FORENSIC 2 – WK3 DEVELOPMENT THE LESSON PRINCIPLES OF FINGERPRINT

a. Principle of Individuality Individual characteristic -

– that the complex of the ridge details in a single fingerprint or even part one is not
duplicated in any other finger.

No two fingers have the same pattern.

b. Principle of Permanency Remain unchanged -

– that fingerprints do not change in its ridge characteristics fingerprint pattern

throughout life time of an individual and they persist after death until the skin is decomposed.

A fingerprint will not change during an individual's lifetime

c. Principle of Infallibility Fingerprints afford an infallible means of personal identification, because the
ridge arrangement on every finger of every human being is unique and does not alter with growth or
age. Unique patterns -

– that the fingerprint is “incapable of error” “cannot err”, cannot commit mistakes.

Fingerprints have general patterns which make it possible to classify them as

"arch, loop, or whorl."

Arch-Plain arch Tented arch

Loop-Radial Loop Ulnar loop

Whorl-Plain whorl Central pocket whorl Double loop whorl Accidentical

Interesting Info Did you know? Dactyloscopy is the study of fingerprint identification.
Police investigators are experts in collecting “dactylograms”, otherwise known as fingerprints.

Fingerprint Factoid: 60% of people have loops, 35% have whorls, and 5% have arches.

an assumption or speculation that is reported and repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact.

USES OF FINGERPRINTS

1. Prevent changing personal data.

2. Serve to give evidence (identification of criminals).

3. Helps to identify victims of disasters, calamities, floods, etc.

4. Identifies bodies whose cadaver is beyond recognition.

5. Aids judiciary in penal treatment (fingerprinting of prisoners).

6. Prevent criminal substitution of newly born.

7. Identification of fugitive through a comparison of fingerprints

 8. Identification of missing persons

WAYS AND PROCEDURES IN TAKING FINGERPRINT IMPRESSION FINGERPRINTING

– it is the process of recording and securing an impression of the papillary ridges of the fingers,
for purposes of identification.

1. Two Types of Fingerprint Impression:

a. Rolled Impression – requires that the fingers be rolled away from the subject’s body
and the thumb towards the subject’s body. taken fingerprint images rolled from nail to nail.

Rolled fingerprint images are obtained by rolling a finger from one side to the other (“nail-to-nail”) in
order to capture all of the ridge details of a finger.

They are made to show the entire friction surface of the finger or thumb, from the tip to one quarter
inch below the first joint. The larger surface of the fully rolled impression not only allows accurate
classification but it also gives more points for comparison.

b. Plain Impression – requires that the fingers be taken simultaneously then the thumb
without rolling. The purpose of this is to verify the sequence and accuracy of the rolled
impressions.

Plain impressions are those in which the finger is pressed down on a flat surface but not rolled.

ROLLED IMPRESSION

PLAIN IMPRESSION 02C

2. Equipment

a. Fingerprint Roller (6” long, 2” in diameter)

b. Fingerprint Ink

c. Card Holder

d. Glass slab or inking plate

e. Table size 38” to 40” high f. Cleaning Materials

3. Important Points to be considered in Taking Legible fingerprints Impression

a. Cleanliness of equipment (ink slab, ink roller, card holder).

b. The right kind and correct amount of ink.

c. Proper distribution of ink on the glass slab or inking plate.

d. The distance of the subject from the inking plate or the fingerprint card.

e. The advice of the operator to the subject is to relax and never to aid the operation.

f. The pressure exerted must be slight and even, and rolling should be continuous
movement including the lifting.

g. The nail of the fingers should be at right angle to the glass slab or to the card before
starting the rolling. Always roll the finger until the other side of the nail is reached.

h. The inking and printing must always reach below the first joint of the finger.

i. The thumb should be rolled towards the subject’s body while all other fingers away
from the subject’s body.

j. While the rolling the fingers, the subject’s hands should be held/controlled properly to
prevent twisting and slipping of the fingers.
 k. Add the small amount of ink if necessary and distribute properly the ink using the
roller by rolling over the ink on the inking plate.

l. Place the subject’s palm on the inking plate then press, use the ink roller to completely
cover the entire palm with the ink. Do the same with the other palm.

m. Record the palm at the other side of the card carefully, position the palm following
the arrow sign as provided in the space for the palms, then press the palm unto the card using
firm, even pressure with the fingers slightly spread. Again, do the same with the other palm.

n. Record the side of the palm by positioning the palm 45 degrees slanting towards to
the subject’s body, then press.

o. Proper alignment.

