Fingerprints & Footprints

Footprint Evidence

Evidence found at a crime scene, such as footprints, grains, and cloth impressions

Class characters

Footprint characteristics like size, style, and tread shared by a group

Individual characters

Unique features in footprints like cuts, cracks, or embedded objects

Latent print

Faint print left by a shoe on a clean surface or a clean shoe on a dirty surface

Three classes of fingerprints and their occurrence

Loops 65%, Whorls 30%, and Arches are 5%.

Dactyloscopy

Examination and comparison of fingerprints for identification

Henry Classification System

System converting fingerprint ridge patterns into numbers and letters for exclusion

Ridge Characteristics

Distinct features in fingerprints used for individualization

Minutiae

Specific points of comparison in fingerprints for identification

Unique

Fingerprint property where no two individuals have the same print

Permanent

Fingerprint property that remains unchanged over time

Classification

Systematic categorization of fingerprints for comparison and identification

Latent Print

Fingerprint not visible to the naked eye, requiring development techniques for visualization

Patent Print

Visible fingerprint left on surfaces like paint or blood

Plastic Print

Fingerprint impression on soft materials like tape or clay

Iodine fuming

Chemical method reacting with oils in prints to develop latent fingerprints

Ninhydrin

Chemical reacting with amino acids in prints to produce a purplish color

Silver nitrate

Chemical reacting with salts in prints to yield a brown to black color under UV light

Superglue Fuming

Method where cyanoacrylate fumes react with moisture and salt in prints to form a white solid

Chemical Enhancement

Techniques using chemicals like LCV to enhance visibility of fingerprints

Postmortem Prints

Fingerprints obtained after death using ink or casting methods

Sticky Side Adhesives

Adhesives like 'wetwop' used to lift latent prints off surfaces for visualization

IBIS

Integrated Biometric Identification System capturing digital fingerprints for quick identification