History of Fingerprinting Forensic Science. Objectives The student will be able to: Recognize the...

History of Fingerprinting Forensic Science

Objectives

The student will be able to: Recognize the major contributors to the

development of fingerprinting Illustrate the history of fingerprinting Explain the Automatic Fingerprint

Identification System

UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright ©. All rights

reserved. 2

What is a Fingerprint?

• The impression left by a finger’s friction ridges upon contact with a surface

•A unique trademark

•3 Key Patterns

UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright ©. All rights reserved. 3


Three Key Patterns

•Arch•Loop •Whorl


Another Look at Patterns


Classification System

Similar to “alphabets” that codify fingerprints

Each finger has a value The pattern of each

finger is identified


Matching Prints

Prints are essential to catch criminals but the police MUST have a suspect’s to compare them to.

If left at a scene, they can be keep in a databank until a match is found.

In 2008, the Metropolitan Police (England) had 70,000 found prints waiting for a suspect.

What is the history?

Over 3,000 years ago fingerprints were used in ancient China.

In ancient Babylon some people signed clay tablets with their prints.

8UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright ©. All rights reserved.

Somewhat Recent History

1686 Marcello Malpighi noticed the ridges, spirals, and loops.

1823 John Purkinje published a discussion of 9 fingerprint patterns.

1858 Sir William Herschel required Indians to sign with prints.

1880 Dr. Henry Faulds recognized their importance in identification.

1888 Sir Francis Galton published Finger Prints.

1891 Juan Vucetich created a classification system in Argentina.

1897 Sir Edward Richard Henry’s classification system included grouping by the 3 key patterns. The Henry System is still in use today.


History in the U. S.


1901 The New York City civil service commission adopts fingerprints for personal identification of all applicants; the first in the U.S.

1903 Will West case

1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis; representatives from Scotland Yard train several U.S. Police officials

1906 The U.S. Army began using fingerprints.

1924 Identification Division of the FBI established.


1948 Introduction of Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)

1977 International Association for Identification (IAI) voted to establish the world's first certification program for fingerprint experts.

2009 AFIS computerized fingerprint database that can search through millions of records in a short period of time. It provides a list of potential identification “hits.”

History in the U. S. (continued)


2010 IAFIS Integrated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System Electronic database operated by the FBI Containing the fingerprints and corresponding criminal histories

for more than 55 million subjects Inquiring agencies get responses to submissions within 2 to 24

hours

History in the U. S. (continued)

Resources

http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html http://sirchie.com http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/iafis.htm


http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html

http://sirchie.com/

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/iafis.htm

Classes of Fingerprints

Principles of Fingerprints

First Principle: A fingerprint is an individual

characteristic; no two fingers have yet been

found to posses identical ridge characteristics.bsapp.com


Second Principle: A fingerprint will remain unchanged during an individual's lifetime.

bsapp.com


Third Principle: Fingerprints have general ridge patterns that permit them to be systematically

classified.bsapp.com

Arches-No Deltas or Cores

An arch is formed by ridges entering from one side of the print,

rising slightly and exiting on the opposite side.

Plain Arch

The simplest of all fingerprint patterns; a plain arch is formed by

ridges entering from one side of the print, rising

slightly and exiting on the opposite side

Tented Arch A tented arch rises sharply upward causing the center of the print to look like a tent.

By definition, the angle of the lines on a tented arch meets at less than a 90-degree angle.

Loops-One Delta & One Core

A loop must have one or more ridges that enter from one side of the

print, re-curve, and exit the same side

Ulnar LoopsAn ulnar loop opens

toward the little finger

Print from the right hand

Radial LoopsA radial loop opens toward

the thumb

Print from the right hand

Whorls

One or more cores

At least two deltas

Plain Whorl At least one ridge that makes a

complete circuit The ridge may be in the form of a

spiral, oval, or any variant of a circle If an imaginary line is drawn between

the two deltas contained within the pattern and the line does not touch any of the spiral ridges, then the pattern is a plain whorl.

