Lesson 5 - Recording Friction Ridge Skin

3 Types of Exemplars

1. Fingerprint / Ten Print Card

2. Palm Print Card

3. Major Case Print Card / Complete Friction Ridge Exemplar

Ink & Paper

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - printer’s ink & roller, ink pad, fingerprint cards

Pros:

• Captures more of the finger

• Sharper detail

Cons:

• Too much or too little pressure

• Too much or not enough ink

• Movement / slippage

• Not fully rolled / recorded

• Overlapping or double touches

• Recordings of incorrect areas

Chemicals & Paper

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - inkless pads, chemically treated fingerprint cards

Pros:

• No mess

Cons:

• Old pads / chemicals can prevent proper recording

• Lack of “sharpness”

Livescan

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - electronic device

Pros:

• Fast & easy (plus easy to re-do if necessary)

• Lots of third level detail

Cons:

• Stitching errors / artifacts

• Blurriness

• Ghost impressions

• Poor quality

  • Too much or not enough residue

Accutrans / Mikrosil

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - 3D casting material

Pros:

• 3D recording of FRS

• Easy to use on dead bodies (rigor mortis)

Cons:

• Need to apply fingerprint powder first to get best detail

• Hard to photograph afterwards

Handi-Print

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - black fingerprint powder & white contact paper

Pros:

• Best way to get Major Case Prints

• Easy to use on dead bodies (rigor mortis)

Cons:

• Movement / Slippage

• Messy

Photography

A way to acquire FRS exemplars - camera & appropriate lens

Pros:

• No mess

• Can often get very good detail

Cons:

• Need to keep in mind that the ridges / furrows are flipped when comparing

Rolled Impressions

Flat Impressions

aka Plain / Simultaneous / Slap

Writer’s Palm

aka the Hypothenar

• The area on the side of the palm that normally rests against the paper while writing

Major Case Print Cards

Recording of all FRS on hands…

• Distal, medial & proximal joints of fingers

  • Fully rolled

  • Left edge

  • Flat

  • Right edge

• Extreme fingertips

• Palm prints

  • Full palm

  • Writer’s palm

  • Thenar - this is not always recorded separately because it’s usually visible enough in the full palm

Decomposed (Putrefied) Skin

Macerated Skin

Desiccated / Dry Skin

Charred Skin

The Boiling Method

aka Osmotic Rehydration