NCJ Number
168882
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 47 Issue: 1 Dated: (January/February 1997) Pages: 42-46
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The super glue fuming wand, available as a commercial product for only a few years, is beneficial at crime scenes where perishable foliage is involved; the wand's portability and directionality eliminate the need to harvest leaves or plants and transport them to the laboratory for processing to identify latent fingerprints.
Abstract
To determine the best method for processing plant material using the super glue wand, an experiment was conducted using ultraviolet dye fuming cartridges, an ultraviolet light source, and the necessary film and camera equipment to photograph the results. The area of the plant to be processed was noted and photographed. Once the photography was completed, plant leaves were harvested and transported to the laboratory for further processing. Latent fingerprints were identified on plant leaves and the survivability of latent fingerprints on plant leaves was assessed. Even plant leaves that had been broken off could be processed, and a delay of up to 96 hours did not appear to cause a loss of quality in latent fingerprints, except when they were viewed solely by ultraviolet light. When latent fingerprints were enhanced with a florescent powder such as red or green wop, they regained all of the details not visible under ultraviolet light alone. The authors conclude that processing foliage can be beneficial in criminal investigations. 1 photograph