NCJ Number
214844
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 22,24,32
Date Published
June 2006
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article describes the process and benefits of using digital fingerprint systems to fingerprint the deceased.
Abstract
The condition of deceased bodies has a huge impact on the ability of investigators to obtain a usable fingerprint with the typical inking method. A corpse’s hands may be decomposed, battered by the elements, or otherwise crippled due to rigor mortis or disease. This is where digital fingerprinting systems are able to step in and obtain a usable print using livescan technology, such as CrossMatch Technology’s Guardian, a 6-inch cube weighing 4 pounds that overcomes the burden of using previously developed livescan systems for the entire body. The smaller livescan fingerprint technology allows investigators to gather prints at homicide scenes before bodies have been moved. Images can be immediately e-mailed back to the office for entry into various fingerprint databases or can be saved until the officer returns to the office. Benefits of digital fingerprinting include immediate feedback on the quality of the fingerprint being obtained and rapid feedback on identification through regional, national, and international fingerprint databases. Recommendations are offered on how to obtain the best results with livescan technology, including the advice to wash the fingers with soap and water and to apply triple Lanolin Aloe Vera lotion to the skin. In many cases, fingers or hands may need to be removed or rigor mortis broken in order to appropriately position the fingers. Recommendations are also made regarding keeping the livescan system clean and free of decomposing remains. A textbox describes five different fingerprint capture and livescan systems.