Fingerprinting vocabulary

Ninhydrin

reacts with amino acids in sweat to form purple-blue prints. A 0.6% solution is sprayed onto porous surfaces such as paper.

Wheel Method

search method employed by several people moving from the boundary straight toward the center of the scene (inward) or from the center straight to the boundary (outward).

Cyanoacrylate

They are easily polymerized and are used to make quick-setting adhesives. It is used on a variety of materials not only to visualize latent prints, but also to semi-permanently affix them to the surface.

Radial loop

Type of pattern that flows in the direction of the thumb and radial loop pattern is on the left hand.

Ulnar loop

Type of pattern that flows in the directions of the little fingers and ulnar loop is on the right hand.

Crime Scene Search

A crime scene is a location where a crime took place and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved.

Grid Method

A search method employed by two or more people overlapping separate line searches forming a grid.

Spiral Method

A search method in which the investigator move in an inward spiral from the boundary to the center of the scene or in an outward spiral from the center to the boundary of a scene.

Strip Method

A search method used by one or two investigators by walking in straight lines across the crime scene.

Whorl Pattern

A whorl pattern consists of a series of almost concentric circles. *There are four types of whorl patterns: Plain whorl, Central Pocket Loop whorl, Double Loop whorl , Accidental whorl *Whorl patterns account for @ 25% of fingerprints

Chain of Custody

Chain of custody (CoC) refers to the chronological documentation or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence.

Loop Pattern

In a Loop pattern, the ridges will flow in one side, recurve, (loop around) touch or pass through an imaginary line drawn from the delta to the core, and exit the pattern on the same side as it entered. *A loop pattern has only one delta. *There are two types of loop patterns: Ulnar loop, Radial loop *Loop patterns account for @ 70% of all fingerprints.

Arch Pattern

In an arch pattern, ridges flow in one side and flow out the opposite side. There are no deltas in an arch pattern. *There are two types of arch patterns: Plain arch, Tented arch *Arch pattern account for @ 5% of all

Latent Print

Latent prints are impressions produced by the ridged skin, known as friction ridges, on human fingers, palms, and soles of the feet. hidden prints caused by the transfer of oils and other bodily secretions onto a surface.

Patent prints

Patent prints are those fingerprints that are easily spotted without the use of magnesium powders, ultra violet lights or chemicals that might assist in the visualisation of such a print. visible prints left on a smooth surface when blood, ink, or some other liquid comes into contact with the hands and is then transferred to the surface.

Zone Method

a method of defense, especially in basketball and football, in which each member of the defensive team guards a specified portion of the playing area.

Fingerprint

an impression or mark made on a surface by a person's fingertip, especially as used for identifying individuals from the unique pattern of whorls and lines.

Plastic Print

are visible, impressed prints that occur when a finger touches a soft, malleable surface resulting in an indentation.