NCJ Number
208115
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 54 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2004 Pages: 687-705
Editor(s)
Alan L. McRoberts
Date Published
November 2004
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This paper presents the results of a survey of State police laboratories in Australia and New Zealand to determine the type and frequency of use of fingerprint reagents applied to porous surfaces and to determine the fingerprint community’s awareness and experience with 1,2-indanedione.
Abstract
Fingerprints are a common form of evidence at crime scenes and can be developed at a crime scene by powdering or by the application of physiochemical methods, such as spray reagents and cyanoacrylate fuming. Research in new ninhydrin analogues has led to the discovery of the fingerprint development potential of 1,2-indanedione. The potential of 1,2-indanedione for latent fingerprint detection on porous surfaces is extremely strong. In this study a survey was conducted of state police laboratories in Australia and New Zealand, as well as members of major fingerprint research groups and laboratories in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe to determine the type and frequency of use of fingerprint reagents applied to porous surfaces and to determine the fingerprint community’s awareness and experiences with 1,2-indanedione. Responses to the survey were received from 34 agencies consisting of 28 laboratories from 9 different countries. Survey results indicate that ninhydrin and DFO continue to be the most accepted and commonly used reagents. In total, 11 different reagents were reported to be in use to detect and enhance latent fingermarks on porous surfaces. In addition, even though most fingerprint technicians had heard of the reagent, 1,2-indanedione, only 28 percent had used it in casework. Survey results support the need for systematic research on new or improved fingerprint reagents and detection procedures. Appendix, references, tables, and figures.