CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

Lesson Title: ACE-V METHODOLOGY References:

1. Ariel L. Ayusip; Jesiebel T. Ayusip and
Learning Objectives: Dionesa R. Beraña- Handbook in
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: Personal Identification Techniques
a. Apply the method of ACE-V 2. Dr. Edwin Taganas Montalba-
Fingerprinting
3. Dr. Veneranda P Depayso – The Basics
of Fingerprint, Palmprint & FootPrint

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
Hello! Today, our lesson is all about analysis, comparison and evaluation plus verification. This is
being practiced by almost all of the countries worldwide. This is the guide of our fingerprint examiners in
the examinations of prints. So, let’s start our lesson for today.

B. MAIN LESSON

Comparing Minutiae (Sometimes referred to as Galton’s points)

Many examiners in the USA now follow the so-called ACE-V method of identification –analysis,
comparison, evaluation, and verification.

● Analysis
✔ This consists of the objective qualitative and quantitative assessment of level 1. Level 2 and
level 3 details to determine their proportion, interrelationship, and value to individualize.
✔ Analysis requires the examiner to analyze all variables influencing the friction ridge
impressions.
a. The transition of the friction ridge impression is never expected to capture and depict
all the quality and quantity of friction ridge skin features.
b. During the transition there are also factors that influence the appearance, clarity of the
friction ridge impression.
Factors that influence the appearance, clarity of the friction ridge impression
a. The materials upon which the friction ridge impression has been deposited.
b. Pressure distortion.
c. External elements.
d. The development process (es)
e. The quantity and quality of the latent print ridges.
f. Standard fingerprint quality images.
● Comparison
✔ It is the objective examination of the attributes observed during analysis in order to determine
agreement or discrepancies between two friction ridge impressions.
✔ What information is contained within the print? Information such as pattern type, friction ridges,

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

flexion creases, major ridge deviations, sequence, and how the two compare to the exemplar
prints are considered (Hawthorne, 2009)
✔ The comparison process begins with determining the general ridge flow and shape of the
friction ridge impression.
a. Followed by selecting key focal characteristics, understanding their position, direction
and relationship.
b. Then comparing these formations in the known exemplar.
c. The quality and quantity of this information directly affects the ease or difficulty of this
process.

● Evaluation
✔ Evaluating all the information contained in the latent print, specifically the uniqueness and
individuality of the print, the clarity, and the quality.

Two questions are asked:

1. Is there agreement of the friction skin, flexion path, and configuration?
2. In the opinion of the expert, is there sufficient volume of uniqueness of details in
agreement to eliminate all possible donors.
⮚ Note: if the answer is yes to both questions, an opinion of individualization and
identification has been formed. If the answer is no to one or both questions, an
opinion of individualization and identification has not been formed.
✔ The result of the analysis and comparison is for the evaluation process, it is this process where
findings and conclusion are formulated.
✔ The conclusion is limited to the following findings which are consummated with this
methodology:
a. Identification- is the determination by a competent examiner that two friction ridge
impressions originated from the same source.
b. Non-Identification- is the determination by a competent examiner that two friction
ridge impressions originated from two different sources.
c. Inconclusive- determination is the result of a competent examiner unable to
individualize or exclude the source of a friction ridge impression.

● Verification
✔ All work, as in any science, must be subject to review. This portion of the process employs
such peer review. Consultation with another expert to verify the opinion of the original
examiner is undertaken at this point. Should there be disagreement regarding the
identification, a third person may be used for verification purposes.
✔ Verification must be performed by the Senior Fingerprint Examiner. All identification must
be verified, this verification by a Senior Fingerprint Examiner is an independent
examination of the two fingerprint impressions applying the scientific methodology of
analysis, comparison and evaluation described.

Three Levels to Complement the ACE-V Method

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

Level 1. Sufficiency and clarity of information confronting the examiner. Is there enough
information, pattern type, flow and ridge characteristics to ensure the quality of the print is a suitable
print?

Level 2. Spatial relationship and type of characteristics within the pattern are used to determine that
known and the unknown were made by the same individual.

Level 3. Ridgeology and Poroscopy. At this level, the study of the structure of the ridges and the pores
within the ridges is undertaken. Level three information in the latent print is often absent due to the quality
of the print. The lack of level three information does not mean an individualization cannot be made. When
all the levels of information have been assessed and the ACE-V process has been undertaken, an
appropriate conclusion can be arrived at by the latent print examiner.

