Fingerprint Types and Impressions

Questions and Answers

What are the three types of fingerprint impressions?

Patent (correct)

Plastic (correct)

Visible

Latent (correct)

What are patent fingerprints?

Liquid impression of a fingerprint on a surface (e.g.: blood or ink).

What are plastic fingerprints?

Actual indentations left in some soft materials (e.g.: clay, putty, wax, or dust).

What are latent fingerprints?

Hidden prints caused by the transfer of oils and other bodily secretions onto a surface. Signup and view all the answers

What are some names of fingerprint powders?

Grey and black powders, magnetic powders, and fluorescent powders. Signup and view all the answers

What are some names of fingerprint chemicals?

Ninhydrin, physical developer, cyanoacrylate fuming, iodine fuming, crystal/gentian violet, amido black, and LCV. Signup and view all the answers

What does Ninhydrin do?

Reacts with amino acids in sweat to form purple-blue prints. Signup and view all the answers

What is the physical developer?

Silver nitrate (liquid) used as a last resort due to its ability to destroy proteins. Signup and view all the answers

What is cyanoacrylate fuming?

A method developed in 1982 by Japanese police. Signup and view all the answers

What is iodine fuming?

An old method where vapors react with fatty oils and some sweat residue. Signup and view all the answers

What are crystal/gentian violet used for?

Tape prints. Signup and view all the answers

What is LCV (Lueco Crystal Violet) used for?

For faint bloody prints. Signup and view all the answers

What is Amido Black used for?

Stain for faint bloody prints. Signup and view all the answers

How do you preserve latent prints?

Photograph, preserve by covering, and then lift fingerprints with tape and place it onto a labeled card. Signup and view all the answers

What makes up a fingerprint?

Sweat and contaminants; sweat consists of 99.0-99.5% water and 0.05-0.01% solids; contaminants include bodily fluids, oils, and fats. Signup and view all the answers

What factors affect fingerprints?

Age, fine ridge structure, stimuli, occupational or medical condition, transposal factors, and environmental factors. Signup and view all the answers

What are some transposal factors?

Surface texture, contaminants in hands, receiving surface, contact, and pressure. Signup and view all the answers

What are some environmental factors?

Temperature, humidity, and handling. Signup and view all the answers

The age, sex, and race of an individual can be solely determined by fingerprints.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are fingerprints used for?

Solving crimes, identity confirmation, determining deceased identity, entering buildings and rooms, and employment clearance. Signup and view all the answers

In what order do you print fingerprints?

Right thumb(1), right pointer(2), right middle(3), right ring finger(4), right pinky(5), left thumb(6), left pointer(7), left middle(8), left ring finger(9), and left pinky(10). Signup and view all the answers

What factors affect a good fingerprint?

The subjects 'printing themselves', excessive pressure, perspiration or wet fingers, and sickness and disease. Signup and view all the answers

What supplies are required when taking prints?

An ink pad, ten-print card, area for printing, and handsoap. Signup and view all the answers

What are the steps to taking someone's fingerprints?

<ol> <li>Communicate, 2. Roll print, 3. Plain impressions, and 4. Clean up.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What are some special situations you could run into when taking someone's prints?

Amputations, bandaged fingers/hands, scars, deformities, worn fingers, extra fingers, and webbed fingers. Signup and view all the answers

What is a fingerprint?

An impression left by the finger's friction ridges upon contact with a surface - a unique trademark. Signup and view all the answers

What does an arch look like?

Goes from one side of the finger to the other. Signup and view all the answers

What does a loop look like?

Goes in and out of the same side. Signup and view all the answers

What does a whorl look like?

It circles around. Signup and view all the answers

What is ridgeology?

The study of uniqueness of friction ridge structures and their use for personal identification. Signup and view all the answers

What is the classification system for fingerprints?

Similar to 'alphabets' that codify fingerprints, each finger has a value, and the pattern of each finger is identified. Signup and view all the answers

Invisible fingerprints are caused by:

Deposits of oil and perspiration on some object. Signup and view all the answers

To what does classification of fingerprints refer?

Using common characteristics to organize prints. Signup and view all the answers

Fingerprints are useful in all but which one of the following?

Determining gender and appearance of suspects Signup and view all the answers

When attempts are made to crudely remove friction ridges using chemicals or sandpaper, what usually happens?

The ridges eventually return to their original patterns. Signup and view all the answers

What is characteristic about a radial loop?

The ridges slant toward the thumb. Signup and view all the answers

What can create latent prints?

Residual traces of blood, sticky substances such as maple syrup or wet paint, and oil, perspiration, and salt. Signup and view all the answers

What are invisible prints?

Prints that require development to be seen by the naked eye. Signup and view all the answers

Magnetic powders are useful when:

Dusting overhead iron-containing surfaces. Signup and view all the answers

The iodine method is particularly effective for lifting prints:

With fat or oil residue. Signup and view all the answers

How are friction ridges formed?

You are born with them. Signup and view all the answers

For what reason is Alphonse Bertillon remembered?

