NCJ Number
158069
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 40 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1995) Pages: 838-842
Date Published
1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the use of magnetic flakes to develop latent fingerprints.
Abstract
Magnetic flakes allow rapid print development, are particularly effective for revealing faint prints, eliminates the airborne particle cloud generated during conventional brush application of standard powders, and can be removed from many surface types by touching the developed print with a rare-earth permanent magnet. The experimental procedures described here demonstrated that excellent print qualities were achieved using a magnetic applicator to apply as-milled dark magnetic flake to prints on various white papers. As-milled bright magnetic flakes also developed good prints on colored paper. Better prints were achieved by sieving the as-milled powders to supply powder samples with restricted flake diameters. Print qualities attained with the magnetic flakes decreased with print age. 3 figures and 8 references