Glossary of Fingerprint Terms

Crime Scene Forensics,LLC

FINGERPRINT CLASSIFICATION - the sorting of fingerprints into file groups so that a file may e set upon the asis of fingerprints alone! Fingerprints are "lassifie# y General shape $ar"h% loop% or &horl'% position in finger% an# relati(e si)e! RI*GE C+ARACTERISTICS $GALTON,S *ETAILS' - Fingerprint ri#ges are not "ontinuous! They rea- an# #i(i#e an# these points are gi(en spe"ifi" names. $/' Ri#ge En#ing% $0' 1ifur"ation $for-ing ri#ge'% $2' *ot% $3' Short Ri#ge% $4' En"losure $Islan#' 5An a(erage rolle# in-e# finger print may "ontain /04 ri#ge "hara"teristi"s! IN6E* FINGERPRINT - The intentional re"or#ing of the fri"tion ri#ge s-in! 7sing la"- printer,s in- an# a fingerprint roller% the ri#ge "hara"teristi"s of a parti"ular in#i(i#ual% "an e formally re"or#e# on a stan#ar# fingerprint "ar#! LATENT FINGERPRINT - The "han"e impression% left on an item% through the transfer of perspiration an# oils% from the fri"tion ri#ge s-in to the item itself! At times% this transfer "an e (isi le to the na-e# eye! 8ost often% it is in(isi le to the eye% an# "hemi"als or po&#ers nee# to e a##e# to the surfa"e% in or#er for the latent print to seen% photographe#% an# lifte#! The &or# 9latent9 means hi##en an# it is these impressions &hi"h re:uire the appli"ation of po&#ers of "hemi"als to ma-e them (isi le! PATENT $PLASTIC' FINGERPRINT - a repro#u"tion of the ri#ges of the finger in a me#ium su"h as &et paint% loo#% putty% an# some soft metals! The is normally (isi le% ho&e(er% the impression is re(erse# as the ri#ges are impresse# in the material! SCIENTIFIC 1ASIS OF FINGERPRINT I*ENTIFICATION /! The ri#ge arrangement on e(ery finger of e(ery person is #ifferent! 0! The ri#ge arrangement is permanent throughout the persons life% that is% the ri#ge arrangement ne(er "hanges from irth to #eath! These statements are true also of the ri#ges on the palms of the han#s an# the soles of the feet!

I#entifi"ations in these areas ha(e the same te"hni"al an# legal (ali#ity as fingerprints! A!F!I!S! - a "omputer system that automati"ally sear"hes a latent fingerprint re"o(ere# from a s"ene% against millions of fingerprints "ontaine# &ithin a fingerprint #ata ase! The "riteria for entering an# maintaining fingerprints in the #ata ase (aries from state to state! *ISSI8ILARIT; < a #ifferen"e in &hi"h% in the opinion of the e=aminer% "an e e=plaine#! *ISCREPANC; < a #ifferen"e et&een t&o patterns% that "an not e e=plaine#! *ACT;LOGRAP+; - the stu#y of the s"ien"e of fingerprints CORE - is the appro=imate "enter of the finger pattern impression IN*I>I*7ALI?ATION - the opinion mat"hing of a latent print to one person as its sour"e to the e="lusion of all other people in the &orl#! CLASS ONE@LE>EL ONE *ETAIL - the general ri#ge flo& of a fingerprint! CLASS TAO@LE>EL TAO *ETAIL - aspe"ts of a parti"ular ri#ge path% in"lu#ing ifur"ations% en#ings% #i(isions. also referre# to as minutiae or Galton,s #etails! CLASS T+REE@LE>EL T+REE *ETAIL- finer #etail "on"erning in#i(i#ual ri#ges% su"h as the shape of the e#ges% their &i#th% an# the presen"e of pores! ACE-> - an a"ronym for Analysis% Comparison% E(aluation% >erifi"ation! ACE-> #es"ri es the re"ommen#e# pro"ess or metho#ology for "omparison of a latent print to a -no&n print!

AFISB Automate# Fingerprint I#entifi"ation System! 7se# to sear"h a fingerprint against a #ata ase for potential mat"hes! Alternate Light SourceB A #e(i"e that has the a ility to "y"le et&een se(eral #ifferent &a(elengths of light ! It "an alter the &a(elength of light eing emitte# from the sour"e! Class CharacteristicB A feature that is "ommon to a group of items! CSIB Crime S"ene In(estigator or Crime S"ene In(estigation% #epen#ing on the "onte=t!

CSI EffectB A re"ent phenomenon% "reating ele(ate# stan#ar#s an# heightene# e=pe"tations in the min#s of Curors an# others of the a ility of real-life forensi" s"ien"e% that arose from tele(ision sho&s li-e CSI% &hi"h "an #istort the reality of the s"ien"e! Deciduous TeethB Also -no&n as a y teeth% mil- teeth% temporary teeth% primary teeth! They are the first set of human #entition an# are 0D in num er! Defensive WoundB Chara"teristi" inCuries #uring the "ourse of an assault% as the (i"tim tries to #efen# itself% an# &ar# off lo&s! Typi"ally foun# on the palmar surfa"e of the han#s an# forearms! Dental StoneB A!6!A! Castone! A po&#er material that &hen mi=e# &ith &ater in a 0B/ ratio "an e poure# into mol#s to "reate a "ast of the original impression! *ental stone is often use# to "olle"t three-#imensional impressions% su"h as shoeprints! DNAB *eo=yri o-nu"lei" A"i#! The asi" human geneti" material! nDNAB $Nu"lear *NA' The geneti" material foun# in the nu"leus of the "ell that is uni:ue to e(ery in#i(i#ual% e="ept for i#enti"al t&ins! mtDNAB $8ito"hon#rial *NA' The geneti" material foun# in the mito"hon#ria $energy pro#u"er' of the "ell! mt*NA is passe# geneti"ally y the mother an# is the same &ithin the entire maternal lineage! NucleusB The E rainF of the "ell that "ontains *NA an# other me"hanisms to run effi"iently! Electrostatic Dustprint LifterB $ES*PL' A #e(i"e that "reates a "harge a"ross a 8ylar film to lift #ust off a surfa"e! FingerprintB The Fri"tion Ri#ge Pattern foun# on the surfa"e of the fingers% palms% soles% an# toes! Fingerprints are uni:ue to an in#i(i#ual! Forensic Light SourceB $See Also Alternate Light Sour"e' +as the a ility of shining a spe"ifi" &a(elength of light% usually lue light! Friction Ridge atternB $See Also Fingerprint' The te"hni"al term for the ri#ges on the palmar an# plantar surfa"es that "reate a fingerprint or toeprint! !el LifterB A soft gelatinous sheet &ith a sti"-y surfa"e that is use# to lift a material off a rough or irregular surfa"e% su"h as fingerprint po&#er or #usty shoeprints! Individual CharacteristicB A feature that is uni:ue to a single item% an# #ifferentiates it from e(ery other item! Livor "ortisB The post-mortem settling of loo# to the #epen#ant portions of the o#y! Rigor "ortisB Stiffness of the o#y after #eath! 7se# as an ai# to estimate time of #eath! Slash WoundB A &oun# &here the length of the inCury is greater than the #epth! Sta# WoundB A &oun# &here the #epth of the inCury is greater than the length! StipplingB Small% pun"tate s"ars of the s-in #ue to the e="ess% un urne# gun-po&#er from a "lose range gun-shot &oun#!

White LightB Ahite light is also referre# to as natural light an# it in"lu#es all the &a(elengths of light &ithin the (isi le portion of the ele"tromagneti" spe"trum!