Identification. Lectures 5. Fingerprints 1/24/13. Comparison Analysis. FRNSC 100 Alicia Zimmerman & Dr. Jeni Smith Spring, 2012

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Lectures 5

Fingerprints

FRNSC 100

Alicia Zimmerman & Dr. Jeni Smith

Spring, 2012

Comparison Analysis

Forensic scientists/criminalists are often

asked to conduct comparison analysis.

Comparison analysis involves subjecting a “suspect”

specimen of unknown origin (Q) and a standard/reference

(K) to the same tests/examinations/analyses in order to

determine if they have the same origin or come from the

same source.

Evidence may be designated as

Q= Question sample

K = Known sample

Identification

…

process involving classification of objects

into a group in which all objects share

common features and/or properties (class

characteristics) and are regarded as “same.”

(2)

Individualization

…

process of illustrating

uniqueness

of object or

organism, different from all in its class, due to

possession of distinct features (individual, random,

or unique characteristics).

ID vs. Individualization

Class characteristics

l 

Common to many items

Individual, random, or unique characteristics

l 

Unique to a source

l 

Acquired by process that introduces “randomness”

l 

Shared by two items that were originally one

l 

Principle of divisible matter

l 

Acquired by process that introduces “randomness”

Ideal Physical Evidence

Properties: Characteristics

l 

Uniqueness

l 

Permanence (persistence over time)

l 

Transfer (with reproducibility and sufficient

Quantity)

l 

Impression evidence

l 

Divisible matter

(3)

Fingerprints can be used to

“individualize'

Fingerprints

-

At least 3 basic patterns (8 patterns, if subclassifications included)

-

At least 2 different ridge characteristics (more, if composite characteristics included)

-

Characteristics (minutiae) uniquely positioned and oriented within pattern

-

Several point-by-point comparisons required to make a “match”

-

For high quality print and its “match,” statistical values are likely “astronomical”

-

Scientists almost universally agree fingerprints are unquestionably unique

Fric6on Ridges

• 

All primates have

ridges

on their toes

and fingertips and creases in their

palms and soles

• 

These ridges provide hands and feet

traction and are important for gripping

thus they are called

friction ridges

• 

Each ridge contains pores, which are

attached to sweat glands under the

skin.

• 

The ridge pattern on each finger pad

are

unique

• 

Surface injuries such as burns or

scrapes will not change the ridge

structure because new skin will always

grow back with the same pattern

(4)

Forma6on of Fric6on Ridges

Formation of friction ridges occurs during fetal development. Friction ridges become “hard wired” into the dermis

layer of the skin.

In the fetus, hands and fingers develop around 6 -8 weeks

Between weeks 10-16 the friction ridges begin to develop as the Volar Pads ( “swollen tissue” underneath the epidermis) form

Volar pads become invisible by 16 weeks Because fingerprint patterns are encoded at

the interface between dermis and epidermis the pattern cannot be destroyed by superficial skin injuries.

Fig. 4. (a) Ridge formation starts at one or two focal points on the middle of the pad and along the nail furrow. (b) The region where ridges arise first usually coincides with the core of loops or whorls. (c) Ridges spread over the fingertip, the last areas covered by them are the triradii. (from Bonnevie (1927a)).

Short videos that show

Forma6on of Fric6on Ridges

• http://www.clpex.com/images/Animations/MedWhorl.htm

• http://www.clpex.com/images/Animations/smalwhrl.gif

• http://www.clpex.com/images/Animations/LargeWhorl.htm

Fingerprints

•  A ﬁngerprint is an impression le= by the fric6on ridges

•  Fingerprints are le= behind on a surface by the natural secre6ons of glands

• eccrine glands produce sweat and are located all over the body

– Only type of glands found on feet or hands

• sebaceous glands produce oils and are located all over the body, except feet and hands

•  No two individuals have ﬁngerprints that are exactly alike even iden6cal twins •  Fingerprints never change even with age

unless ﬁnger surface is permanently damaged/scarred

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Composition of fingerprint

deposits-Common “ingredients”

Sweat secreted from the eccrine glands or oils secreted from

the sebaceous glands can secrete fluids that contain

• 

Amino acids

• 

Uric acid

• 

Urea

• 

Lipids

• 

Organic salts

• 

Inorganic salts

Contaminants can be picked up from other surfaces and

will be left in fingerprints

Classification of Fingerprints

• 

Exemplars (Ks)-

Fingerprints from Known individuals

that have been traditionally taken by placing ink on the

fingers and hands of an individual and rolling them on a

standardized card with locations for each fingerprint.