Plain Whorl

Two Deltas One Core Displays a degree of symmetry

Central Pocket Loop At least one ridge makes a complete

circuit Ridges may be in the form of a

spiral, oval, or any variant of a circle If an imaginary line is drawn

between the two deltas contained within these two patterns and the line touches any one of the spiral ridges, then the pattern is a central pocket loop.

Central Pocket Loop

Two Deltas One Core Lacks Symmetry A delta is often observed near the

core

Double Loop

A double loop is made up of two loops combined into one fingerprint.

Double Loop

Two Deltas Two Cores Appears to have an “S” in the

print

Accidental

All other prints

Reading Prints The key to reading prints is not to find

each and every characteristic in the prints, but to get the trend of patterns.

Most prints found at a crime scene are partial prints which rarely contain all deltas and cores.

We must learn how to look at the trend of the lines as a whole, rather than individual lines.

bsapp.com

Development of Latent Prints

Objectives

The student will be able to: Understand the factors affecting

fingerprints. Select appropriate techniques for

the development of latent prints on various surfaces.

45


reserved.

Three Types of Fingerprint Impressions

Patent fingerprints – visible prints left on a smooth surface when blood, ink, or some other liquid comes into contact with the hands and is then transferred to the surface

46


reserved.

Three Types of Fingerprint Impressions(continued)

Plastic fingerprints – actual indentations left in some soft materials such as clay, putty, wax, or dust.

47


reserved.

Three Types of Fingerprint Impressions(continued)

Latent fingerprints – hidden prints caused by the transfer of oils and other bodily secretions onto a surface. They can be made visible by different methods (dusting with powders, chemical RXN, etc.)

48


reserved.

Fingerprint Powders

Applied lightly to a nonabsorbent surface with a soft brush.

They readily adhere to sweat residues and/or deposits of body oils left on the surface.

49


reserved.

Fingerprint Powders (continued)

Gray and black powders – the most common, chosen to make the best contrast with the surface

Magnetic powder – applied with a Magna brush on leather and rough plastic surfaces.

Fluorescent powders – used to photograph latent prints on multi-colored surfaces. They fluoresce under ultraviolet light. 50


reserved.

Fingerprint Chemicals

Ninhydrin – reacts with amino acids in sweat to form purple-blue prints. A 0.6% solution (in ethanol) is sprayed onto porous surfaces such as paper.

51


reserved.

Fingerprint Chemicals (continued)

Physical Developer – silver nitrate-based liquid reagent used on porous surfaces. It is often used as the last resort because it destroys protein.

Cyanoacrylate (superglue) fuming – developed in 1982 by Japanese Police. It is used on a variety of materials not only to visualize latent prints, but also to semi-permanently affix them to the surface.

52


reserved.


DFO (1,8-diazafluotrn-9-one) – newer replacement chemical for ninhydrin. It is 2.5 times more sensitive than ninhydrin.

Rhodamine 6G is a fluorescent dye that may be used after cyanoacrylate fuming to visualize latent prints under laser light.

53


reserved.


Iodine fuming – one of the oldest latent print development methods. Solid iodine crystals sublimate and the vapor will react with fatty oils and some sweat residue. Iodine prints are not permanent and will begin to fade once the fuming process is stopped.

54


reserved.


Gentian violet (or crystal violet) – used for developing latent prints on the adhesive side of tape. An aqueous solution of crystal violet is sprayed directly onto the adhesive.

55


reserved.

Fingerprint Chemicals

Amido Black – protein dye stain that can develop faint bloody fingerprints on porous and nonporous surfaces.


LCV (Leuco Crystal Violet) – a protein stain spray that can develop faint or invisible bloody fingerprints on non-porous surfaces

57


reserved.

Preservation of Developed Latent Prints

Photograph Covering the print to preserve it

in its entirety (if on a small object)

Lifting the prints with adhesive tape and placing the tape with prints on a card with labels

58


reserved.

Composition of Fingerprints

Sweat 99.0-99.5 % water 0.5-1.0% solids

50% organic solids (mostly amino acids)

50% inorganic solids (NaCl and KCl)

Contaminants Bodily fluids (blood, saliva,

nasal secretions, semen, etc.)

