ANTH335: Chapter 8
Sublimation.
A physical change from a solid directly into a gaseous state.
Pixel.
A square electronic dot that is used to compose a digital image.
Ninhydrin.
A chemical reagent used to develop latent fingerprints on porous materials by reacting with the amino acids in perspiration.
Loop.
A class of fingerprints characterized by ridge lines that enter from one side of the pattern and curve around to exit from the same side of the pattern.
Arch.
A class of fingerprints characterized by ridge lines that enter the print from one side and exit the other side.
Whorl.
A class of fingerprints that includes ridge patterns that are generally rounded or circular and have two deltas.
Plastic print.
A fingerprint impressed in a soft surface.
Latent fingerprint.
A fingerprint made by the deposit of oils and/or perspiration; it is invisible to the naked eye.
Visible print.
A fingerprint made when the finger deposits a visible material such as ink, dirt, or blood onto a surface.
Digital imaging.
A process through which a picture is converted into a series of square electronic dots known as pixels.
Physical Developer.
A silver nitrate-based reagent formulated to develop latent fingerprints on porous surfaces.
Anthropometry.
A system of identification of individuals by measurement of parts of the body, developed by Alphonse Bertillon.
Iodine fuming.
A technique for visualizing latent fingerprints by exposing them to iodine vapors.
Super Glue fuming.
A technique for visualizing latent fingerprints on nonporous surfaces by exposing them to cyanoacrylate vapors; named for the commercial product Super Glue.
Portrait parle.
A verbal description of a perpetrator's physical characteristics and dress provided by an eyewitness.
ACE-V.
An acronym for the four-step process -- analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification -- used to identify and individualize a fingerprint. The first step requires the examiner to identify any distortions associated with the friction ridges, as well as any external factors, such as surface or deposition factors or processing techniques, that may impinge on the print's appearance. The comparison step requires the examiner to compare the questioned print to the known print at three levels. Level 1 looks at the general ridge flow and pattern configuration. Level 2 includes locating and comparing ridge characteristics, or minutiae. Level 2 details can individualize a print. Level 3 includes the examination and location of ridge pores, breaks, creases, scars, and other permanent minutiae. The evaluation stages requires the examination of the questioned and known prints in their totality. The final result of this stage is either individualization, elimination, or an inconclusive determination. The final step in the process involves verification of the examiner's result. It requires an independent examination of the questioned and known prints by a second examiner. Ultimately, a consensus between the two examiners must be arrived at before a final conclusion is drawn.
Live Scan.
An inkless device that captures digital images of fingerprints and palm prints and electronically transmits them to an AFIS.
Grayscale images.
Images composed of only black and white elements.
Visible prints.
Prints made by fingers touching a surface after the ridges have been in contact with a colored material such as blood, paint, grease, or ink.
Invisible prints.
Prints that are impressions caused by the transfer of body perspiration or oils from finger ridges to the surface of an object.
Plastic prints.
Prints that are ridge impressions left on a soft material such as putty, wax, soap, or dust.
Ridge of characteristics (minutiae).
Ridge endings, bifurcations, enclosures, and other ridge details that must match in two fingerprints to establish their common origin.
Dermal papillae.
These determine the form and pattern of the ridges on the surface of the skin. Once these develop in the human fetus, the ridge patterns remain unchanged throughout life, except for enlarging during growth.
Friction skin.
These skin surfaces have been designed by nature to provide our bodies with a firmer grasp and a resistance to slipping. A visual inspection of friction skin reveals a series of lines corresponding to hills (ridges) and valleys (grooves). The shape and form of the skin ridges are what one sees as the black lines of an inked fingerprint impression.
Fluoresce.
To emit visible light when exposed to light of a shorter wavelength.
True.
True or False: 1,2-indanedione is also emerging as a potential reagent for the development of latent fingerprints on porous surfaces. 1,2-indanedione gives both good initial color and strong fluorescence when it reacts with amino acids derived from prints, and thus it has the potential to provide in one process what ninhydrin and DFO can do in two steps.
True.
True or False: A common method for preserving a print developed with a powder is lifting the print with an adhesive tape.
True.
True or False: A four step process known as ACE-V (analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification) is used to identify and individualize a fingerprint.
True.
True or False: A four-step process known as ACE-V (analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification) is used to identify and individualize a fingerprint.
True.
True or False: A loop must have one or more ridges entering from one side of the print, recurving, and exiting from the same side. If the loop opens toward the little finger, it is called an 'ulnar loop'; if it opens toward the thumb, it is a 'radial loop.' The pattern area of the loop is surrounded by two diverging ridges known as 'type lines.' the ridge point at or nearest the type-line divergence and located at or directly in front of the point of divergence is known as the 'delta.' ... All loops must have one delta. The 'core,' as the name suggests, is the approximate center of the pattern.