•  Exemplars can also be taken “electronically” using computers. No ink is required for these systems

The

“ten print”

fingerprint card has an appropriately numbered

box for the fingerprint from each finger, with box 1 being the

right thumb and box 6 being the left thumb. There is also a

place on the card where the prints of all fingers of the left hand

may be transferred simultaneously and another place for all the

fingers of the right hand. This is done so a fingerprint analyst

can verify that the individual prints in boxes 1 through 10 have

indeed been entered in the correct boxes on the card.

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Classification of fingerprints

The exemplar print from each finger is examined to determine the type of “pattern” formed by the ridges. There are 3 general groups of patterns, each group bearing the same general characteristics. These are further divided into sub-groups due to smaller differences existing between the patterns in the same general group. These groups and subgroups are:

Arch •  Plain arch •  Tented arch Loop •  Ulnar •  Radial Whorl •  Plain Whorl •  Central Pocket Whorl

•  Double Loop Whorl •  Accidental Whorl

Classification of Fingerprints

General terms used

Delta:

Consists of a point at which ridges converge from three

directions. An essential landmark in the classification process

Core:

The inner of central portion of a fingerprint pattern

includes the ridges,

which determine the pattern type

Recurving ridge:

a a recurve is any ridge that retraces its

course, including the 180

o

_{recurving ridges of a loop, and the}

spiral and oval recurving ridges of a whorl pattern.

Classiﬁca6on of Fingerprints

Descrip6on of the 3 Major Categories

Arch

– Ridge lines flow from one side to the other and makes a rise in the center

– No delta or core

– Found in about 5% of fingerprint patterns

Loop

– Ridges lines flow from either side, curve, and exit from side they entered

– Two focal points • Core – center of the loop

• Delta – area of triangulation or dividing of the ridges

– Occur in about 60-70 % of fingerprint patterns

Whorl

– Circular ridge pattern – Two or more deltas

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Arches

PLAIN ARCH is that type of pattern in which the ridges enter upon one side, make a rise or wave in the center, and flow or tend to flow out upon the opposite side

TENTED ARCH is that type of pattern which possesses either an angle, an up thrust, or two of the three basic characteristics of the loop.

Loops

RADIAL and ULNAR LOOPS The terms "radial" and "ulnar" are derived from the radius and ulna bones of the forearm. Loops which flow in the direction of the ulna bone (toward the little finger) are called ulnar loops and those which flow in the direction of the radius bone are called radial loops. The classification of loops is based on the way the loops flow on the hand (not the card), so that on a fingerprint card for the left hand, loops flowing toward the thumb impression are ulnar, and loops flowing toward the little finger are radial.

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Whorls

PLAIN WHORL consists of one or more ridges which make or 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.

CENTRAL POCKET LOOP WHORL consists of at least one recurving ridge, or an obstruction at right angles to the line of flow, with two deltas, between which, when an imaginary line is drawn, no recurving ridge within the inner pattern is cut or touched.

DOUBLE LOOP WHORL consists of two separate loop formations, with two separate and distinct sets of shoulders and two deltas.

ACCIDENTAL WHORL consists of a combination of two different types of patterns with the exception of the plain arch, with two or more deltas, or a pattern which possesses some of the requirements for two or more different types or a pattern which conforms to none of the definitions.

Minutia/Ridge characteristics

Bifurcations

-the

intersection of two or more

line-types which converge

or diverge.

