Transcript Document

FINGERPRINTS
History of Fingerprints
HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
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Chinese used fingerprints to
sign legal documents as far
back as three thousand years
ago
William Herschel, an English
civil servant (India), required
natives to sign contracts with an
imprint of their right hand –
Hindu custom?
HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
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In 1880, Scottish physician, Henry
Fauld wrote that skin ridge patterns
could be important in identification work
A thief left his fingerprint on a
whitewashed wall – compared with 1st
suspect - No match; compared with 2nd
suspect with positive association
HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
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Fauld offered to set up a system of
fingerprints at Scotland Yard (at his own
expense)
Rejected in favor of the Bertillon System
This decision reversed less than two
decades later
HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
 The
first systematic attempt at
personal identification was
devised and introduced by the
French police expert,
Alphonse Bertillon, in 1883.
Bertillon’s System
Relied on:
 Portraite Parlé – Detailed description of the
individual
 Full length and profile photographs
 Anthropometry – A system of precise body
measurements
ANTHROPOMETRY
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A method of identification
Based upon the premise that the dimensions of
the human skeletal system remained fixed from
age 20 until death
Eleven (11) measurements taken - to include
height, width of head & length of left foot
FRANCIS GALTON
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In 1892, published the classic work
Finger Prints
In this book he discussed the anatomy
of fingerprints and suggested methods
for recording them
Proposed three pattern types: loops,
whorls and arches
FRANCIS GALTON
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No two prints are identical
An individual’s prints remain
unchanged from one year to the
next
SIR EDWARD HENRY
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Englishman
In 1897, proposed another classification
system which is still in use today
Most English-speaking countries use
some version of Henry’s classification
system
In the
United States
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1901 – First systematic use of
fingerprints adopted by the New York
Civil Service Commission
1904 – American police received
training in fingerprint techniques from
Scotland Yards representatives
1924 – Fingerprint records from the
Bureau of Investigation and
Leavenworth merged to form records
for the new FBI
Admissibility of Fingerprints
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Challenged in the case of United States v.
Byron C. Mitchell
Argued under Daubert guidelines that
fingerprints were not unique
Judge upheld admissibility and ruled:
1. Human friction ridges are unique
and permanent
2. Human friction ridge skin arrangements
are unique and permanent
PHYSIOLOGY OF
FINGERPRINTS
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FIRST PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridges develop
their Unique form
in the fetus
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
SECOND PRINCIPLE:
A Fingerprint will remain
LARGELY UNCHANGED
during an
Individual’s Lifetime
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
THIRD PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridge Patterns
and their details
are UNIQUE
No Two Fingers have yet been
found to possess IDENTICAL
RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS
(even identical twins!!)
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FOURTH PRINCIPLE:
FINGERPRINTS CAN BE
SYSTEMATICALLY CLASSIFIED by
GENERAL RIDGE PATTERNS
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
MINUTIAE - Ridge Characteristics
Define Individuality
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IDENTITY
NUMBER
RELATIVE LOCATION
COMPARE POINT BY POINT
POSSIBLY 150 POINTS ON THE AVERAGE
FINGERPRINT
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
MINUTIAE - Ridge Characteristics
Define Individuality
HOW MANY POINTS
MAKE A MATCH?
