Are Finger Prints inherited

Comparison of latent fingerprints found at the crime scene with exemplar prints, comparison of bite marks on a victim, DNA evidence, hair and fibre matching are some of the example of pattern comparison in forensic science (Coyle, Field & Wenderoth, 2009). Comparison of pattern evidence in forensic science is to determine whether the same kind of the properties of forensic traces may have come from a common (or related source) (Found & Edmond, 2012). There are varieties of techniques in forensic pattern evidence that make associations between physical traces. The association of one or more traces might be helpful in the investigation of a crime that usually can support an inference (Cole, Berthental & Seelagy, 2016).

Word choice is perhaps one of the most important aspects of writing in the forensic science discipline. “Fingerprint examiners often argue that because friction ridge formation is induced by the stresses and strains experienced by the foetus in utero, which are random and infinite, it is likely that they subsequently produce a random, infinite variety of friction ridge patterns.” (Page, 2011). In the forensic science discipline, there are keywords that have to be known to have a professional and scientific style of writing the will be acceptable. A forensic scientist cannot write a report about the fingerprints of a subject and say that the has a unique pattern of bumps on their fingers. They have to use keywords such as friction ridge patterns, for their report to

For the past several decades, ninhydrin has been used in the development of fingerprints from surfaces. The fingerprints revealed by ninhydrin have been used to compare against other known fingerprints, whether from the person of interest or a database, which can lead to a match on a victim or a suspect on a case. But what about the fingerprints that do not have a match in a database? Can that print be of any use to forensic scientists? In the journal article, “New Horizons for Ninhydrin: Colorimetric Determination of Gender from Fingerprints” the researchers attempt to determine if a fingerprint can yield more than just a picture that can be used for comparison.

Fingerprints are impressions left by ridges that press against things and leave a mark. They’re formed in the basal layer of skin while in the womb. The three fundamental principles of fingerprints are: no two fingerprints are the same, a fingerprint will remain the same for a lifetime, and there are general ridge patterns found in fingerprints that allow them to be systematically classified. Arches, whorls, and loops are the three basic fingerprint patterns. There also four subgroups which are plain, central pocket, double/double loop, and accidental. A minutiae, or ridge characteristic, are characteristics within a fingerprint that must make up for identification. Some examples of individual ridge characteristics would be bifurcation, short ridge, dot, etc. With the use of fingerprints, many individuals have been identified in criminal investigations.

Aging fingerprints determine their relevance in a forensic timeline. Fingerprints deposited at the approximate time of a crime would be substantial in a/the forensic case. As it could have been connected to the suspect, witness or even the victim. Conversely, fingerprints may be irrelevant if the time of deposition didn’t correspond with the time of the crime.

Well, as it turns out, almost everything you believe about fingerprint evidence could be false.

Fingerprints are detailed, difficult to alter, and permanent over the life of a person, which makes them suitable as a long-term identifier of an individual. They also can be used to identify people who are deceased in the aftermath of a crime. The recovery of fingerprints from a scene is an important part of forensics in identifying a possible suspect. Blood is often found at various types of crime scenes, such as homicide, assault, rape, robbery and burglary. Blood type can be an identifying factor to assist investigators to narrow the search for a suspect. With DNA typing technologies, an individual bloodstain can now be used to identify an individual of a crime or a suspect. Blood spatter can also be used to identify which hand a person used during a stabbing, the direction of a shot and even the distance of the shot from the victim.

“Fingerprint recognition is one of the divorce inference using the impressions made by the minute ridge formations or patterns found on the fingertips. No two people have exactly the same arrangement of the ridge patterns, and the remaining patterns of any one individual unchanged. Fingerprints infallible provide a means of personal identification. Other personal characteristics may change, but not fingerprints”. (1)

There are different types of patterns for fingerprints, there are Arches, Loops, and Whorls. An Arch is found in five percent of fingerprints encountered. There are two types of Arches a Plain Arch, and a Tented Arch. Therefore they are the rarest. Loops are found in sixty to seventy percent of fingerprints encountered. Therefore they are the most common. Whorls are found in twenty five to thirty five percent of fingerprints encountered. There are four types of fingerprints, the Plain Whorl, Central Pocket Whorl, Double Loop Whorl, and the Accidental Whorl.

