Dactyloscopy(the study of fingerprints)

By: Aidan Smith

Types of Fingerprints• There are three different types of Fingerprints• Loops• Arches• Whorls

Loops

• Loops are the most common making up about 60 to about 70 percent of all fingerprints

• They come in from the sides of the finger and loop around in the middle of the finger and go out the same side it came in

• Usually have one delta

Picture of a Looped Fingerprint

Whorls

• Whorls make up about 25 to 35 percent of all fingerprints

• Usually have their own circle(s)• Two deltas classify a Whorl• Many types of Whorls• Plain, accidental, pocket Whorls

Picture of Whorl

Arches

• Make up about 5 percent of all Fingerprints• There is no delta• Ridges stretch across the finger• Tented Arches look like it could be a delta

Pictures of an Arch and Tented Arch

Regular Arch Tented Arch

Types of Prints

• Three different ways to have a fingerprint• Latent• Patent• Plastic

Latent Prints

• Latent prints are probably the most common type of print to find

• These prints are invisible to the human eye without a black light or “dusting”

• Fingerprints leave behind residue (sweat, oils) which is only found with these tools

Patent Prints

• Visible to the human eye without the needs of any special tools

• Usually photographed

Plastic Prints

• Easily findable• Left in blood, melted wax, etc.• Easily visible to human eye• Photographed

Techniques• Photographing• Take pictures of the fingerprints and scan them into

a computer as well as chemically developing fingerprints, put them on a contrasting background

• “Dusting”• Involves brushing areas at a crime scene with

chemicals so that fingerprints will show up• Picked up with clear tape and put on background

so they will contrast and are able to work with print

Education

• Usually need a college degree or equivelent (Biology and Chemistry are good degrees)

• Need a couple years experience in the field. Many learn as they work with older more experienced experts

Carmine ArtoneRetired Supervisor of US Secret Service, Identification

Branch

• Started her career right out of high school, never went to college. Never earned her degree.

• After working for the FBI she went to the Miami Dade Police where she was trained in Latent fingerprint identification

• Normal days consisted of examining crime scene prints and comparing then to known criminals…very tedious since the prints were never complete or clear

• Most Dactyloscopists don’t have another job

Carmine Atone…continued

• She testified in many court cases about the evidence she found and many times her evidence (fingerprints) were very important

• One case she remembers she was called to testify and the prints she had found in blood on the victim’s clothes were consistent with the killer’s prints• Thus she helped convict the man for murder

Court Case 1911• Chicago, Illinois. December 21, 1911• Thomas Jennings tried for murder of Clarence Hiller who was

shot• Fingerprints were found in fresh paint left from a job earlier

that day. The fingerprints matched Jennings’s prints. Ballistics also matched their test bullet to that of Jennings bullet at the crime scene.

• To be sure that the fingerprints were real and that it wasn’t tampered evidence several experts were witnesses to the evidence

• With the help of this evidence Jennings was convicted and hanged on February 16, 1912

Bibliography• http://74.125.45.104/search?

q=cache:XhZhwUKZ1jwJ:www.lakesideschool.org/upperschool/departments/science/forensics/documents/CaseStudy-Fingerprints.doc+thomas+jennings+case&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

• http://www.brazoria-county.com/sheriff/id/fingerprints/tarch.jpg• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/149492/dactyloscopy• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint• http://www.forensic-science-info.com/images/whorl-fingerprint.jpg• http://www.fprints.nwlean.net/j.htm• http://www.mondovista.com/fingerprint2.jpg

Bibliography Con’t

• http://onin.com/fp/fpxperts.html• http://www.policensw.com/info/fingerprints/

finger07.html• http://www.policensw.com/info/fingerprints/i

ndexfinger.html• http://www.policensw.com/info/fingerprints/i

mages/parcha.jpg• http://ridgesandfurrows.homestead.com/

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