Depends on experience and
knowledge of the examiner
Usually 8 to 16
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FRICTION SKIN RIDGES
Palm Side of Fingers and Thumbs
Soles of Feet
Provide Firmer Grasp
Resistance to Slippage
Lines corresponding to
Hills (ridges) & Valleys (grooves)
SKIN
COMPOSED OF
LAYERS OF CELLS
EPIDERMIS - OUTER
DERMIS - INNER LAYER
DERMAL PAPILLAE IN BETWEEN
SKIN
SKIN RIDGES CONTAIN PORES
Openings for ducts from sweat glands
Perspiration discharged to surface of skin
Transfer is called LATENT FINGERPRINTS
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
ARCHES
5%
LOOPS
60% - 65%
WHORLS
30% - 35%
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
ARCHES - least common of three general
patterns
• RIDGES ENTER ONE SIDE OF PATTERN
AND EXIT ANOTHER
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PLAIN ARCHES - wavelike pattern
TENTED ARCHES - sharp spike
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
LOOPS - most common type
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Ridges enter one side and exit same side
ULNAR LOOP - opens toward little finger
RADIAL LOOP - opens toward thumb
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
LOOPS -
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CORE
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TYPE LINES
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DELTA
FUNDAMENTALS OF
FINGERPRINTS
WHORLS - FOUR TYPES
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Plain
Central pocket loop
Double loop
Accidental
ALL HAVE TWO DELTAS & TYPE LINES
FINGERPRINT
DEVELOPMENT
Types of Fingerprints
VISIBLE RIDGES PLACED ON A SURFACE
AFTER CONTACT WITH A
COLORED MATERIAL
(blood, paint,grease, ink)
Types of Fingerprints
PLASTIC RIDGES LEFT ON A SOFT
MATERIAL
(putty, wax, soap, dust)
Types of Fingerprints
LATENT HIDDEN OR INVISIBLE
TRANSFER OF BODY
PERSPIRATION OR OILS
MUST BE ENHANCED
Types of Surfaces
NON-POROUS
GLASS, MIRROR, PLASTIC,
PAINTED SURFACES
ENHANCE WITH SUPER
GLUE and/or POWDER
Types of Surfaces
POROUS
PAPER,
CARDBOARD,
CLOTH
ENHANCE WITH
CHEMICALS
METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
FINGERPRINT POWDERS
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BLACK (white surfaces)
GRAY (dark surfaces)
FLUORESCENT (multi-colored
surfaces)
MAGNETIC (leather or rough plastic)
ADHERES TO PERSPIRATION
and/or BODY OILS
METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
CHEMICALS
IODINE FUMING
NINHYDRIN - REACTS WITH PROTEINS
PHYSICAL DEVELOPER - SILVER NITRATE BASED
- USED WHEN OTHER METHODS
UNSUCCESSFUL
METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
CHEMICALS
SUPER GLUE FUMING -
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CYANOACRYLATE ESTER
NON-POROUS SURFACES
CREATE FUMES WITH HEAT
PORTABLE WAND AVAILABLE
METHODS OF ENHANCEMENT
FLUORESENCE
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PERSPIRATION CONTAINS COMPONENTS THAT
FLUORESCE WHEN ILLUMINATED WITH LASER
LIGHT
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HIGHLY SENSITIVE
ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE
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QUARTZ HALOGEN
ZENON ARC
INDIUM ARC
DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH DNA TESTING
PRESERVATION AND
COMPARISON OF
FINGERPRINTS
PRESERVATION OF ENHANCED
PRINTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
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1:1 SCALE
LIFTING
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TAPE
HINGED LIFTER
PRESERVATION OF ENHANCED
PRINTS
DIGITAL IMAGING
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SCANNER
DIGITAL CAMERA
VIDEO CAMERA
ENHANCE WITH FILTERS, CONTRAST OR
BRIGHTNESS
REMOVE BACKGROUND COLORS
SCALING / RESIZING TOOLS
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
AFIS
Automated
Fingerprint
Identification
System
AFIS
Automatic Scanning
Devices Convert
Fingerprint Image into
Digital Minutiae
• RIDGE ENDINGS
• BIFURCATIONS
AFIS
Types of Databases
• Arrest Prints (KNOWNS)
• Forensic Prints (CRIME SCENE)
AFIS
SEARCH ALGORITHM
DETERMINES DEGREE OF
CORRELATION BETWEEN
THE QUESTIONED AND
KNOWN PRINTS
AFIS
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THOUSANDS OF COMPARISONS
PER SECOND
ALL SELECTED PRINTS VERIFIED
BY TRAINED EXAMINER
STANDARDS ENABLE AGENCIES TO
EASILY EXCHANGE DATA
FINGERPRINT EXAMINER
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4 YEAR DEGREE
2+ YEARS TRAINING
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
• Written Test
• Proficiency Test
• Continuing Education
International Association for
Identification (IAI)