Fingerprints

“Fingerprints cannot lie,

but liars can make
fingerprints.”
 Facts
• One of the ______________physical
evidence in criminal investigations
• Each person has _______ set of
fingerprints
• Fingerprints are used to link a ______ to
a scene and to determine if the _______
has been previously arrested.
• Fingerprints are also useful in
– identifying bodies,
– victims of mass disasters, and
– amnesia victims who cannot remember
their own identity.
 More Facts
• Fingerprints may be visible to
the naked eye (______) or they
may be invisible (_________).
• No two people have identical
fingerprints, not even
______________________
• Fingerprints are formed while
the human fetus is still inside its
mother’s womb, at around _____
________ of development and
are not genetically
 More Facts
• These prints remain the same
throughout the lifetime.
• Fingerprints can be stored in a
database accessible throughout
the world.
• This database is called AFIS
(________________________________________)
• Fingerprints have been accepted
in courts for over __________.
AFIS: Automated Fingerprint
Identification System
• Computer based identification system
used to store and retrieve fingerprint
files for comparison.
• AFIS can also digitally enhance
computerized images of fingerprints.
• There are 3 different types of AFIS
concept designs:
– __________ systems
– ___________________systems
– ____________________systems
 New Technology
• Live Scan System which
allows police officers to
compare a suspect’s
fingerprints with millions of
fingerprints on files.

Read Article
Science or art?
 AFIS
The Automated Fingerprint Identification System

• Began in the early __1970s___.

• Search large files for a set of prints taken from

an individual.

• Compare a single print, usually a _latend_ print

developed from a crime scene.

• By the 1990’s most large jurisdictions had

their own system in place.
The problem - a person’s fingerprints may
be in _one AFIS but not in others_

_IAFIS_—the FBI’s Integrated Automated

Fingerprint Identification system which is a
national database of all 10-print cards from
all over the country.
 What is a fingerprint?
• A fingerprint is an _impression
of the pattern of the
ridges_on the last joint of a
person’s finger.
The properties/principles that make a
fingerprint useful for identification are:
1. Its unique, characteristic ridges
2. Its consistency over a person’s
lifetime
3. The systematic classification used
for fingerprints

_Dactyloscopy_
The study of fingerprints
Are we the only species to
have fingerprints?
• Most people think that only
humans have fingerprints, but
that is not true!
• _All primates_have fingerprints.
• The recent discovery that koala
bears have fingerprints that more
closely resemble those of
humans than chimpanzees'
fingerprints do is said to support
the hypothesis that fingerprints
evolved as an aid to climbing.
 Individual gorillas
can be identified by
their unique “_nose
prints_," or _nose
patterns_, and as
with human
fingerprints, no two
gorillas have an
identical _nose
prints_. Researchers
often use
photographs and
illustrations of
_noses_ in order to
identify
Read: and
Can You Change Yourmonitor
Fingerprints?
bsapp.com
 Classification of
Fingerprints
All fingerprints can be
classified into three basic
patterns:
1. _Loops_
2. _Whorls_
3. _Arches_
 Different Fingerprint
Patterns
• There are eight different types
of fingerprints created by
general ridge patterns in the
skin.
– _Radial_Loop
– _Ulnar_ Loop
– _Plain_ Arch
– _Tented_ Arch
– _Plain_ whorl
– _Central Pocket loop_ whorl
– _Double Loop_ whorl
 Loop
 A loop must have one or
more ridges entering
and exiting from the
same side. Loops must
have one delta and one
core.
 Types
 _Radial_—opens
toward the thumb
(6%)
 _Ulnar_—opens
toward the “pinky”
(little finger) (94%)
 Which type of loop is
bsapp.com
 Keep in mind
• The classification of loops is based on
the way the loops _flow on the hand_
(not the card), so that on a fingerprint
card for the left hand, loops flowing
toward the thumb impression are ulnar,
and loops flowing toward the little finger
are radial.
• They are opposite of what’s on our
hands because the impression is
backwards.
 Whorl
 A plain or central
pocket whorl has at
least one ridge that
makes a complete
circuit.
 A double loop is made
of two loops.
 An accidental is a
pattern not covered by
other categories. Types
 Whorls have at least Plain
Central Pocket
two deltas and one or Double Loop
more cores. Accidental
 Types of Whorls

The Accidental The Central Pocket Loop

The Double Loop The Plain Whorl

 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.
bsapp.com
 Plain Whorl

• Two Deltas
• One Core
• Displays a degree of symmetrybsapp.com
 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.
bsapp.com
 Central Pocket
Loop

• Two Deltas
• One Core
• Lacks Symmetry
• A delta is often observed near the core
bsapp.com
 Double Loop

A double loop is made up of

two loops combined into
one fingerprint.

bsapp.com
 Double Loop

• Two Deltas
• Two Cores
• Appears to have an “S” in the print
bsapp.com
 Accidental

• All other prints

bsapp.com
accidental
accidental
bsapp.com
 Arch
• An arch has friction ridges that
enter on one side of the finger
and cross to the other side while
rising upward in the middle.

• They do NOT have type lines,

deltas, or cores.

