NCJ Number
149635
Date Published
1994
Length
190 pages
Annotation
This book explains the scientific principles of fingerprinting, its usefulness in criminal investigation, and various fingerprint detection methods.
Abstract
The introduction describes lophoscopy the development, classification, and identification of the prints left by the secretions and contaminations of the papillary ridges of the skin and poroscopy, which is the study of the topographical distribution and physical characteristics of the fingerprint pores and ridge contours. Other topics addressed in the introduction are the individualization of fingerprints, fingerprints as evidence, a history of the use of fingerprints, types of fingerprint evidence, constituents of the latent fingerprint deposit, and a general approach to fingerprint detection. The second chapter considers the basic chemistry theory, light, color, and photoluminescence associated with fingerprints and fingerprint detection. The primary chapter describes the various techniques for detecting fingerprints. These include optical detection methods, physical detection methods, physico-chemical detection methods, chemical detection methods, and miscellaneous reagents and techniques. Other topics addressed are the choice of a light source for fingerprint detection, the application of reagent sequences, the estimation of the age of a latent fingerprint, and future developments in fingerprint detection. A separate chapter discusses precautions in the laboratory. Appended supplementary material and 192 references