Fingerprints

AnthropometryFlaws:

body measurements change!

Too time consuming

Will West William West

•Two prisoners

•Unrelated!!!

•Body measurements too similiar

English civil servant

Right hand imprints

Said skin ridge patterns could identify individual

He was ignored

• Published Finger Prints (1st book on the topic)

• Developed principles

Classification system

1901 – NYC Civil Service Commission

1924 – Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth merged – FBI

1999 – US v. Byron C. Mitchell Fingerprints challenged Judge upheld ruling

1. A fingerprint is an individual characteristic. No two fingers possess identical ridge characteristics.

2. A Fingerprint remains unchanged during an individual’s lifetime

• Develop in the fetus

• Dermal papillae – between epidermis and dermis

John Dillinger

3. Fingerprints have three general ridge patterns that can be classified.

• Loops

• Whorls

• Arches

Enter and exit same side

A. Ulnar Loop pinky

B. Radial Loop thumb

Ridge patterns that are somewhat circular in nature

A. Plain Whorls one ridge makes complete circuit

spiral, oval, or circular

B. Central Pocket Loop, Double Loop, Accidental

Ridge patterns that enteron one side of the finger and exit on the other

A. Plain Arch wave-like, in one end – out the other

B. Tented Arch sharp rise