Chapter 2:

At the end joint of each finger, on the side opposite the fingernail is a rounded area
called bulb that a number of friction ridge patterns appear. The ridges of each fingertip have
definite contours and appear in several distinctive pattern types, each possessing a definite
individual peculiar details by which positive identification can be made.

Important Terms
1. Fingerprint. It is the reproduction on some smooth surface of the pattern or design
formed by the ridges on the inside of the end joint of the fingers and thumb, through the
medium of ink or any coloring substance capable of producing visibility.
2. Fingerprint as a Science. It is identification of a person by means of the ridges appearing
on the fingers, on the palms and on the soles of the feet.
3. Palm print- The impression or reproduction left on any material by the friction skin of the
palms.
4. Foot/toe print. The impression or the reproduction left on any material by the friction skin
of the foot/feet or toe/toes.
5. Friction skin. The skin on the inner hands and fingers, and on the bottom of the feet and
toes, which is characterized by alternating strips of raised ridges and furrows arranged in
a variety of patterns.
6. Furrow. That portion of the skin lower and between the ridges.
7. Friction ridges. The raised portion of the skin that leaves impression or reproduction.
8. Dactyloscopy. It is the identification of a person through the examination and comparison
of fingerprints. It is also the classification of fingerprints.A greek terms that translate as to
view the fingers,
9. Dactylography. It is the process of analyzing fingerprints.A greek terms that translate as
fingerwriting.
10. Dermatoglyphics. A Latin term that translate as skin carving.
11. Forensic science. This includes relating to or dealing with the application of scientific
knowledge to legal problems.
12. Identification. In forensic science is simply answering the question what it is? While
Individualization is the uniqueness of an object to the execution of all other objects like
itself. Example: What kind of salt is it?
13. Exemplars. These are objects that are commonly encountered in investigations or the
possible real object that created the evidence.
14. Criminalistics. It is the application of forensic science to criminal matters.

