UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

College of Teacher Education

MODULE in CRIMINALISTICS 1 (Personal Identification)

Course: Criminalistics 1
Course Title: Personal Identification
Course Credits: 4 units
Contact Hours/week: 4 hours lecture/4 hours Laboratory
Prerequisite: Criminology 1

Course Description:

The course covers the fundamental study of ancient and modern methods of
personal identification with emphasis on Dactyloscopy, Odontology and Palmistry,
which embraces the identification and comparison of fingerprint patterns and ridge
characteristics; the scientific method of recognition, development and preservation of
latent prints; and the recording and classifying of fingerprints that include the Henry
System, FBI extension and NBI modification.

Course Outcomes: At the end of the trimester, the students are expected to have:
1. Understand the principles of fingerprint and importance of fingerprint in
crime detection and investigation.
2. Apply knowledge and skill in actual fingerprinting and fingerprint
classification.
3. Apply knowledge and skill in developing latent prints using different methods.

Topic 4:

FINGERPRINT PATTERN RECOGNITION AND INTERPRETATION

Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:

• interpret the different fingerprint patterns;

• identify and illustrate the Ridge characteristics and Ridge formations;
• explain and illustrate the parts of fingerprint pattern;

Instructional Materials:

• PowerPoint slides on fingerprint patterns

• Handouts
Teaching-Learning Activity/Lesson Proper:

FINGERPRINT PATTERN RECOGNITION AND INTERPRETATION

GENERAL GROUP OF F.P. PATTERNS

The following are the three general groups of patterns as described by Sir Francis
Galton.
❖ ARCHES – ridges flow from one side and make an exit to the other side.
❖ LOOPS – ridges make a recurve and goes back to the same side of origin.
❖ WHORLS – ridges make a circuit.

(a) Arch (b) Whorl (c) Loop

From the general sets of pattern, come the 8 specific patterns namely:

❖ THE ARCH FAMILY (5%)

o Plain Arch
o Tented Arch

❖ THE LOOP FAMILY (60%)

o Radial Loop
o Ulnar Loop

❖ THE WHORL FAMILY (35%)

o Plain Whorl
o Central Pocket Loop Whorl
o Double Loop Whorl
o Accidental Whorl
 Ideally, before interpretation, identify first the pattern area and type lines. These
make the classification of fingerprints easier since they are the ones defining the actual
extent of the patterns, hence making them the starting points of classification.

WHAT IS A PATTERN AREA?

The pattern area is that part of a loop or whorl in which appear the cores, deltas,
and ridges with which we are concerned in classifying. The pattern area is the only part
of the finger impression with which we are concerned in regard to interpretation and
classification. It is present in all patterns, of course, but in many arches and tented
arches it is impossible to define. The pattern areas of loops and whorls are enclosed by
type lines.

WHAT ARE TYPE LINES?

It may be defined as the two innermost ridges which start parallel, diverge, and
surround or tend to surround the pattern area.

***Lines A and B are the type lines, point C is the Delta***

ARE TYPELINES ALWAYS CONSISTING OF TWO

CONTINUOUS RIDGES?

No, Type lines ARE NOT ALWAYS two

continuous ridges. In fact, they are more
often found to be broken. When there is a
definite break in a type line, the ridge
immediately outside of it is considered as its
continuation. (Examine the figure on the
right)
 ***Sometimes type lines may be very
short. Care must be exercised in their location.

NOTA BENE:
When locating type lines it is necessary to
keep in mind the distinction between a
divergence and a bifurcation

A bifurcation is the forking or dividing of one line

into two or more branches.
A divergence is the spreading apart of two lines
which have been running parallel or nearly
parallel.

According to the narrow meaning of the words in fingerprint parlance, a single

ridge may bifurcate, but it may not be said to diverge. Therefore, with one exception,
the two forks of a bifurcation may NEVER constitute type lines.

EXCEPTION:
When the forks run parallel after bifurcating and then diverge. In such a case
the two forks become the two innermost ridges required by the definition.
***In the left figure above, the bifurcation can be used as delta since it splits early, the
forks run parallel then diverge surrounding the pattern area while the figure on the
right does not confer with the exception***

In the figure on the right, ridges A and

B are two separate ridges which converged.
Therefore it cannot be used as the pair of the
other type line because the requirement
must be two diverging lines. The correct
typelines are ridges C and D.

Remember this:
Angles are NEVER formed by a single ridge but by the abutting of one ridge
against another. Therefore, an angular formation cannot be used as a type line.

THE FINGERPRINT PATTERNS

The patterns discussed herein are based on the classification given by Galton. Since
Philippines is under the influence of English-speaking countries, such pattern
classification were adopted.

A. ARCH FAMILY
Arches are the simplest type of fingerprints that are formed by ridges that enter on
one side of the print and exit on the other. No deltas are present.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ARCH
❑ The ridges flow without recurving
❑ No delta and Core
❑ No ridge count
 1. PLAIN ARCH
❑ The ridges enter upon one side,
❑ make a rise or wave at the center and
❑ flow or tend to flow out upon the opposite side

2. TENTED ARCH
❑ The ridge flow from one side and exits on the other side
❑ It possesses either an angle, an up-thrust or
❑ Two of the three basic characteristics of the loop.

