Ch. 6 Fingerprints Flashcards
anthropometry
a method of identification devised by Alphonse Bertillon in the 19th Century that used a set of body measurements to form a personal profile
arch
a fingerprint pattern in which ridges enter on one side of the print, form a wave, and flow out on the other side
biometrics
a technology using features of the human body for identification
dermis
the second layer of skin
- contains blood vessels, nerves, and hair follicles
digital imaging
the recording of images with a digital camera
epidermis
the tough outer layer of skin
friction ridge characteristics
skin on the soles of feet, palms of the hands, and fingers in humans that forms ridges and valleys
iodine fuming
the use of iodine sublimation to develop latent prints on porous and nonporous surfaces
- iodine vapors react with lipids in the oil from the latent print to form a visible image
latent fingerprint
a friction ridge impression that is not readily visible to the naked eye
loop
a fingerprint pattern in which ridges enter on one side of the print, form a wave, and flow out the same side
minutiae
bifurcations, ending ridges, and dots in the ridge patterns of fingerprints
ninhydrin
a chemical used to visualize latent fingerprints
- ninhydrin reacts with amino acids in latent fingerprints to form a blue-purple compound called Ruhemann’s purple
patent fingerprint
a fingerprint that is readily visible to the eye
plastic fingerprint
a fingerprint indentation left by pressing a finger into a soft surface
radial loop
a loop pattern that flows in thedirection of the thumb
Ruhemann’s purple
the blue-purple compound formed in latent fingerprints when they are developed with ninhydrin
Super Glue fuming
a technique for visualizing latent fingerprints in which fumes from heated Super Glue (cyanoacrylate glue) react with the latent print
typica
points in a fingerprint where ridge lines end or where one ridge splits into two
ulnar loop
a loop pattern that flows in the direction of the little finger
visible fingerprint
a fingerprint that can be seen with the naked eye
whorl
a fingerprint forming concentric circles in the center of the finger pad
The early system of personal identification that was based on measurement of body parts was called _____________.
anthropometry
Alphonse Bertillon’s personal identification system required the measurement of ________. the morphological description of __________. and a description of _______.
bony parts of the body; appearance and shape of the body and its measured parts; marks on the surface of the body
The fingerprint classification system that is used in most English-speaking countries was originally developed by _____________ (Francis Galton/Edward Henry).
Edward Henry
The fingerprint classification system that is used in most Spanish-speaking countries was originally developed by __________.
Juan Vucetich
Francis Galton estimated the odds of two individual fingerpritns being the same as 1 in _______.
64 billion
In 1999, attorneys argued that fingerprints could not be proven to be unique using ______ guidelines. The U.S. District Court _______ the admissibility of finger-print evidence.
Daubert, upheld
The layer of skin nearest the surface is called the ______; the thick layer below is called the ______.
epidermis, dermis
Fingerprints are classified into three general patterns: ______, ______, and ______.
loops, whorls, arches
Of the three fingerprint patterns, the ______ pattern is the most common, the ______ pattern is the next most common, and the ______ is the least common.
loops, whorls, arches
The loop pattern on yout left hand that enters and exits from the left is called a(n) ______ (radial/ulnar) loop.
ulnar
A loop pattern on your right hand that enters and exits from the left is called a(n) _______ (radial/ulnar) loop.
radial
A delta is a location in the fingerprint where two lines run side by side and then diverge to form a(n) ______.
triangle
Any fingerprint that contains two or more deltas is considered to be a(n) ______ pattern.
whorl
The center of a loop pattern is called the ______.
core
Whorls can be divided into four classifications: ______, ______, ______, and ______.
plain, central pocket, double loop, accidental
If a print contains no deltas, then it is a(n) ______ pattern.
arch
If a print contains one delta, then it is a(n) ______ pattern.
loop
A friction ridge impression that is not visible to the naked eye is called a(n) ______ fingerprint.
latent
A friction ridge impression that is left in the surface of a soft material is called a(n) ______ fingerprint.
plastic
Latent prints on a hard and non-absorbant surface are usually developed by the application of ______.
powder
Finger-print examiners have found that only two colors of fingerprint powder are necessary: ______, and ______.
black, grey
One of the more popular fingerprint lifting tapes uses a(n) ______ system to protect the lifted print.
hinge
Latent prints on soft and porous surfaces are made visible by ______ treatment.
chemical