True.
True or False: AFIS makes no final decisions on the identification of a fingerprint, instead leaving this function to a trained examiner.
True.
True or False: All fingerprints are divided into three classes on the basis of their general pattern: loops, whorls, and arches.
True.
True or False: All fingerprints are divided into three classes on the basis of their general pattern: loops, whorls, and arches. Sixty to 65 percent of the population have loops, 30 to 35 percent have whorls, and about 5 percent have arches. These three classes form the basis for all ten-finger classification systems presently in use.
True.
True or False: Although ridge patterns impart class characteristics to the print, the type and position of ridge characteristics give the print individual character.
True.
True or False: An expert can easily compare the characteristics of two complete fingerprints; the average fingerprint has as many as 150 individual ridge characteristics.
True.
True or False: Application of Physical Developer washes away any traces of proteins from an object's surface.
True.
True or False: Approximately 25 percent of the population falls into the 1/1 category; that is, all their fingers have either loops or arches.
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True or False: Arches, the least common of the three general patterns, are subdivided into two distinct groups: plain arches and tented arches. The plain arch is the simplest of all fingerprint patterns; it is formed by ridges entering from one side of the print and exiting on the opposite side. Generally, these ridges tend to rise in the center of the print, forming a wavelike pattern. The tented arch is similar to the plain arch except that instead of rising smoothly at the center, there is a sharp upthrust or spike, or the ridges meet at an angle that is less than 90 degrees. Arches do not have type lines, deltas, or cores.
True.
True or False: Color interferences can pose a problem when analyzing an image.
True.
True or False: Concerning "lifting," the most popular type of lifter is a broad adhesive tape similar to Scotch tape. Fingerprint powder is applied to the print, and the surface containing the print is covered with the adhesive side of the tape. When the tape is pulled up, the powder is transferred to the tape. Then the tape is placed on a properly labeled card that provides a good background contrast with the powder. A variation of this procedure is the use of an adhesive-backed clear plastic sheet attached to a colored cardboard backing.
True.
True or False: Digital imaging is a process in which a picture is converted into a series of square electronic dots known as pixels. Fingerprints can be enhanced with digital imaging.
True.
True or False: Dye combinations known as RAM, RAY, and MRM 10, when used in conjunction with Super Glue fuming, have been effective in visualizing latent fingerprints by fluorescence.
True.
True or False: Efforts at intentionally scarring the skin can only be self-defeating, for it is totally impossible to obliterate all of the ridge characteristics on the hand, and the presence of permanent scars merely provides new characteristics for identification.
True.
True or False: Examiners use various chemical methods to visualize latent prints, such as iodine fuming, ninhydrin, and Physical Developer.
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True or False: Fingerprint specialists traditionally relied on three chemical techniques -- iodine, ninhydrin, and silver nitrate -- to reveal a hidden fingerprint. Then, Super Glue fuming extended chemical development to prints deposited on nonporous surfaces.
True.
True or False: Fingerprints are a reproduction of friction skin ridges found on the palm side of the fingers and thumbs.
True.
True or False: Fluorescent powders are also used to develop latent fingerprints. These powders fluoresce under ultraviolet light. By photographing the fluorescence pattern of the developing print under UV light, it is possible to see the print clearly in situations in which the color of the surface might otherwise obscure the point.
True.
True or False: For most fingerprint examiners, the chemical method of choice is ninhydrin.
True.
True or False: Frequency analysis, also referred to as 'frequency Fourier transform' (FFT), is used to identify periodic or repetitive patterns such as lines or dots that interfere with the interpretation of the image.
True.
True or False: Hard and nonabsorbent surfaces (such as glass, mirror, tile, and painted wood) require different development procedures than do surfaces that are soft and porous (such as paper, cardboard, and cloth). Prints on the former surfaces are developed preferably by the application of a powder or by treatment with Super Glue, whereas prints on the latter generally require treatment with one or more chemicals.
True.
True or False: In 1897, another classification system was proposed by an Englishman, Sir Edward Richard Henry. Four years later, Henry's system was adopted by Scotland Yard. Today, most English-speaking countries, including the United States, use some version of Henry's classification system to file fingerprints.
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True or False: In 1924, the fingerprint records of the Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth were merged to form the nucleus of the identification records of the new Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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True or False: In 1999, the FBI initiated full operation of the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), the largest AFIS in the United States, which links state AFIS computers with the FBI database.
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True or False: In cases involving items with material adhering to their surfaces and/or items that will require further laboratory examinations, fingerprint processing should not be performed at the crime scene. Rather, the items should be submitted to the laboratory, where they can be processed for fingerprints in conjunction with other necessary examinations.