Oils and fats (sebum)

59


reserved.

Factors Affecting Fingerprints

Age – thinner epidermis, flattening of dermal papillae, creases, etc.

Fine ridge structure – less skin contact leads to a spotty appearance.

Stimuli – sweating can be due to warmth, exertion, fever, drugs, anxiety, tension, pain, or spicy foods.

60


reserved.


Occupational and medical condition – teaching, and other positions in which a person handles or shuffles papers, can cause fine ridge structure.

Factors Affecting Fingerprints (continued)

Transposal factors Receiving surface

texture Contaminants on the

hands Contaminants on the

receiving surface The manner of contact The amount of

pressure62


reserved.


Environmental factors Temperature Humidity Handling

Trends with Fingerprints

It is NOT possible to determine the age, sex or race of an individual solely from their fingerprints. However:

Statistically in young adults, friction ridges of women are significantly finer than those of men.

Fine ridges may be found in the very young and the very old.

64


reserved.

Trends with Fingerprints

Manual labor tends to strengthen ridges.

Women tend to perspire at a lower rate than men.

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is lower for women.

Creases are more common in women's FPs.

Developing Prints

Fingerprints

Visible prints are made after coming in contact with colored material such as blood, paint, grease, or ink.

Plastic prints are ridge impressions left on a soft material such as putty, wax, soap, or dust.

bsapp.com

Latent prints (invisible prints) are impressions caused by the transfer of body perspiration or oils present on the finger to the surface of an object.

Latent prints must be developed or made visible

Fingerprints

bsapp.com

bsapp.combsapp.com

Dusting

Appropriate Surface: Ridged/non-porous such as glass, plastic, or metal

Theory: Dust will adhere to sweat & oils left behind

bsapp.com

Cover Surface With Dust

bsapp.com

Remove Excess DustB

rush

or B

low

bsapp.com

Use Tape to Lift the Print

bsapp.com

Place Print on a Card

bsapp.com

Iodine Fuming

Appropriate Surface: porous and non-porous such as paper, index cards, magazines, and cardboard.

Theory: Sweat and oil will absorb iodine vapors

bsapp.com

Place the Object in an Enclosed Container with Iodine Crystals bsapp.com

Print Should Develop in a Few Minutes

bsapp.com

Ninhydrin

Appropriate Surface: porous such as paper, tissue, and clothing

Theory: ninhydrin reacts with amino acids to form a purple compound

bsapp.com

Soak Suspected Surface with Ninhydrin Solution & Allow to Dry bsapp.com

Print Should Develop Within 24 Hours

bsapp.com

Silver Nitrate & UV-Light

Appropriate Surface: porous such as paper or drywall

Theory: When exposed to ultra-violet (UV) light, silver nitrate reacts with the salt in sweat to form a blackish-brown compound

bsapp.com

Spray Surface With Silver Nitrate

Solution

bsapp.com

Expose to UV-Light

bsapp.com

Print Should Develop in 5-10 Minutes

bsapp.com

Other Methods In recent years, there has been

much advancement in the area of print developing. Advanced brushes and new chemical procedures make it possible to develop prints on a larger variety of surfaces.

There are over a hundred different methods used to develop fingerprints, depending on the surface being examined

bsapp.com

Resources Saferstein, Richard. Forensic Science: An Introduction.

New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. Bertino, Anthony J. Forensic Science: Fundamentals

and Investigations. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009.

Fisher, Barry A.J. Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation. 7th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2004.

Federal Bureau of Investigations http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/jan2001/lpu.pdf

Investigation Discoveryhttp://investigation.discovery.com/videos/forensics-videos/ 86


reserved.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/jan2001/lpu.pdf

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/jan2001/lpu.pdf

http://investigation.discovery.com/videos/forensics-videos/

http://investigation.discovery.com/videos/forensics-videos/

History of Fingerprinting Forensic Science. Objectives The student will be able to: Recognize the...

Documents

Transcript of History of Fingerprinting Forensic Science. Objectives The student will be able to: Recognize the...