• There are two types:

– Plain
– Tented
 Types of Arches

The Tented Arch

The Plain Arch

bsapp.com
 Minutiae Patterns
There are 8 categories of minutiae
patterns, also called
__________ Characteristics

(Use next 2 slides to identify them all)

Fingerprint Minutiae
 Ridge Characteristics
Minutiae—characteristics of ridge
patterns

 Ridge ending
 Short ridge
 Dot or fragment
 Bifurcation
 Double
bifurcation
 Trifurcation
 Bridge
 Island
 Enclosure
 Spur
Activity
Presenting Fingerprints as
Evidence
• There are _______ legal requirements in
the United States on the number of
points.
• Generally, criminal courts will accept
_______________________of similarity.
John Dillinger

bsapp.com
 Fingerprinting has been used by law
enforcement agencies for more than a century.
 Types of Prints
• ____________– three dimensional print
made as indentations in soft material
such as fresh paint, putty, or wax;
also called indented or molded prints.
• _____________– fingerprint left by a
finger that has touch blood, paint,
ink, or the like.
• ___________– fingerprint made by the
deposit of perspiration or body oils;
invisible to the naked eye until
developed.
 Latent Prints
Latent fingerprints are those that are not visible to
the naked eye. These prints consist of the natural
secretions of human skin and require development
for them to become visible.

How to find and examine latent

fingerprints at the crime scene?
Dusting for prints
Traditional method
Dust (black, magnetic, fluorescent)
Prints are numbered, photographed, lifted with
tape
Labeled and photographed showing location and
order
 Powders - adhere to both
_______ and _________. Choose a
color to contrast the
Most common identification method partly
because they are cheap and fast.

Powders stick to the _______ components of

the print.

________________most common depending on

background although fluorescent and
magnetic powders are fast becoming
preferred.
 How to find and examine
latent fingerprints at the
crime scene?

Super Glue
 Also known as _______________
 Use portable fuming system
 Large objects and items cant be
removed from crime scene.
 Method superior to dusting
Cyanoacrylate Fingerprints
Superglue
Cyanoacrylate dissolves in the oils
of the print to form very visible
white ridges.
Very sensitive method.
Cyanoacrylate Fingerprints
 How to find and examine
latent fingerprints at the
crime scene?
Alternative Light Source –
ALS
 Apply chemicals/powders to
objects containing prints and then
apply a light source on the surface
to make prints glow.
 Examining Latent
Fingerprints in the Lab
Dusting
Iodine fuming
Ninhydring
Silver nitrate
Fluorescent chemicals
Gentian violet (physical
developer)
Superglue
X-rays, vacuum metal,
Iodine- fumes react with oils and fats
to
Sinceyellow
produce a temporary iodine is highly
brown
reaction. vaporous in air, the
fingerprint needs to be
photographed
immediately. However,
this is an excellent
method to locate
latent fingerprints.
Iodine Fingerprint
Ninhydrin Fingerprint

Reacts with amino

acids and peptides
from body
secretions to
produce a
purple/violet color
print.
 Silver Nitrate
The silver nitrate reacts with salt
(chloride) in the latent print to produce a
gray print when silver chloride is formed.

Silver nitrate is generally used as a last

resort technique.
 Gentian Violet
• It’s used to develop skin cells
in the shape of fingerprints
left on the sticky surface of
tape.

Latent fingerprint revealed by gentian violet staining

Read and discuss Table 1 – Methods of visualizing latent

fingerprints
 Latest Technology

Employees who punch

the clock for absent or
tardy co-workers are
costly. This practice,
called "Buddy Punching"
or "Ghost Employees" is
effectively controlled by
Biometric Time Clocks.
Touch and Go

The Fingerprint Time Clock is easy and convenient. Simply Touch

the reader with a finger and the clock provides and audible "Thank
You" indicating that the punch is accepted. No more need to keep
a rack of employee badges, or deal with employees who forget
their swipe card. Now employees can quickly punch in or out, and
setting up a new employee is instant - no cards to assign or have
printed.
Citizen Patrol groups participate in many special events
within the community. In this photo, a C.O.P. is helping to
fingerprint young children and teens at the request of
their parents during a local safety fair. Many citizen patrol
volunteers are trained to provide this type of service to
the community and law enforcement.
Fingerlock uses a persons enrolled fingerprint, which is
alive, therefore, it provides an impeccable security
assurance, and is fast and simple for anyone to use it
regularly. Never again worry about carrying, losing or
forgetting your keys.
Double security feature: Fingerlock unlocks with the
option, a PIN code.
The first level or protection is a smart card reader. It kind of works like
a key in which you have to place the card in the laptop and then enter
a password in order to boot up. This high level of security is probably
all that you need to keep your laptop safe.
But what if you want more protection?
If you want the most protection possible then you can get the
optional fingerprint reader...

All you have to do is place your finger in the reader circled in red
above and it will verify that it is really you. This is perfect if you
have a bad feeling that your smartcard will get lost or stolen.
You certainly won't lose your finger!
A USB key with a fingerprint reader is not new, but these small CR-FP2
and CR-FP3 USB keys received a sensor with a 1/10000000 precision.
They nearly perfectly recognize your fingerprint. Also, Elecom
announced the keys don’t retain the fingerprint in memory, which
prevents people from accessing your data.
The CR-FP2 has 256MB of memory and weights 19g. The CR-FP3 has
512MB of memory and weights 11g.
Inkless Fingerprinting
Fingerprint Scanners
Fingerprint Scanners
Fingerprint
Scanners
 Read and discuss Table 1
Methods of visualizing latent
fingerprints

Read Case Profile:

Superglue Wand Brings the
Lab to the crime scene