4. Problems Encountered by the Fingerprints Operator in Taking Fingerprint Impression:

a. Subject is illiterate:

Solution: The Investigator on case or any of the subject’s nearest kin should fill-out the
information as required in the fingerprint card and place a notation that the subject is illiterate
on the box provided for the signature of the person’s fingerprinted or on the Remarks.

b. Subject’s birth date is not known:

Solution: The investigator on case may refer to the nearest kin, if not, investigator should
estimate the age of the subject’s e.g. between 18 – 25 years old, which should be noted in the
box provided for the date of birth.

c. Subject refuses to give information and/or to sign:

Solution: After taking the standard prints of the subject, the investigator on case may fill-
out the card utilizing that compiled information about the subject and shall place a notation that
the subject refuses to give information and/or sign.

d. Subject’s fingers have fresh cut wounds or bandage which will prevent the recording Solution:

Note in the corresponding space on the card e.g., Fresh cut, bandage finger etc. and
when wound has healed, re-take another set of standard fingerprints.

e. Hands are perspiring excessively:

Solution: Wipe the finger with cloth immediately before inking. If the perspiration
cannot be controlled, wipe the fingers with alcohol.

f. Fingers are very dry like the fingers of brick layers and carpenters.

Solution: rub the finger with oil, cream or lotion.

g. Fingers are very fine like ridges of the fingers of children.

Solution: Use a very little amount of ink or spread a very thin coating of ink on the glass
slab.
 h. One or more of the fingers are lacking or missing:

Solution: record the present fingers and place the notation on the corresponding space
on the card e.g. Missing at birth, and amputated at the first joint.

i. Fingers are bent, broken or crippled:

Solution: the tools (e.g. special ink roller or spatula and curved strip holder) that are
used in obtaining prints from the deceased individuals can be used to record the friction ridge
details.

j. Subject has more than ten fingers that appear anywhere or between any of the fingers:

Solution: Record the thumbs and the next four fingers, then for the extra finger/s, record
only the fully developed on extra fingerprint card with a notation as to where it appears.

k. In case a split thumb, a thumb having two nails or when the subject has two or more fingers,
webbed or grown together, making it impossible to roll such fingers in its side.

Solution: Print the usual manner just like any normal thumb and make a notation at the
back of the card on the box for the identifying marks or space for the remarks.

l. The print is not properly rolled (there are slip or slide), very long or very short, has too much
ink, or short of ink, or plane instead of a rolled.

Solution: Cover the wrong print using the correction paper, but first have the correct
print impressed on the correction paper. Use correction paper up to 2x only.

POST-MORTEM FINGERPRINTING

• It is the taking of the fingerprint of the deceased person.

1. Technique in Taking Fingerprint of the Dead

a. To take the ink impression of the corps, prepare or use the right kind of fingerprint ink
and paraphernalia in taking post-mortem fingerprints.

b. Check or see to it that the fingers are clean and dry and extreme care should be
exercise.

c. Prepare and cut the ten (10) “squares” numbers for the rolled impressions from a
fingerprint card and mount the on the card holder for post-mortem.

d. Apply the ink on the post-mortem prints using inking pad or spatula.

e. And to record the post-mortem prints, impressed the inked post-mortem fingers on
the cut tenprint card mounted on the card holder.

f. After all inked fingers are properly taken or recorded the ten squares bearing the
impressions are pasted on a standard fingerprint card in their proper position, i.e., right thumb,
right index, right middle, etc. whenever possible the “plain” impression should also be taken.
 g. In cases the hands of the deceased are clenched or decomposition begun, this may
necessitate cutting of the skin. In this case, “legal authority” maybe granted by the health officer,
or by an official having an authority to grant such right.

h. All available information/records of the deceased, such as names, aliases civil status,
age, sex, place and date of birth, distinguishing marks on the body, such as tattoos, moles, scars,
etc. must be properly and completely recorded on the space provided for on the fingerprint card
where the cadaver’s prints were mounted or printed for further reference or information of the
subject.

i. The fingerprint record on chart should bear the printed name or signature of the
person or officer taking the prints as well the date when the fingerprints were taken.

2. Problems Encountered in Taking Fingerprint of Deceased Person

a. Rigor Mortis (Stiffening of the Muscle)

• those who died for a longer period, in which cases difficulty is experienced due
to, pronounced stiffening of the fingers or already at the stages of decomposition.

• Use spatula or finger stretcher to stretch fingers then impress with use of roller
and ink.

b. Wrinkles in the Skin

• Overcome by injection of tissue builder, glycerin or water through the use of

hypodermic syringe and needle and is injected at the joint of the finger up into the tip of
the finger but not beyond of the finger bulb which is rounded.

c. Advanced Decomposition or Putrefaction

• Skin removed or finger’s cut off are placed in 10% to 15% solution of
formaldehyde for an hour to harden it before printing.

d. Dessication or Mummification

• Skin removed or finger’s cut off, which have dried or have been severely
burned are placed in 1% to 3% solution of sodium hydroxide, sometimes referred to as
caustic potash for 30 minutes to swell the flesh. If the flesh becomes too soft, the finger
should be placed into 3% solution of formaldehyde or alcohol for several minutes.

e. Maceration (water soaking)

• See no. 3 in advances decomposition.

3. Benefits through Post-Mortem Identification

a. Permits the surviving spouse to remarry.

b. Clears the way for the family to collect life insurance.

c. Releases the family from terrible pressure of uncertainty or anxiety.

d. In criminal cases, the investigation may be reopened because of identity, and

e. Opens the door for probate of the estate of the diseased.