Fingerprints are something that are unique to everyone, even those of identical twins. As people leave behind their fingerprints, they are leaving behind the story of what occurred in the setting. Fingerprints can be used to solve cases, however, a system of classification was needed to properly identify one fingerprint from another. Without the advancement of a classification system, the identifying fingerprints in criminal cases would be extremely difficult. As researchers discovered the unique characteristics of fingerprints, they were able to prove their usefulness in solving crimes. Dactylography, also known as the study of fingerprints, has been practiced for hundreds of years (“Fingerprints”). The people of Babylon used fingerprints …show more content…
There are many main characteristics of a fingerprint’s minutiae that allows fingerprint analysists to properly identify the fingerprint. Two of the most common characteristics are ridge ending and ridge bifurcation (Zaseir par 8-9). A ridge ending is a ridge that ends suddenly within the fingerprint. While a ridge bifurcation is a ridge ending diverges into two separate paths. The core and delta are another important classification within a fingerprint. The delta is a spot within the fingerprint that creates a three point “triangle” and the core is the top, inner ridge within the fingerprint. With each type of minutiae, a fingerprint analysist is able to classify each fingerprint into a specific …show more content…
It became difficult to house hundreds of paper copies of fingerprints and keep track of the many different areas of the world. If a crime took place in one area and the person fled, it could make it difficult for police forces to determine the suspect on fingerprints alone. It was not until the early 1960’s when the FBI and many other large police forces around the world began to start the production of the Automated Fingerprint Identification system, also known as AFIS (Moses 124-125). They needed a system that was quick and easy to use that can hold thousands of fingerprint information that can be easily be shared across the United States. A FBI special agent, Carl Voelker, went to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to design the AFIS they were hoping for. After the NIST team studied how the FBI currently searched manually for fingerprints, they deciced the easiest way would to transfer the information to an electronic database. They then created a scanner that could capture the fingerprints on a card or one that was pulled from a crime scene. The image would then be compared to the fingerprints that are stored on the online database. As it searches for a fingerprint match, it also records the minutiae and the pattern of the fingerprint. The first prototype was created in 1972 by Cornell Aeronautical Labs Inc., which was successful. By 1986,
From the early days, with little literary reference material, to the current day, with substantially more, but still insufficient formation, the science of fingerprint identification has managed to maintain its credibility and usefulness. Although, academic institutions have yet to recognize the field as an applied science and include it in the curricula, which would provide directed research and literary reference, in libraries. Without this academic recognition, progress in the field of fingerprint is destined to be sluggish. Description of fingerprint identification as a forensic science’ or an ~app1ied science’ in no way implies that is not a reliable science. Fingerprint identification, correctly understood and applied, is just as scientifically valid and reliable as any other science and, indeed, more accurate than many. The fingerprint expert applies knowledge gained through training and experience to reach a conclusion. The many uses of fingerprint identification range from criminal investigation to non-criminal matters such as deceased, missing persons and disaster victim identification. Fingerprint identification has been used in the court systems for many years. Yet there are those who that still try to challenge fingerprint science and the experts in the court of law by a Daubert Hearing. In this paper, Daubert Hearing is define and detail outing background of the cases, the Government preparation, the Testimony from both sides, the judge’s verdict and finally, Mitchell’s second trial on this case.
The two extraordinary things about fingerprints are there uniqueness and permanence. Since fingerprints where first discovered till now there have been no known cases of two people sharing the same prints, including identical twins. Fingerprint patterns are developed very early on in foetal life, usually between 6 and 13 weeks, and are created when the baby moves around in the womb, due to the force of the amniotic fluid against the fingertips and the speed at which the foetus grows it creates the distinct patterns that are known as fingerprints which stay the same from birth until death. (SMITHSONIAN, 2012)
In 1893, Francis Galton introduced a remarkable new way to identify people ("Fingerprinting" pg 1 par 3). His observation that each individual has a unique set of fingerprints revolutionized the world of forensics. Soon, all investigators had adapted the idea to use fingerprints as a form of identification. Unfortunately, over the course of the past century, criminals have adapted to this technique and seldom leave their incriminating marks at the crime scene. Forensics specialists were in need of a new way to identify criminals, and DNA provided the answer. When it comes to genetic material, it is virtually impossible for a criminal to leave a crime scene "clean." Whether it is a hair, flakes of skin, or a fragment of fingernail, if it contains genetic material then it has potential to incriminate. However, there are still concerns regarding DNA fingerprinting. What are the implications of using these tests in a courtroom scenario? What happens when DNA tests go awry? It is debatable whether or not DNA fingerprinting has a place in America's court systems.
Having the ability to identify types of prints and surfaces, and the corresponding techniques to develop the prints, has helped crime scene investigators identify criminals and victims of scenes, and aided in the prosecution of defendants in the criminal justice system. Although the history and techniques go far beyond what was discussed in these few pages, it is important as a law enforcement officer or investigator to understand the very basics of how fingerprint identification began, and the simple techniques used to develop them today.