Skill-building Activities.
Exercise 1. For our first activity, I want you to evaluate and determine the identity or Score: /15
non-identity of the standard print to the questioned print below. Just write “identical”
if you evaluate carefully that the questioned print is identical with the standard print and “non-identical” if
the specimen is not identical with the questioned print. (5 points each)

1.

“Q-5” “S-6”

Identical
Findings: ______________________

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

2.
“Q-4” “S-2”

Non-Identical
Findings: ________________________________

3.

“Q-8” “S-4”

Identical
Findings: _____________________

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

Check for Understanding Score: /10

Multiple Choice. Read and understand carefully the questions below. Choose
the best answer.
1. What will be the evaluation of a competent examiner if the two friction ridge impressions originated
from the same source?
a. Identification c. Inconclusive
b. Exclusion d. Non-Identification
2. In what process, where findings and conclusions are formulated?
a. Analysis c. Verification
b. Comparison d. Evaluation
3. In what process employs such peer review. A consultation with another expert to confirm the
opinion of the original examiner is undertaken?
a. Analysis c. Verification
b. Comparison d. Evaluation
4. This process begins with determining the general ridge flow and shape of the friction ridge
impression.
a. Analysis c. Verification
b. Comparison d. Evaluation
5. The following are the factors that influence the appearance, clarity of the friction ridge impression,
EXCEPT:
a. Pressure distortion.
b. The materials upon which the friction ridge impression has been deposited.
c. The development processes
d. None of the above
6. During the transition there are also factors that influence the appearance, clarity of the friction
ridge impression.
a. True c. Partially True
b. False d. Partially False
7. This process requires the examiner to analyze all variables influencing the friction ridge
impressions.
a. Analysis c. Verification
b. Comparison d. Evaluation
8. This determination takes place when the two prints, in comparison, do not share sufficient unique
details.
a. Identification c. Inconclusive
b. Non-Identification d. none
9. If the examiner is unable to conclude whether the two prints came from the same source. The
friction ridge details within the latent impression lack adequate quality and a comparable area the
determination of the examiner will be:
a. Identification c. Inconclusive
b. Non-Identification d. none
10. Verification must be performed by the Senior Fingerprint Examiner.
a. True c. Partially False

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

b. False d. Partially True

C. LESSON WRAP-UP

Summary
The comparison of fingerprints is the cognitive process that relies on the competence of the
practitioners to perform examinations and form conclusions based on their findings. Fingerprint
examiners use ACE-V (Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation and Verification) method to reach a
determination on each print. Analysis involves assessing a print to determine if it can be used for a
comparison.

FAQs
What are the limitations of fingerprint analysis?
Perhaps the primary limitation of fingerprint analysis is that there must be a known print that can
be compared to the collected print. Unless there is a known suspect or the perpetrator’s prints are found
on file in one of the many databases around the world, the collected prints will likely only be used to
exclude individuals from the investigation.
Another limitation is that there is no scientific way to determine the time a latent print was
deposited on a surface. An examiner cannot tell how long a print has been on a surface or under what
circumstances it was placed there.
For example, if a suspect’s print is found in the kitchen of a murdered acquaintance, the print
may or may not be tied to the murder, especially if the suspect claims to have visited the victim’s house
fairly recently. It is not possible to determine sex, age or race from a latent print; if sufficient DNA
is left behind, then the party’s sex can be determined.

Thinking about Learning

Congratulations for completing this module. You can now shade the number of modules you have
completed.

There are two parts of the activity; first I would like to ask you what part of the lesson that you
found it easy and difficult to answer and why? And on the second part would be your self-evaluation on
achieving learning targets.

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 CRI 199: Personal Identification

Student Activity Sheet: Module #17

Name: ____________________________________________Class Number: ____________________

Section: __________________ Class Schedule: ________________ Date: ______________________

What part of the lesson Easy Difficult

did you find easy and
difficult to answer and
why?
Part of A lesson

Why?

This is a self-evaluation on achieving the learning targets: Just place check (/) mark on the
space provided.

a. I can apply the ACE-V method; __________

b. I know the three levels to complement the ace-v method. ____________

KEY TO CORRECTIONS
Skill-building Activities.
Exercise 1.

1. Identical
2. Non-Identical
3. Identical

Check for understanding

1. A
2. D
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. A
8. B
9. C
10. A

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