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Last updated on October 13, 2007
Introduction
One of the most reliable and most widespread areas of crime scene investigation is that of fingerprint identification. First used in British India in the 1860s to identify false pension claims it then became a practical application for identifying individuals and securing criminal convictions in the 1890s. Read the case of Francisca Rojas and how a finger print was used to keep an innocent man from going to prison.
Assignment One
Read Fingerprint Basics and answer the following questions:
When do fingerprints begin to develop?
What purpose do fingerprints serve?
What actally produces fingerprints on a surface?
Are types of fingerprints inherited from parents?
If you lose the skin on your finger the prints will be different when the skin grows back. True / False.
Assignment Two
Read about the three most common Types of Fingerprints found at a crime scene. Which type do you think is most common and why? Now let's look at our own fingerprints! Using the Ridge Characteristics guide try to identify at least three separate characteristics of your fingerprint. Using the ink pad provided by your teacher place a single thumbprint on your paper and draw and lable the charactersitics you see evident next to the print.
Next read about Lifting Techniques to see how investigators must skillfully retrieve the fingerprints left at the crime scene. Now answer the following questions:
Fingerprints are lifted before they are photographed and developed. True / False.
What is a negative image?
What is the best way to lift from a surface that is not flat?
What is one advantage of transparent lifting?
Name two pitfalls to avoid when lifting fingerprints.