PERSONAL

IDENTIFICATION

Prepared by: SONNY JOE S. GARINO RCrim

 History of Fingerprint
• The development of fingerprint science predates
the Christian era by many centuries. Pre-historic
Indian picture writing of hand with crudely
marked ridge patterns, fingerprints impressions
on clay tablets recording business transactions in
ancient Babylon, and clay seals of ancient
Chinese Origin bearing thumb prints, were found
as evidence of early use of fingerprint as
identification of persons impressing the prints.
 History of Fingerprint
• The formal study began as early as 1686 but has finally gained official use in
1858 by Sir William James Herschel, a British chief administrative officer in
Hoogly District of Bengal, India. Herschel used fingerprints in India to prevent
fraudulent collection of army pay accounts and for identity on other
documents

• In 1880 two major developments were achieved that ushered to a more

holistic acceptance of fingerprint use. Dr. Henry Faulds, an English doctor
based in Japan, wrote to publication Nature on the practical use of fingerprints
for the identification of criminals. His argument was supported by his studies
and successful experiments on permanency of one’s fingerprint. After Fauld’s
breakthrough, Sir Francis Galton, a noted British anthropologist and scientist
Charles Darwin’s cousin, devised the first scientific method of classifying
fingerprint patterns.
Method of Identification Before the Science of Fingerprint

1. Tattoo Marks - Tattoos can even

tell a story as to a person's
affiliations and background. That
can be especially true of gang
members, who often ink
themselves with symbols
identifying their gang affiliation,
making it easier for law
enforcement to make criminal
connections.
Method of Identification Before the Science of Fingerprint

2. Scar Marks - Scars are

often the result of past
wounds or injuries that
may have acquired.
 ANTHROPOMETRY

3. Anthropometry – The
first scientific method of
identification done by
measuring various bony
structure of the human
body devised by Alphonse
Bertillion
• Alphonse Bertillion = Father of Personal
Identification. The first to devise a
scientific method of identification called
Anthropometry.

• Around 1870 a French anthropologist

devised a system to measure and records
the dimensions of certain bony parts of
the body. These measurements were
reduced to a formula which,
theoretically, would apply only to one
person and would not change during
his/her adult life. This Bertillion System,
named after its inventor, Alphonse
Bertillion was generally accepted for
thirty years
• In 1888, Bertillion was made Chief of the
newly created Department of Identity in
Paris, Where he used anthropometry as
the main means of identification. He
later introduced fingerprints, but
relegated them to a secondary role in the
category of special marks.

• Bertillion was involved in the first

recorded case of a conviction using
fingerprints in Paris in 1902, but still
maintained that anthropometry was the
superior system.
 THE WEST CASE
• In 1903, Bertillion System never recovered, when a man named
Will West was sentenced to the U.S Penintentiary at Leavenworth,
Kansas. There was already a prisoner at the penitentiary at the
time whose bertillion measurements were nearly exact, and his
name was William West.

• Upon investigation, there were indeed two men. They looked

exactly alike, but were allegedly not related. Their names were
Will and William West respectively. Their Bertillion measurements
were close to identify them as the same person. However, a
fingerprint comparison quickly identified them as two different
people. The West men, it was later discovered were identical twin
brothers.
 THE WEST CASE
❑ The case of Will West and William West defeats the
Anthropometry System.

WILLIAM WEST (1901) WILL WEST (1903)

Primarily Whorl patterns Primarily Loop patterns

13/32 30/23

AArrested in Kansas for Murder Minor crime

It was reported by Wilder and Wentworth in 1918 on their accounting or

inventory
 ORIGIN OF FINGERPRINTS
• Chinese - are the ones noted to be the first user of
fingerprint.

• Use fingeprints as symbolism in the early part of

their rituals until they utilize it in the signing of a
contract on the part of the illiterate.

• A Chinese deed of sale, 1839, signed with a finger

print.

• In China fingeperint is called “Hua Chi”

 Emperor Te in Shi

• The first Chinese ruler who devised a “seal carved from

white jade”.

• One side is the name of owner & the other side is

impression thumb

• They used the said seal as sealing documents as

authenticity

• But in short the don’t make any system classification