For many years, fingerprints have played an invaluable role in criminal, and investigative work. There has been trials of various systems of identification such as branding, tattooing, photography, and measurement. These systems, simply have not produced complete, desirable results. Only fingerprinting, out of all previous methods of identification, have proven most infallible. The Supreme Court of California in a 1946 ruling stated, “Fingerprints are the strongest evidence to prove the identity of a person.” Fingerprints are considered to be Direct Evidence. They establish the identity or non-identity of two sets of inked impressions. They can also establish the identity of a latent print recovered from the

The first step in processing fingerprint evidence at a crime scene begins with documentation through the use of photography, sketches and detailed notes on the condition and disposition of the evidence. Often, latent prints can be used to establish the identity of a suspect or victim at a crime scene and can be considered as one of the most valuable forms of physical evidence. Processing evidence at a crime scene is a long, tedious process to ensure that delicate evidence, such as fingerprints can be preserved. When processing fingerprints, the location and condition of the print should be identified to determine the most appropriate technique for processing. There are two primary types of surfaces: porous and non-porous. Porous surfaces absorb fingerprint residue like paper, cardboard or unfinished wood. Conventional chemical techniques used on these types of surfaces include Silver Nitrate, Iodine Fuming, Ninhydrin and SuperGlue Fuming. Non-porous surfaces consist of plastics, glass, and metal. These prints are usually lifted with the powder dusting technique; however, caution should be used while processing latent print residue on non-porous surfaces as they can easily smear. Powdered latent prints are then lifted with tape. (Lee, & Gaesslen, 2001)

Fingerprints are one of the most compelling forms of physical evidence used in criminal investigations and the most commonly found forensic evidence at a crime scene [Adebsi 2009]. A fingerprint from a crime scene may assist a forensic investigator in identifying the individual who deposited it. However, significant gaps remain in the understanding of fingerprint chemistry including, the effect of environmental conditions, ageing kinetics and evolution over time, on its chemical composition. Determining the age of a fingerprint is a relatively unexplored area of research and is dependent on a deeper understanding of the above factors. A successful method for determining the age of a fingerprint with reliable and quantifiable estimates, would

(Edgar Hoover, 2006) These patterns can further be divided into sub-groups: plain arch, tented arch, radial loop, ulnar loop, central pocket loop, plain whorl, double loop and accidental whorl. (Edgar Hoover, 2006) A fingerprint is an impression of friction ridges of all or any part of the finger; a friction ridge is a raised segment of the epidermis on the Palmar or plantar skin, comprising of one or more connected ridge units of friction ridge skin; these ridges are occasionally known as dermal edges or dermal papillae. ("Science & History of Fingerprinting", 2014) Fingerprint identification, also known as dactyloscopy or palmprint identification; the process of comparing questions and known friction ridge impressions from fingers or palms to figure out whether the impressions are from a similar finger or palm. ("Science & History of Fingerprinting", 2014) The adaptability of friction ridge skin implies that no two finger or palm prints are ever precisely similar; never indistinguishable identical in every detail, even if two impressions are recorded quickly after each other. ("Science & History of Fingerprinting",

Fingerprint patterns are classified into three main categories: loops, whorls, and arches. Loops make up sixty percent of the prints that are left behind, and their patterns trace back onto themselves, pointing either towards the thumb or the pinky. Whorls make up thirty-five percent of prints left behind, and they are circular in nature. These have many classifications and patterns: they can be concentric circles, or plain whorls; they can be loops with whorls at

There are many reasons why fingerprinting is used as an important methods for identification (Hall, 2015). As stated by Hall (2015), “A fingerprint consists of several identifiable characteristic, such as loops, arches, whorls, islands, and bifurcations. The arrangement, frequency, and design of these features are among the many characteristics used to distinguish prints from one another” (p. 510). Everybody’s fingerprints are the same. Fingerprints are kept in Federal and state agencies of the within the law. When someone commits a crime, a forensic scientist takes fingerprints and match them through the database in computers. Since fingerprinting does not go against the Fifth Amendment, a search warrant is not required. Fingerprints can be matched with someone’s hair down the color of their eyes. Another type of type of recognition to identify someone is through blood tests, and it is used in the U.S. Benches. The individuals who has this procedure done may feel pain and get sick from the procedure.