Fingerprints

The study of Fingerprints is known as Dactyloscopy and its examination for civil and criminal cases comes under Forensic Dactyloscopy. Sir William Herschel, a British administrator in India in the 1850s, is attributed with the first organized use of fingerprints for identification. The fingerprint is a specialized or individual Characteristic of a person; Fingerprints are made by ridges (minutiae) touch to any surface can print the Fingerprint with the help of body oil and sweat. Characterization of Fingerprint types are whorls, arcs and loops. Fundamental principle is every person have a unique Fingerprint pattern. Forensic Dactyloscopy is the examination of Fingerprint evidence that are collected from crime scene. Mostly the Fingerprint evidence is collected by Tape lifting Method. Dactyloscopy is also called as Dermatoglyphics.

Fingerprints are the unique identity of an individual. There are no two fingerprints that match each other. These fingerprints can be found as latent prints on different objects when the fingers come in contact with that object. These latent prints are developed by using different methods like powder method, fuming method, spraying method so that the fingerprint gets visible and then we collect it for further analysis.

These pictures depicts the left middle fingerprint of an individual. One is the developed latent fingerprint and the other is the fingerprint taken on the fingerprint card by using rolling method. Both the fingerprints are compared to see if the fingerprint matches or not. If it matches then we can say that individual was present in the crime scene.

First the latent fingerprints are viewed by using powder method, then light source is used to view the fingerprint. A close-up picture is taken of the fingerprint and then it is collected by tape collecting method and preserved by sticking it on a fingerprint card. Some fingerprints that are present on papers are developed by using ninhydrin method and then they are photographed for further analysing.

This is known as fingerprint record card. In this sheet the fingerprints of suspected individuals are taken by using rolling method. Each fingers are dipped in ink and rolled on the selected place. These serve as a record for comparing fingerprints retrieved from the crime scene with any individual.

These pictures shows latent fingerprints on different places like on paper, door knob, granite floor which are viewed by using different methods. In some we used carbon powder method, where in some we used monochromatic light source to develop the latent print.

Fingerprint Development Kit

Fingerprints are one of the most common occurring evidence at the crime scene. This evidence is mainly left by the criminal at crime scene. In many cases, these prints are not visible to naked eyes and there is a need to make them visible to identify and further work on them. Fingerprint toolkit is an important tool to be carried at the crime scene by the forensic investigator. It contains basic needs for fingerprint development such as fingerprint powders, brush, tape and much more.