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FSC300 > Fingerprint Individualization > Flashcards

Fingerprint Individualization Flashcards

1
Q

Define the arch pattern.

A

One or more frictions enter on one side of the impression and flow/tend to flow out the other side with a rise or wave in the center.

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2
Q

Define a loop pattern.

A

One or more friction ridges enter on one side, recurve, touch or pass an imaginary line between delta and core, and tend to flow out on the same side as they entered.

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3
Q

Define the whorl pattern.

A

One or more ridges that make/tend to make a complete circuit, with two deltas, between which, when an imaginary line is drawn, at least one recurving ridge within the inner pattern area is cut or touched.

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4
Q

What is level one of friction ridge detail?

A

Overall ridge flow

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5
Q

What type of characteristics are looked at in level 1 detail?

3

A
  • Orientation
  • Pattern type
  • Focal points
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6
Q

Give examples of friction ridge focal points

4

A
  • Core
  • Deltas
  • Scars
  • Creases
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7
Q

Can identifications be made with level 1 detail? Exclusions?

A

Only exclusions

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8
Q

What determines the individuality of a fingerprint?

A

Minutiae

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9
Q

What is 2nd level detail concerned with?

A

Minutiae/Galton details

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10
Q

What are minutiae/Galton details? Give examples.

5

A

INdividual ridge paths/events
* Ridge endings
* Bifurcations
* Dots
* Islands
* Enclosure

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11
Q

Can identifications be made using second level detail? Exclusions?

A

Both

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12
Q

What is level 3 detail concerned with? Give examples.

4

A

Size and shape of pores and ridges.
* Pores
* End shapes and angles
* Edge shapes
* Width

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13
Q

What can be done with level 3 detail?

A

Identification and exclusion decisions can be supported.

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14
Q

What is another name for first level deatail?

A

Henry detail

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15
Q

What is another term for third level detail?

A

Asbaugh detail

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16
Q

Define a ridge unit/dot

A

An isolated ridge unit whose length approximates its width in size.

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17
Q

Define a short ridge/island.

A

A single friction ridge beginning, travelling a short distance, and ending.

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18
Q

Define a ridge ending.

A

A single friction ridge that terminates within the friction ridge structure.

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19
Q

Describe a bifurcation.

A

The point at which one friction ridge divides into two friction ridges.

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20
Q

Define an enclosure/lake.

A

A single friction ridge that bifuractes and regions after a short course and continues as a single friction ridge.

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21
Q

What is the life span of a fingerprint?

A

Theoretically how long a fingerprint can survive on a surface.

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22
Q

What is the age of a fingerprint.

A

How old this fingerprint is.

23
Q

List some variables that fingerprint life span is dependent on.

3

A
  • The person (genetics)
  • The surface
  • The environment
24
Q

What methods are used to gauge the life span or age of a fingerprint?

A

There are currently no known ways to do either of these things accurately.

25
Q

What non-scientific methods can be used to estimate a fingerprint’s age?

5

A
  • Surveillance cameras
  • Eyewitness accounts
  • Suspect admission
  • Time stamped POS receipt
  • Dated item
26
Q

What is a latent impression?

A

An impression that is invisible to the naked eye, requiring some form of development.

27
Q

What is the most commonly encountered type of fingerprint?

A

Latent

28
Q

Give some examples of latent print development techniques.

3

A
  • Powder
  • Chemical treatment
  • ALS
29
Q

Describe a patent fingerprint.

A

A print composed of a combination of secretions and foreign materials, thus visible to the naked eye and requiring minimal development.

30
Q

What is a plastic or mold impression?

A

3D impression left in soft material.

31
Q

Give examples of materials that can capture a plastic or mold impression.

3

A
  • Chocolate
  • Cheese
  • Putty
32
Q

What is the general rule for fingerprint suitability of a surface?

A

Fingerprints may be found on any surface with sufficient size and surface continuity to disclose the necessary ridge characteristics in sequence.

33
Q

Give examples of situations where a surface would not be suitable for fingerprinting.

4

A
  • Surface was too textured or rough to sustain continuous agreement of structures
  • Surface was contaminated with something that prohibited or impeded examination
  • The surface area was too small
  • The environment was unsafe and prevented the examiner from entering
34
Q

What are the benefits of ascertaining the digit or hand a print came from?

3

A
  • Less searching time for latent print examiner
  • More efficient loading latent onto AFIS and better search results
  • Information of suspect
35
Q

List the frequencies of each overall print pattern type.

A

Loop - 60%
Arch - 10%
Whorl - 30%

36
Q

List the frequency of each loop pattern.

A

Ulnar - 92%
Radial - 8%

37
Q

Define a radial vs. ulnar loop.

A

Radial - enters and exits toward radius
Ulnar - enters and exits toward ulna

38
Q

Describe the location of the radius and ulna.

A

In forearm
Ulna on side of pinky, radius on side of thumb

39
Q

Describe the difference between thumb and finger prints.

2

A
  • Higher ridge count on thumb
  • Core is central on finger but lower in thumb
40
Q

What is the significance of the orientation of a fingerprint?

4

A
  • How item was handled
  • Weapon or other purpose
  • Sequence of events
  • Evidentiary value
41
Q

What information is written on the scale of a fingerprint impression?

4

A
  • Date
  • Address
  • R#
  • Badge #
42
Q

Outline the fingerprinting process.

5

A
  1. Powder/process
  2. Label/mark
  3. Photos (overall, midrange, macro)
  4. Notes
  5. Lift and retain
43
Q

Define fingerprint identification

A

Established through the continuous agreement of friction ridge formations, in sequence, having sufficient uniqueness to individualize.

44
Q

What are the three conclusions in fingerprint examination?

A
  • Identification
  • Exclusion
  • Inconclusive
45
Q

Define identification

A

Examiner determines sufficienct quality and quantity of detail in agreement to conclude that two friction ridge impressions originated from the same source.

46
Q

Define exclusion

A

Determination by an examiner that there is sufficient quality and quantity of detail in disagreement to conclude that two areas of friction ridge impressions did not originate from the same source.

47
Q

Define inconlusive.

A

During evaluation, conclusion reached that neither sufficient agreement exists to individualize nor sufficient disagreement exists to exclude.

48
Q

Describe a quantitative-qualitative analysis.

A

Examiner must weigh the amount of information present combined with the quality of that information.

49
Q

Define ACE-V

A
  • Analysis
  • Comparison
  • Evaluation
  • Verification
50
Q

True or false: The examiner can begin by looking at the known source and then compare that to the unknown impression.

A

False.

51
Q

Why is it imperative that the examiner begin the identification process by first analyzing the unkown impression before moving onto the known source?

A

Ensures the examiner is only acknowledging minutiae within the questioned impression and not, even on a subconscious level, observing artifacts in the questioned impression that do not exist.

52
Q

What does the examiner determine during the analysis phase?

3

A
  • If the impression is sufficient for comparison
  • What the potential source may be
  • Whether any distortion issues are present
53
Q

Describe the comparison stage.

3

A
  • Systematic comparison of known and unknown, looking for similarities and differences
  • Observations noted
  • Unexplainable differences result in exclusion
54
Q

Describe the verification stage.

A

Stand-alone process where a second examiner, potentially blindly, is called in to confirm or refute the conclusions of the initial examiner.

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