Fingerprints

Question 1

what is necessary to become a latent print examiner?

Answer 1

no specific degree, but some sort of science based education is preferred. Lots of training. Can be a civilian or a cop

Question 2

What is a fingerprint?

Answer 2

Tiny ridges and valley patterns on the tip of each
finger

 Form from pressure on developing fingers in womb
 No 2 identical; not even in identical twins

Question 3

Biometric identifiers

Answer 3

Technical term for body measurements and calculations

includes: fingerprints, retina or iris patterns, palm print, face thermography

Question 4

Friction ridge skin

Answer 4

Complex pattern of hills (ridges) and valleys (furrows)

3 basic patterns

Question 5

Arch

Answer 5

Characterized by ridge lines that enter the print from one
side and flow out the other side
 Do not have type lines, deltas, or cores

Plain arch
 Simplest of all
 Generally, these ridges tend to rise in the center of the pattern

Tented arch
 Similar to plain
 Instead of rising smoothly incenter, sharp up-thrust or spike, or
ridges meet at angles less than 90 degrees

Question 6

Loop

Answer 6

1 or more ridges entering from one side of a
print, recurving and exiting from the same
side

 Each has 1 delta and 1 core and has a ridge
count

Ulnar loop
 Named after the ulna
 Flow pattern runs in the direction of the ulna

Radial loop
 Named after the radius
 Flow pattern runs in the direction of the radius
 Not very common; typically found on index finger

Question 7

Whorls

Answer 7

 Double loop whorls
 2 separate and distinct loop formations with 2
separate and distinct shoulders for each core, 2
deltas and 1 or more ridges which make, a complete
circuit.
 Accidental whorls
 2 different types of patterns with the exception of the
plain arch, have 2 or more deltas or a pattern which
possess some of the requirements for 2 or more
different types or a pattern which conforms to none
of the definitions.

Question 8

Minutiae

Answer 8

ridges of the ingerprint form minutiae by: ending ridges- ending abruptly
bifurcations- splitting into 2 ridges
dots- short in length

combos: island- 2 bifurcations facing each other

Question 9

Level two detail

Question 10

level three detail

Answer 10

Structure of individual ridges
(shape and relative pore
position)
Other friction skin morphology
(secondary creases, ridge
breaks, etc.)
Used in conjunction with level
one and two to individualize, or
exclude, an impression to a
single source

Question 11

Sir. William Herschel

Answer 11

first
used fingerprints on native contracts
in India

Question 12

Henry Fauld

Answer 12

suggested skin
ridge pattern could be important for
identification of criminals

Question 13

Sir Edward Richard Henry

Answer 13

his fingerprint system was adopted
by Scotland yard

Question 14

What happened in 1901

Answer 14

1st systematic and official use
of fingerprints for personal ID -
adopted by NYC Civil Service
Commission

Question 15

what happened in 1924

Answer 15

Fingerprint records of Bureau
of Investigation and Leavenworth –
merged to form nucleus of
identification records of the new FBI

Question 16

Modified Henry system

Answer 16

In US, scheme for the
classification of ten print sets

Fingers are paired in a
numerator/denominator system

Question 17

ABIS (and why did it change from AFIS?)

Question 18

NGI

Question 19

Types of evidentiary fingerprints

Question 20

patent prints

Question 21

plastic prints

Question 22

latent prints

Question 23

Composition of latent print residues

Question 24

what do we consider when choosing a technique? (fingerprints)

Question 25

Physical

Question 26

powder dusting

Question 27

hinge lifters

Question 28

SPRs

Question 29

Magna Brush

Question 30

Powdering

Question 31

Chemical

Question 32

Cyanoacrylate fuming

Question 33

Iodine fuming

Question 34

Special illumination

Question 35

Dye staining

Question 36

United States v. Byron C. Mitchell

Question 37

US v. Llera Plaza

Question 38

Brandon Mayfield