Using fingerprints to identify lost children. Signup and view all the answers

The admissibility of fingerprint evidence can be traced to the case of:

People v. Jennings (1911). Signup and view all the answers

How are fingerprints usually lifted from objects?

They are lifted using clear cellophane tape. Signup and view all the answers

What can a forensic expert conclude from a latent print alone?

The identity of the perpetrator. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is used in the development of latent prints?

Ninhydrin. Signup and view all the answers

The study of fingerprints as a means of identification is known as ________.

Dactylography. Signup and view all the answers

Fingerprints are classified into what three patterns?

Arched, looped, whorled. Signup and view all the answers

There is how many number of chemical methods that have been successfully used to develop fingerprints on various surfaces?

Four. Signup and view all the answers

You witness a fingerprint made by blood on the victim's wrist. What kind of fingerprint is this called?

Patent fingerprint. Signup and view all the answers

A worker named Alan left fingerprints on the counter after being shot. What kind of fingerprints are these?

Latent fingerprint. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Types of Fingerprint Impressions

Three types: latent, patent, and plastic.

Patent Fingerprints

Liquid impressions observed on surfaces, such as blood or ink.

Plastic Fingerprints

Actual indentations found in soft materials, like clay or wax.

Latent Fingerprints

Hidden prints resulting from the transfer of oils and secretions onto surfaces.

Fingerprint Powders

Common types include grey, black, magnetic, and fluorescent powders.

Fingerprint Chemicals

Include ninhydrin, physical developer, cyanoacrylate fuming, iodine fuming, crystal/gentian violet, amido black, and LCV.

Ninhydrin

Reacts with amino acids in sweat to produce purple-blue prints.

Physical Developer

Liquid silver nitrate, used as a last resort because it destroys proteins.

Cyanoacrylate (Superglue) Fuming

Developed by Japanese police in 1982, useful for fingerprint development.

Iodine Fuming

An older method where vapors react with fatty oils and sweat.

Crystal/Gentian Violet

Utilized for developing tape prints.

LCV (Leuco Crystal Violet)

Effective for enhancing faint bloody prints.

Amido Black

A stain for enhancing faint bloody prints.

Preserving Latent Prints

Methods include photographing, covering, and lifting prints with tape to a labeled card.

Composition of Fingerprints

Composed mainly of sweat (99-99.5% water) and contaminants (body fluids, oils).

Factors Affecting Fingerprints

Influence of age, ridge structure, stimuli, medical conditions, and environmental factors.

Transposal Factors

Include surface texture, hand contaminants, receiving surface, contact, and pressure.

Environmental Factors

Conditions such as temperature, humidity, and handling affect fingerprints.

Limitations of Fingerprints

Cannot solely determine a person's age, sex, or race.

Uses of Fingerprints

In crime solving, identity confirmation, deceased identification, access control, and employment clearances.

Fingerprint Printing Order

Right thumb, pointer, middle, ring, pinky, followed by the left hand in the same order.

Factors Affecting Good Fingerprints

Self-printing habits, excessive pressure, wet fingers, and health issues.

Supplies for Taking Prints

Requires an ink pad, ten-print card, adequate space, and hand soap.

Steps to Taking Fingerprints

Communicate, roll prints, take plain impressions, and clean up afterward.

Special Situations in Fingerprinting

Consider issues such as amputations, bandaged fingers, scars, and deformities.

Definition of Fingerprint

An impression made by a finger's friction ridges upon contact, unique to each individual.

Fingerprint Patterns

Arches: extends from one side to the other.
Loops: enter and exit from the same side.
Whorls: circular patterns.

Ridgeology

The study focused on the uniqueness of friction ridge structures for personal identification.

Classification System

Similar to alphabets, each fingerprint pattern is assigned a specific value for identification.

Invisible Fingerprints

Created by deposits of oil and perspiration, requiring development to become visible.

Iodine Method Effectiveness

Particularly good for lifting prints with fat or oil residue.

Friction Ridge Formation

Established at birth and unchanged thereafter.

Alphonse Bertillon's Contribution

Noted for using fingerprints to help identify lost children.

Key Case for Fingerprint Evidence

"People v. Jennings" (1911) established the admissibility of fingerprint evidence.

Lifting Fingerprints

Typically lifted using clear cellophane tape.

Forensic Conclusions from Latent Prints

Can determine the identity of the perpetrator based solely on latent prints.

Dactylography

The study of fingerprints as a method of identification.

Patterns of Fingerprints

Classified into arched, looped, and whorled patterns.

Chemical Methods for Development

Four distinct chemical methods exist for developing fingerprints on various surfaces.

Types of Fingerprints

Patent fingerprints are visible, made by blood or other substances.
Latent fingerprints are not immediately visible and require development techniques.

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Description

This quiz covers the three types of fingerprint impressions: latent, patent, and plastic. Each type is defined along with examples to deepen your understanding. Perfect for students of forensic science or those interested in criminology.