Fingerprints

Fingerprinting

 System of identification based on the

classification of finger ridge patterns
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
1. No two persons have identical ridge
patterns.
2. A fingerprint remains unchanged
during a person’s lifetime.
3. Fingerprints have general ridge
patterns that can be systematically
classified.
What are Fingerprints?
 An impression left on any
surface that consists of
patterns made by the
ridges on a finger

 Ridge: appears dark in an

images
 Valley: appears light in an
image
Activity
Giant Balloon Fingerprints
Human Skin

 The epidermis (outer layer) and dermis

(inner layer) determine the form and
pattern of ridges on the surface of skin
 Fingerprints develop in the human
fetus (starting the 10th week)
 Other prints: palms of the hands, soles
of feet, lips, ears
Ten Card

 A form used to record and preserve a

person’s fingerprints
Activity: Making a Ten
Card
Use ink strips to print each finger
on the handout provided.
Fingerprint Patterns

Three classes:
• Loops
• Whorls
• Arches
Fingerprint Data
National
Fingerprint Total Classroom Classroom
Population
Type # Total # %
(%)

Loop

Whorl

Arch
National Fingerprint Data

National Population:
• Loops (65%)
• Whorls (30%)
• Arches (5%)
Fingerprint Patterns
Ridge Characteristics
Minutiae

 Minutiae: points where print ridges

come together or end
 Minutiae points considered to be the
“uniqueness” of an individual
 Also called “Points”
 FBI have found that no two individuals
have more than 8 common “Points”
Minutiae Points
Latent Fingerprints
Activity: Make a Latent
Print
Follow instructions to make a
latent print on a clean surface.
Types of Fingerprints

 Patent (Visible) Print

 Impressed (Plastic) Print

 Latent Print
Patent (Visible) Print

 Finger comes in contact with medium

(blood, dirt, ink, grease) and leaves
visible impression
Plastic (Impressed) Prints

 Indentations left in clay, wax, paint,

soap, putty or other soft pliable
surfaces
 Can be viewed or photographed
Latent Print

 Fingerprint made by the deposit of oils

and/or perspiration
 Invisible to the naked eye
 Made visible by dusting, fuming or
other chemical reagents
Detection of Latent Prints

 Fingerprint powders (colored,

magnetic, fluorescent dyes)
 Iodine Fuming
 Ninhydrin
 Cyanoacrylate (superglue) fuming
 Silver Nitrate
Detection of Latent Prints
Studying a Latent Print
Studying a Latent Fingerprint
1. Using the fingerprint brush and black
powder, lightly dust the fingerprint (use a
circular motion)
2. Press and lift the print off of the surface
using clear tape.
3. Tape your latent print into your lab
notebook.
4. Identify your print pattern as either a loop,
arch or whorl.
5. Repeat with magnetic powder and pen.
 Latent Print Recovery Lab
 Using chemicals to detect a latent print:
Safety
Type How does it work? Test Sample
Warning
Do not inhale
Cyanoacrylate Reacts with amino acids Glass Slide or get on your
skin

Do not inhale
Reacts with amino acids
Ninhydrin Paper or get on your
(proteins) found in sweat
skin

Toxic to inhale
Iodine Crystals Reacts with oils Paper
or ingest
Analysis of Lab:

For each station, write a paragraph that

includes the following ideas:
 Explain the procedures used to
recover the print.
 Describe what you observed.

 What other surfaces do you think this

method would work on?
 Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (AFIS)
 In 1999, state AFIS
computers were fully
linked with the FBI
database
 Contains nearly 50 million
fingerprint records
 Each fingerprint scanned;
digital minutiae data
stored in computer
How is AFIS used?

1. Unknown print is scanned and

entered into computer
2. Computer searches AFIS
system and produces a list of
file prints that match closest
with search print (takes 2
hours)
3. Fingerprint expert examines
prints and makes final
verification on print’s identify
Mobile
Fingerprint
Identification
Used by police officers
in the field to search
AFIS and get a positive
identification on a
suspect.
Fingerprint FAQs

 Fingerprints dissolved by acid will

grow back
 Scars on fingers make prints even
more unique