In U.S. v. Havvard, numerous scientific findings challenged the validity and accuracy of the latent fingerprint matching technique. The technique involves using special procedures to uncover finger print residues that are invisible to the naked eye, and studies find that it can vary significantly in its quality and correctness. The court, nevertheless, referred to latent finger print matching as the “archetype” of reliable expert testimony by asserting that it “[has] been used in ‘adversarial testing for roughly 100 years,’ which offered a greater sense of the reliability of fingerprint comparisons than could the mere publication of an article.” Though many studies point out that finger print collection and examination can be highly inaccurate if done without rigor, fingerprinting methods such as latent print matching have not suffered a sustained challenge in federal court in nearly 100 years. In addition to latent print matching, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Commission on Forensic Science, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science, and Technology and the Texas Forensic Science Commission have found that many well-known and admitted forensic science techniques such as bite-mark analysis, microscopic hair comparison, and arson evidence are questioned by independent
Fingerprinting information varies in numerous ways. Each person’s fingerprints are different in someway (Unique). The technical term is actually “DNA fingerprinting” because us as a person obviously cant just take a look at a fingerprint and see the difference; we must analyze the actual DNA behind it. Sometimes a miss concept of most people is, that fingerprints stay perfectly fresh for extended periods of time. Partial fingerprints and even degraded full fingerprints can turn up to be useless sometimes. Fingerprints are not admissible if they are 99.9% sure, they must be 100% or a Forensics lab will not support them. DNA Fingerprinting, and the fingerprints that are at the tips of your actual fingers are two different things. The ones we a...
Forensic genetics has other applications . The " fingerprint " DNA represents a valuable tool for forensic science . As is the case with an ordinary fingerprint genetic fingerprint is unique to each individual (except identical twins ) . The determination involves the observation of specific DNA sequences which can be obtained from extremely small tissue samples , hair, blood or eventually left at the scene . As Fifty microliters of blood, semen or five microliters of ten roots of hairs are enough , and nozzles secretions and cells from the fetus . In addition to its use in the capture of criminals , especially rapists , the genetic fingerprints can be used to establish family relationships . People involved in the conservation of species use them to be sure that captive breeding is among individuals who do not belong to the same family .
Author: Clarence Gerald Collins (1995), Finger Print Science (pp: 163, 5). Press: Copper house Publishing Company
Fingerprints are very important evidence for detective work, or for solving crimes, because each person’s fingerprints are unique, as well as each finger’s print is unique. This means that you and your parents all have different fingerprints, and each of your fingers has its own, special print. Fingerprints will never change.
...ificant difference in the way law officials assists, serve, and protects the public. One advantageous forms of technology used within the criminal justice system has demonstrated to being quite an asset for many. The use of fingerprint technology have come quite a long way in the aid to solving many crimes that would otherwise gone unloved or resulted in more inconclusive outcomes. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System is swift and robust enough to obtain results in very little time. With the enormous quantity of fingerprinting information stored, it is probable that this system will prolong its use in the support of apprehending criminals, identifying family and relatives for a long time to come, and as technology is always advancing. There is no reason to believe that this system is bound to making our homes, streets communities a safer place for all.
Thesis Statement: In this speech I am going to explain how forensic teams use fingerprints to identify individuals.
By definition, “biometrics” (Woodward, Orlans, and Higgins, 2003) is the science of using biological properties to identify individuals; for example, fingerprints, retina scans, and voice recognition. We’ve all seen in the movies, how the heroes and the villains have used other’s fingerprints and voice patterns to get into the super, secret vault. While these ideas were fantasy many years ago, today biometrics are being used and you may not even know it.
Fingerprint usage dates back to the 1800s. Sir William Herschel used the prints as signatures on civil contracts, before they were found useful towards crimes (History of Fingerprints Timeline, 2012). A British surgeon, Dr. Henry Faulds, wrote about using fingerprints for personal identification. He first looked at prints on clay pottery and studied the ridges and patterns that they had made in the clay. In 1891, Juan Vucetich suggested to start fingerprinting criminals to keep the prints on record. The following year, Vucetich identified a print from a woman who killed her two sons. Investigators found her print and were able to correctly match her identity. Charles Darwin’s cousin, Sir Francis Galton, wrote and published the first book about fingerprints. He wrote about how every individual has a unique print by the certain traits of each fingerprint (History of Fingerprints, 2012). The popularity of fingerprints grew greatly in the United States in the early 1900s. Police departments and the FBI began to use the...
The three different main types of fingerprints are Loops, Arches, and Whorls (Jackson 1). Henry Faulds is known as the Father of Fingerprints and developing fingerprints (Jackson 1). His discovery of fingerprints has made a huge impact not only in his time but, in Modern Crime Scene Investigation (Jackson 1). Without fingerprinting, it would be very difficult to convict criminals of crimes and very hard to try to process information. Crime Scene Investigators make a huge impact in Forensic Science. We need CSI workers, without them people could only imagine what crime would be like not only in our community, but in our
The purpose of biometrics is to identify a person based on the measure of his anatomical and physiological characteristics. This concept is not new, its history dates back to 14th century when Chinese used footprints to identify newborns and divorce records. In the 1880s, Henry Faulds, William Herschel and Francis Galton were the first who conceived the idea of using biometric identification to guaranty the security in civil areas, like using footprints for criminal identification and fingerprinting t...