Ridge dots

-

formed by

pores

Ridge endings

Islands

-is a line-type which

stands alone. (i.e., does

not touch another line-type

and is totally contained in

the pattern area of

interest.)

Fingerprint classification

Fingerprints are examined and “classified” so

that they can be placed in a filing systems

or databases for later comparisons. Similar

to the Bertillon system, fingerprint

classification systems are useful for

l 

Identifying individuals who have been arrested

previously

l 

Identifying human remains of people who have

been previously fingerprinted

l 

Comparing to evidentiary prints left at the scene

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Henry Classification System

The first fingerprint classification system was based on Galton's Fingerprints and was developed by Sir Edward Henry for criminal investigations in British India.

l  He developed the system between the years 1896 and 1925.

l  assisted by Azizul Haque who developed a mathematical

formula and Chandra Bose who refined the system

l  The Henry Classification System was to find worldwide

acceptance in 1899.

l  The modern day AFIS classification methods up until the 1990s. In

recent years, the Henry Classification System has generally been replaced by ridge flow classification approaches.

FBI's

Criminal Justice Information Services

(CJIS)

The FBI's CJIS Division was established in February

1992 to serve as the focal point and central repository

for criminal justice information services in the FBI.

l 

It is the largest division in the FBI.

Programs consolidated under the CJIS Division included

l  the National Crime Information Center (NCIC),

l  Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), and

l  Fingerprint Identification

l  Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS),

l  NCIC 2000

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CJIS

Located in Clarksburg, West Virginia

Approximately 2500 employees

•  The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Iden6ﬁca6on System •  Na6onal ﬁngerprint and criminal history system established in

July 1999.

•  Maintained by the FBI, Criminal Jus6ce Informa6on Services Division.

•  Responds to requests 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help local, state, and federal agencies

•  Has automated ﬁngerprint search capabili6es, latent search capability, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of ﬁngerprints

Largest database in the world

Informa6on is submiZed voluntarily by 18,000 state, local, and

federal law enforcement agencies.

Not only includes ﬁngerprints, but corresponding criminal

histories; mug shots; scars and taZoo photos; physical

characteris6cs like height, weight, and hair and eye color; and

aliases.

Also includes civil ﬁngerprints, mostly of individuals who have

served or are serving in the U.S. military or employed by the

federal government.

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Contains ﬁngerprints and criminal history informa6on for more

than 70 million subjects and more than 31 million civil prints.

Includes 646,921 Ac6ve Wants and 574,184 Sex Oﬀenders

Fingerprints from 73,000 known and suspected terrorists

Response 6me for criminal ﬁngerprint submission is about 27

minutes

Database increases by 8,000-‐10,000 subjects each day

IAFIS iden6ﬁed 16,041 fugi6ves in October 2011

Evidentiary Fingerprints (Qs)

Latent-

invisible

Patent-

visible left in blood, dirt, oil or other

material that makes it visible

Plastic

- located in materials or soft surfaces such

as drying paint, mud, gum, putty, wax or soft

chocolate

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Patent Fingerprints

• Fric6on ridge impressions obvious to the human eye

• Caused by the transfer of foreign material from a ﬁnger

onto a surface.

• Impressions le= in ﬂour, ink, blood, and dirt

• No enhancement usually needed but possible to do

using chemicals that react with blood

• Photographed rather than being li=ed like latent prints

• If blood prints, should be processed for DNA to

determine source of the blood a4er photographs are

taken

Prints in Blood- enhancement

Certain chemicals can be used to enhance prints and impressions

in blood. The following were tested to see if they interfere with

later DNA testing.

l  Ninhydrin

l  Amido black (AB)

l  (1,8-diazafluorene-9-one) DFO

l  Fluorescin

l  Leuco Crystal Violet (LCV)

l  Merbromin

DNA results (using PCR) were obtained from the bloodstains

treated with each of these 6 reagents.