ANATOMY OF A FINGERPRINT
Fingerprints can be regarded as the special category of mark evidence. The skin is the
largest organ the body. It provides our first line of defense to infections and the mechanism for
our sense pof touch. Friction skin provides grip to the hands and feet. In fact, the same friction
skin ridges that allow you to hold on an object.
PERSONALITIES IN FINGERPRINT
I. Personalities in Fingerprints:
1. Nehemiah Grew (1684) – describes the ridges and pores of the hands and feet
(Philosophical Transaction) presented in Royal Society of London, England.
2. Govard Bibloo – works on the sweat pores and ridges.
3. Marcelo Malpighi (1628-1694) – Professor at the University of Bolognia, Italy, known for
his discovery of the Epidermis and Dermis layer. Written the book entitled “De Externo Tactus
Organo” Grandfather of Dactyloscopy.
4. J.C.A. Mayer (1788) – the first to state that fingerprints are never duplicated in two
persons ( Anatomiche Kuphertafeln).
5. Johannes Purkenjie (1823) – Professor at the University of Breslau, Germany.
Established a certain role for classification and be able to identify nine (9) types of pattern
although never associated to identification.
6. Herman Welcker – took his own fingerprints twice with a lapse of forty-one years and
show the ridges formation remains the same.
William Herschel – the first to advocate the use of fingerprints as substitute for signature from
among Indian native to avoid impersonation.
Rajadhar Konai = the first person Herschel printed the palm.
7. Henry Faulds – A surgeon at Tsukuji Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, who claimed that latent
prints would provide positive identification of offenders once apprehended (A Manual of
Practical Dactyloscopy).
8. Francis Galton – Developed the Arch. Loop and Whorl Patterns as general
classification and identified nine (9) types of pattern. First to establish a Civil Bureau of Personal
Identification. He said that the possibility of two prints being alike was 1:64,000,000,000.
9. Edward Richard Henry – Developed the Henry System of Classification at Scotland
Yard which was accepted by almost all English-speaking country. Known as Father of
Fingerprint.
Khan Bahadur Azizul Haque and Rai Hem Chandra Bose – the two Hindu police officers who
have help Henry in attaining his goal.
10. Juan Vucetich – A Spanish counterpart of Henry who developed his own system of
classification in Argentina and was accepted in almost all Spanish Speaking country.
IN AMERICA
Gilbert Thompson = a geologist in New Mexico, adopted the first individual use of fingerprint in
august 8, 1882 as a protection to prevent tampering with the pay order.
Isaiah West Tabor = Photographer in San Francisco who advocated the use of the system for
the registration of the immigrant Chinese.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens = An Englishman who informally introduced Dactyloscopy in the
United States in his book “Life in the Mississippi” and “ Pupp n Head Wilson”.
Dr. Henry P De Forest = Utilized the first Municipal Civil use of fingerprint for Criminal
Registration on December 1902 (Mun. Civil Service Comm., New York).
Capt. James L. Parke = Advocate the first state and penal use of fingerprint adopted in Sing
Sing prison on June 5, 1903 later on Auburn Napanoch and Clinton Penitentiaries.
Sgt. John Kenneth Ferrier = First fingerprint instructor at St. Louis Police Dept. Missouri.
Maj. R. Mc Cloughry = warden of the Federal Penitentiaries of Leaven Worth. Established the
first official National Government use of fingerpprint.
Mary K. Holand = first American instructress in dactyloscopy.
FBI = identification unit herein was officially established by an act of congress in 1924.
Institute of Applied Science = First private school to install laboratories for instruction
purposes in dactyloscopy.
People vs. Jennings, Dec. 21, 1911 = United States leading case wherein the first conviction
based on fingerprint was recognized by the judicial authorities (14 points).
IN THE PHILIPPINES
Mr. Jones = one who first taught FP in the Phils. (1900)
Bureau of Prison = (1968) CARPETAS fingerprint was used.
Generoso Reyes – First Filipino Fingerprint Technician employed by P.C.
Isabela Bernales – first Filipina Fingerprint Technician
Capt. Thomas Dugan, New York Police Dept. and Flaviano Guerrero, FBI Washington – gave
the first examination in FP in 1927 and Agustin Patricio of the Phils. Top the Examination
People of the Phil’s. Vs. Medina- First conviction base on Fingerprint and leading case
decision in the Phil. Jurisprudence (10 points).
Plaridel Education Institute (PEI) now known as Phil. College of Criminology, first
government recognized school to teach the Science of Fingerprint and other Police Sciences.
John Dellinger – known U.S. public enemy number one who attempted to destroy his own
prints using corrosive acids.
Robert James Pitts – works on Surgery to forged his own fingerprints and was named “Man
without fingerprint”
Lucila Lalu – the first Filipina Chop-chop lady who was identified through fingerprint.
Alphonse Bertillion – known as the Father of the first scientific method of Identification
(Anthropometry)
DEFINITION OF TERMS

 Dactyloscopy – (derived from the Latin words Dactyl = finger and Skopien – to study or
examine) is the practical application of the science of fingerprints.
 Dactylography – is the scientific study of fingerprint as a means of identification.
 Dactylomancy – is the scientific study of fingerprint for purposes of personality
interpretation.
 Dermatoglyphics = is the science which deals with the study of skin pattern. It is derived
from two Greek words, Derma which means Skin and Glype which means Carve.

ALLIED SCIENCES OF FINGERPRINTING

 Chiroscopy – ( Greek word “ Cheir” – a hand, “Skopien” –to examine) is the science
which deals with the study of the prints of the palms of the hand.
 Podoscopy – (Greek word “Podo” – the foot, and Skopien – to examine)is the science
which deals with the study of the footprints.
 Poroscopy – (Greek word “poros” – a pare, and “Skopien” – to examine) is the scientific
study of the arrangement of the sweat pores. (Edmond Locard- Father of Poroscopy)

PRICIPLES OF FINGERPRINT/ THE THREE DOGMATIC PRINCIPLE OF FINGERPRINT

1. Principle of Individuality
No two persons have the same fingerprint (based on Statistic Probability)
2. Principle of Infallibility
That fingerprint is a positive and reliable means of identification. It cannot be easily be forged.
3. Principle of Constancy or permanency
That the friction ridge once fully developed its arrangement will remain the same throughout
man’s life.