Type of Tented Arches:

❑ The type in which ridges at the center form a definite angle; i.e., 90 or less.
❑ The type in which one or more ridges at the center form an up-thrust. An Up-
thrust is an ending ridge of any length rising at a sufficient degree from a
horizontal plane. (45 degrees)
❑ The type approaching the loop type, possessing two of the basic or essential
characteristics of the loop, but lacking the third.

B. LOOP FAMILY
Loop is a pattern in which one or more ridges enter upon either side, recurve,
touch or pass an imaginary line between delta and core and pass out or tend to pass
out upon the side the ridge entered.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A LOOP
❑ There must be a sufficient recurve.
❑ There must be a Delta and Core.
❑ There must be a ridge count of at least one . (The imaginary line drawn between the
delta and the core must cross at least one sufficient recurve the ridge is included in the
counting)

Sufficient Recurve – the space between shoulders of a loop, free of any appendage,
and abutting right angle.

Appendage – a short ridge at the top or summit of a recurve usually at right angle.

Recurving Ridge – is a ridge that curves back in the direction in which it started.

Shoulder of a Loop – it is the point at which recurving ridge definitely turns or curve.

Types of Loop Patterns

These patterns are named

based on their positions/directions
related to the radius and ulna bones.
The radius bone is located on the
sides of the thumbs while the ulna
bone is located on the sides of the
little fingers. Hence, the name ulnar
and radial loop is given.

1. ULNAR LOOP - If the loop opening or direction of slant is facing or towards the
little finger meaning the orientation is on the ulna bone.
 2. RADIAL LOOP - If the loop opening or direction of slant is facing or towards the
thumbs meaning the orientation is on the radial bone.

LEFT HAND RIGHT HAND

(a) Ulna Loop (b) Radial Loop (c) Radial Loop (d) Ulnar
Loop

C. WHORL FAMILY

Whorls are patterns where ridges make a circuit resembling that of a whirlpool.

(a) Whirlpool (b) a whorl pattern

ESSENTIAL REQUISITES:

A pattern is a Whorl if it complies with the ffg:

❑ Must have at least two deltas ( may be 3 for accidental)
❑ Must have at least one ridge that makes (or tends to make) a complete circuit
(oval, spiral, circular or any variant of a circle)
 (a) Oval circuit (b) spiral circuit (c) circular circuit

Nota Bene:
A recurving (circuiting) ridge, however, which has an appendage connected with
it in the line of flow and on the delta side, cannot be construed as a circuit. The inner
line of flow is determined by drawing an imaginary line between the inner delta and
the center of the innermost recurve or looping ridge. An appendage connected at
that point is considered to spoil the recurve on that side. Consider the illustration below.

The two figures above have ridges that tend to make a circuit, however, on the
left figure; an appendage is attached spoiling the circuit. Also, on the right figure, there
appears to be a sharp angle formed by the ridges spoiling also the supposed circuit. In
this illustration both are classified as loop since there is no circuiting ridge formed.

TYPES OF WHORL

A. PLAIN WHORL

❑ Consists of one or more ridges which make a

complete circuit with two deltas,

❑ Between which, when an imaginary line is drawn,

at least one recurving ridge within the inner
pattern area is cut or touched.

B. CENTRAL POCKET LOOP WHORL

 ❑ Consists of at least one recurving ridge or an
obstruction at right angle to the LINE OF FLOW
with two deltas,

❑ Between which when an imaginary line is

drawn NO RECURVING RIDGE within the inner
pattern area is cut or touched.

If the circuit is spoiled, in lieu of a recurve in front

of the delta in the inner pattern area, an
obstruction at right angle to the line of flow will
suffice. Shown in the figure on the right is a pattern
wherein the recurve is spoiled but an obstruction at
right angle is present. The presence of the
obstruction makes it a figure resembling that of a
pocket hence, the pattern is called central pocket
loop whorl.

C. DOUBLE LOOP WHORL

❑ Consists of two SEPARATE loop formations

❑ With two SEPARATE AND DISTINCT SETS of shoulders and two deltas.

The word "separate," as used here, does not mean unconnected. The two loops
may be connected by an appending ridge provided that it does not abut at right
angle between the shoulders of the loop formation. The appendage rule for the loop
applies also to the double loop. The fact that there must be two separate loop
formations eliminates from consideration as a double loop the "S" type core, the
interlocking type core, and the formation with one loop inside another. The loops of a
double loop do not have to conform to the requirements of the loop. In other words,
no ridge count is necessary.
 D. ACCIDENTAL WHORL

❑ Consists of a combination of two different types of patterns with the exception

of the plain arch,
❑ With two or more deltas
❑ or a pattern which possesses some of the requirements for two or more different
types
❑ or a pattern which conforms to none of the definitions

The plain arch is excluded as it is rather the absence of pattern than a pattern.
Underneath every pattern there are ridges running from one side to the other, so that
if it were not excluded every pattern but the plain arch would be an accidental whorl.

Some whorls may be found which contain ridges conforming to more than one of
the whorl subdivisions described. In such cases, the order of preference (if any practical
distinction need be made) should be:

(1) accidental,
(2) double loop,
(3) central pocket loop,
(4) plain whorl.