Reference: Chemical Enhancement of Fingerprints in Blood: An Evaluation of Methods, EFFECTS ON DNA, and Assessment of Chemical Hazards Dr. J.D. DeHaan, J.D. Clark, T.F. Spear, R. Oswalt, S.S. Barney, CA Department of Justice, Bureau of Forensic Services, Sacramento, Californian http://www.latent-prints.com/cac_blood.htm

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Plas6c Fingerprints

• Fric6on ridge impressions obvious to the

human eye

• Friction ridge impression left in a material that

retains the shape of the ridge detail.

• Examples are found in melted candle wax, putty

removed from the perimeter of window panes and

thick grease deposits on car parts

• No enhancement needed

• Photographed

rather than being li=ed like latent

prints

• May be processed for human DNA or presence of

other materials that may have stuck in impression.

1/20/12

Latent Prints

• Latent means “hidden” or “invisible”

• Impression usually invisible to the naked eye

• Ridge impression left on a surface

• Found on

non-porous

and

porous

surfaces

• Produced by the friction ridged skin on human fingers,

palms, and soles of the feet.

• Only visible after development with chemicals, powders,

and alternate light sources

• Photography of these fingerprints should always be

done with a scale.

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Fingerprint Processing -‐

Nonporous Surfaces

Dus9ng

Simplest and effective way to obtain a print

•  Dust adheres to the sweat and oil left behind on the fingerprint •  Be cautious of over dusting – too much brushing smears ridges

•  Transparent tape is smoothed over the dusted area and is removed with the dust and the print attached

•  Tape is placed onto a white card for visualization and comparison •  Powders

• Common - Black, White, Dual, Gray • Luminescent – Fluorescent, Phosphorescent

– Used for currency, documents – Good for multicolored papers • Metallic - Magnetic, Gold, Silver

– Magnetic brushes do not leave excess powder

•  Lifting Methods

• Tape • Gel lifter • Casting

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Fingerprint Processing -‐

Nonporous Surfaces

Super Glue Fuming

Treatment with cyanoacrylate esters

Fumes interact with the traces of amino acids, fatty acids, and proteins in the latent fingerprint and the moisture in the air

Place evidence into an airtight tent or hood

•  Hang evidence to be printed

•  Add few drops of liquid super glue into a small open container

•  Container is placed on top of the heater inside the tank

•  Place an open container of water into the hood to maintain high humidity

Allow the super glue to reach its boiling point which creates a concentration of. Gaseous acyanoacrylate and the humidity triggers a reaction on the exposed

fingerprint

Produces a visible, sticky white material that forms along the ridges of the fingerprint

Over development of the print is an issue

Fingerprint Processing -‐

Nonporous Surfaces

Super Glue Print Enhancement

Illumination – Alternate Light Source (ALS) for visualization Dusting – Simplest method

Staining – depends on background color

•  Fluorescent stain

–  Ideal for dark or multicolored surfaces

–  Stain must penetrate super glue without damaging print

–  Rinse with water after staining

–  Most popular stains

»  Rhoadmine 6G – Red color

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Fingerprint Processing –

Porous Surfaces

Iodine Fuming

– Iodine reacts with fat deposits found in fingerprints. – Use a blowing tube to produce fumes from iodine crystals. – Crack and shake tube to vaporize the iodine

– Keep tube warm by wrapping hands around it to release iodine fumes – Blow into the tube to create moisture to aid in entrapment of iodine into

oils

– Hold other end of tube about an inch from area that is being fumed – Caution: Do not inhale fumes, harmful to health

– Temporarily develops the print as an orange/brown color – The print should be photographed and further enhanced because the

iodine will eventually sublime from the surface causing it to return to a latent state.

