Forensic Science and Fingerprint Investigation Notes

Organization: Part of the Makmal Forensik PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police Forensic Laboratory).
Personnel: Managed by ASP Shamemdra Devan A/L Dewadas.
Core Responsibilities: * Crime scene investigation and fingerprint analysis. * Conducting training and In-Service Training (LDP). * Research and Development (R&D) in fingerprint studies. * Preparation of analytical reports for court cases.

Act No 7, 1969: Registration of Criminals and Undesirable Persons Act.
Evidence Act, Section 45: Establishes the position of fingerprint evidence and qualifies practitioners as experts.
Criminal Procedure Code, Section 399: Allows fingerprint evidence reports from the Registrar of Criminals to be admissible without the Registrar's physical presence as a witness, provided a copy is served to the accused at least $10$ clear days before the trial.

Anthropometric System: Introduced by Alfonso Bertillion ( $1853-1914$ ), using body measurements for identification.
Will West Case (1903): At Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, two men (Will West and William West) had nearly identical Bertillion measurements and appearances, leading to the abandonment of the system in favor of fingerprints.
Locard's Exchange Principle: Formulated by Edmond Locard ( $1877-1966$ ); states that whenever two objects come into contact, a transfer of material occurs.

Definition: Friction ridges found on the skin of the palms, fingers, soles, and toes.
Uniqueness: Every individual finger is unique; no two are identical.
Permanence: Ridge patterns remain constant throughout life until decomposition after death.
Composition: * Patent Prints: Visible prints made in blood, ink, paint, or 3D impressions (soap, wax). * Latent Prints: Invisible prints consisting of $99\%$ water and $1\%$ organic/inorganic materials (fats, amino acids, urea).

Basic Patterns: * Loops: Ridge lines enter and exit from the same side; accounts for $60-65\%$ of patterns. * Whorls: Circular or complex patterns; accounts for $30-35\%$ of patterns. * Arches: Ridges enter one side and exit the other; accounts for $5\%$ of patterns.
Levels of Detail: * Level 1: General pattern type (Arch, Loop, Whorl). * Level 2: Ridge characteristics (Minutiae) including Bifurcations, Ridge endings, Islands, Lakes, and Spurs. * Level 3: Ridgeology, including Poroscopy (pore study) and Edgeoscopy.

Physical Methods: Use of various powders (Magnetic, Fluorescent, Metallic) and brushes (Fiberglass, Animal hair).
Chemical Methods: * Cyanoacrylate (Superglue) Fuming: Used on non-porous surfaces; vapors react with print residues to stabilize them. * Ninhydrin: Used on porous surfaces (like paper); reacts with amino acids to produce a purple color known as Ruhemann's Purple.
Surface Categories: Porous (absorbent), Non-Porous (smooth/non-absorbent), and Semi-Porous.

Standard Forms: RJ2, RJ2/C, and RJ2B are used for recording and processing fingerprints for suspects and deceased persons.
Specialized Kits: Includes the Cyanowand, fuming chambers, lifting tapes (Transparent, Rubber/Jell), and backing cards.
Comparison Requirements: Matches are determined by the same type, characteristics, position, direction, and sequence of points, with no unexplainable differences.