison for latent print identification.

Ninhydrin

Common name for triketohydrindene, a chemical that reacts with amino acids to form a recognizable bluish-purple compound called Ruhemann's purple; widely used to visualize latent fingerprints; often requires posttreatment.

Oblique lighting

Lighting cast across a page of writing at an angle almost parallel with the page.

Patent fingerprint

a fingerprint visible with no development

Physical developer (PD)

A type of fingerprint development that is a photographic-type process based on the deposition of silver onto latent fingerprints.

Plastic fingerprint

Fingerprint impressed into a soft receiving surface; a plastic print has a distinct three-dimensional character.

Powder dusting

A physical method of visualizing a latent fingerprint.

Ridges

elevated portions of skin patterns

Ruhemann's purple

A chemical complex formed between ninhydrin and amino acids.

Silver nitrate

A chemical method for development of latent fingerprints.

Small particle reagents (SPRs)

A physical method of developing latent fingerprints.

Super Glue

2-Methyl and ethyl esters of cyanoacrylate; manufactured as an adhesive and incidentally found to be useful in latent fingerprint development. See also cyanoacrylate fuming.

SWGFAST

Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study, and Technology.

Visualization

Applying a chemical or physical process to visualize a latent fingerprint.

Whorl

one of three basic fingerprint patterns where the ridges form a circular or spiral pattern

Confirming or disproving if a suspect or person of interest was or was not at the scene of the crime

What is the primary value of fingerprints as evidence?

Biometric identifiers are identifiers specific to an individual, and a fingerprint is one

What are biometric identifiers? How are fingerprints related to biometric identifiers?

friction ridge skin is the skin on the palms, soles, toes and fingertips

What is friction ridge skin? Where is it found on the human body?

Herschel was the first to document fingerprint usage; Faulds proposed ink for use of fingerprint ID’ing; Vucetich created one of the first fingerprint identification systems; Henry established a standardized fingerprint identification system

Who were Herschel, Faulds, Vucetich, and Henry? Describe their contributions to fingerprint science.

AFIS is an Automated Fingerprint Identification System in which full ten print cards are kept by law enforcement agencies, aiding in identifying suspect prints by comparison

What is AFIS? Indicate what the letters stand for, describe the system, and explain how it helps in fingerprint identification.

Patent, plastic, latent

What are the three main types of fingerprints that can be found at a scene?

Using chemical or physical methods to make the fingerprint visible to the naked eye and in a state that can be recorded

What is meant by "development" or "enhancement" of a latent fingerprint?

Powder dusting

What is an example of a physical method for enhancing latent fingerprints?

Super glue fuming

What is an example of a chemical method for enhancing latent fingerprints?

The laser illuminates the fingerprint residue with a specific wavelength of light, causing the amino acids in the residue to fluoresce

Explain how you could use a laser in latent fingerprint enhancement.

by use of spraying an enhancement reagent based on phenolphthalein

How can a bloody fingerprint be enhanced?

the application of development techniques in a way that maximizes the number of identifiable prints, from least to most destructive

What are systematic approaches to latent fingerprint enhancement?

ACE-V

What steps and principles are involved in fingerprint identification?

Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, Verification

What does "ACE-V" mean?