– Enhance with starch/steam or benzoflavone

Iodine Fuming on Le=, Enhanced with benzoﬂavone on right

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Fingerprint Processing –

Porous Surfaces

Chemical Methods:

Pre-treatments before Ninhydrin React with amino acids in secretions

Must use Alternative Light Source (ALS) to visualize prints •  DFO (1,8-diazafluorene-9-one)

Process

1. Dip in DFO in ethanol 2. Dry

3. Heat with steam clothes press at 160 degrees •  1,2-Indanedione

Advantage over DFO

•  Higher sensitivity

•  Faster

•  More complete reaction with amino acids

•  Visualizes more prints

Same development process as DFO

Fingerprint Processing –

Porous Surfaces

Ninhydrin

•  Reacts with sweat secretions

•  Reaction occurs with heat, humidity, and acetic acid

•  Produces Ruhemann’s purple

•  Treatment sequence 1. Dip in solution 2. Dry

3. Heat with steam clothes press with 5% acetic acid

•  Drawbacks

–  Chemical process is slow and requires heat and water (acidic) to speed up

–  often poor contrast

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Print developed with Ninhydrin Le= DFO, right

Ninhydrin Le= DFO, right Indanedione

Identification Protocol-ACE-V

1)Analysis-

Note the substrate and impression composition, assess the

clarity, note details and determine if the print is suitable for

comparison

2) Comparison-

Are the pattern type, ridge flow and target points in agreement

with the known, are the minutia in agreement, is pore

structure present

3) Evaluation

Assess the value of the uniques characteristics, review

differences in appearance, form a conclusion,

individualization, elimination, insufficient detail

4) Verification

Peer review, Verify process and objectivity, form a conclusion

Cases

Brandon Mayfield (born July 15, 1966)

l 

American attorney in Washington County, Oregon.

l 

erroneously linked by his fingerprints to the 2004

Madrid train bombings.

l 

On May 6, 2004, the FBI arrested Mayfield as a

material witness in connection with the Madrid

attacks, and held him for over two weeks. Mayfield

was never charged,

l 

FBI internal review later acknowledged serious errors

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JFK Assassina6on

• John F. Kennedy was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. on Friday,

November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas

• Kennedy was fatally shot while traveling in a limousine during the

Presiden6al parade

• The ten-‐month inves6ga6on by the Warren Commission concluded

that the President was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

• A 6.5x52 mm Italian Carcano M91/38 bolt-‐ac6on riﬂe was found on

the 6th ﬂoor of the Schoolbook Depository

• A par6al palm print was found on the barrel of the gun

• Inves6gators also found a par6al smudged ﬁngerprint that was

li=ed from one of the cardboard boxes of the snipers nest

• Oﬃcials took the prints of everyone who worked at the Book

Depository, police, and FBI agents

JFK Assassina6on

•  Sebas6an Latona, supervisor of the Latent Fingerprint sec6on of the FBI’s iden6fica6on Division tes6fied that the palm print found on the barrel of the rifle belonged to Lee Harvey Oswald.

•  He became the prime suspect in the assassina6on

•  Oswald told Dallas Police he was ea6ng lunch on the ﬁrst ﬂoor of the Depository at the 6me of the assassina6on

•  The ﬁngerprint may not have belong to Lee Harvey Oswald depending on which ﬁngerprint expert was asked

•  In later years, Dallas Police Chief Jesse Curry admiZed that “We don't have any proof that Oswald ﬁred the riﬂe, and never did. Nobody's yet been able to put him in that building with a gun in his hand.”

•  The assassina6on is s6ll the subject of debate for some and has generated mul6ple conspiracy theories

hZp://www.youtube.com/watch? v=JbXI0WSlTGw&feature=related

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References

l  hZp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKAzVC0WcmI&feature=related

l  hZp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrpTqKkgygA&feature=related

l  hZp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4omEXdQQ-‐0

l  Bonnevie, K., 1927a. Die ersten entwicklungstadien der

papillarmusterhttp://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cibmanuals/files/Ident/HTML/ default.htm?turl=fingerprintpatterntypes.htmx

l 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=d-IJhAWrsm0

l  Fingerprint formation,Michael Ku¨ ckena,, Alan C. Newella, Journal of

Theorectical biology 17 December 2004

l  http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cibmanuals/files/Ident/HTML/

default.htm?turl=fingerprintpatterntypes.htm