Enhancement of Fingerprints in Blood Part 3: Reactive Techniques, Acid Yellow 7, and Process Sequences

• NCJ Number: 212361
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2005 Pages: 741-763
• Author(s): Vaughn G. Sears; Colin P. G. Butcher; Lesley A. Fitzgerald
• Date Published: November 2005
• Length: 23 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effectiveness of a variety of techniques for the enhancement of blood-contaminated fingerprints on different surfaces.

Abstract

While there are a variety of reagents and formulations for the enhancement of blood-contaminated fingerprints, there is scant research concerning their relative effectiveness in developing fingerprints on different types of surfaces. The current study investigated the effectiveness of 15 different techniques at enhancing blood-contaminated, depleted fingerprints on 9 porous and nonporous surfaces typically found at crime scenes. The results revealed that techniques in which there was a reaction or interaction with the heme group were not as effective in developing blood-contaminated fingerprints as techniques in which there was a reaction or interaction with amines or proteins. Five reagents are identified as the most effective for developing blood-contaminated fingerprints: DFO and ninhydrin on porous surface and acid yellow 7 on nonporous surfaces. Graphs, table, figures, references, appendix