True.
True or False: In the United States, the FBI, faced with the problem of filing ever-increasing numbers of prints, expanded its classification capacity by modifying the original Henry system and adding additional extensions. These modifications are collectively known as the 'FBI system' and are used by most agencies in the United States today.
True.
True or False: In the United States, the first systematic and official use of fingerprints for personal identification was adopted by the New York City Civil Service Commission in 1901. The method was used for certifying all civil service applications. Several US police officials received instruction in fingerprint identification from representatives of Scotland Yard at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. After the fair and the Will West incident, fingerprinting began to be used in earnest in all major cities of the United States.
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True or False: In the early years of the twentieth century, police began to appreciate and accept a system of identification based on the classification of finger ridge patterns known as 'fingerprints.'
True.
True or False: Iodine is a solid crystal that, when heated, converts into a vapor without passing through a liquid phase; such a transformation is called sublimation. Most often, the suspect material is placed in an enclosed cabinet along with iodine crystals. As the crystals are heated, the resultant vapors fill the chamber and combine with constituents of the latent print to make it visible. Unfortunately, iodine prints are not permanent and begin to fade once the fuming process is stopped. Therefore, the examiner must photograph the prints immediately upon development in order to retain a permanent record. Alternatively, iodine-developed prints can be fixed by spraying them with a 1 percent solution of starch in water. The print then turns blue and last for several weeks to several months.
True.
True or False: Latent fingerprints can also be treated with chemicals that induce fluorescence when exposed to a high-intensity light or an alternate light source.
True.
True or False: Latent prints deposited on hard and nonabsorbent surfaces (such as glass, a mirror, tile, and painted wood) are usually developed by the application of a powder, whereas prints on porous surfaces (such as papers and cardboard) generally require treatment with a chemical.
True.
True or False: Live Scan is an inkless device that captures digital images of fingerprints and palm prints and electronically transmits them to an AFIS.
True.
True or False: Many investigators prefer to use a camera specially designed for fingerprint photography. Such a camera comes equipped with a fixed focus to take photographs on a 1:1 scale when the camera's open eye is held exactly flush against the print's surface. In addition, photographs must be taken to provide an overall view of the print's location with respect to other evidential items at the crime scene.
True.
True or False: Newer chemical processes include a substitute for ninhydrin called DFO (1,8-diazafluoren-9-0ne). This chemical visualizes latent prints on porous materials when exposed to an alternate light source. DFO has been shown to develop two and a half times more latent prints on paper than ninhydrin.
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True or False: Of the several chemical methods used for visualizing latent prints, iodine fuming is the oldest.
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True or False: Once a latent print has been visualized, it must be permanently preserved for future comparison and for possible use as court evidence. A photograph must be taken before any further attempts at preservation are made.
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True or False: One approach used to enhance an image is spatial filtering, in which several types of filters produce various effects. A low-pass filter is used to eliminate harsh edges by reducing the intensity difference between pixels. A high-pass filter operates by modifying a pixel's numerical value to exaggerate the difference between its intensity and that of its neighbor. The resulting effect increases the contrast of the edges, thus providing a high contrast between the elements and the background.
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True or False: Perhaps the most publicized attempt at obliterating fingerprints was that of the notorious gangster John Dillinger, who tried to destroy his own fingerprints by applying a corrosive acid to them.
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True or False: Physical Developer is a third chemical mixture used for visualizing latent prints. Physical Developer is a silver nitrate-based liquid reagent. This method has gained wide acceptance by fingerprint examiners, who have found it effective for visualizing latent prints that remain undetected by the previously described methods. Also, this technique is very effective for developing latent fingerprints on porous articles that may have been wet at one time.
True.
True or False: Plastic prints are ridge impressions left on a soft material, such as putty, wax, soap, or dust.
True.
True or False: Regarding 'alternate light sources,' high-intensity light sources, or alternate light sources, have proliferated and all but replaced laser lights. High-intensity quartz halogen or xenon-arc light sources can be focused on a suspect area through a fiber-optic cable... In most cases, these light sources have proved as effective as laser light in developing latent prints... Furthermore, these light sources are portable and can be readily taken to any crime scene.
True.
True or False: Selection of an appropriate procedure is best left to technicians who have developed their skills through casework experience.
True.
True or False: Since 1982, a chemical technique known as Super Glue fuming has gained wide popularity for developing latent prints on nonporous surfaces such as metals, electrical tape, leather, and plastic bags.
True.
True or False: Sometimes a latent print does not generate a hit because of the poor quality of the file print. To avoid potential problems, investigators must still fingerprint all known suspects in a case and then manually search these prints against the crime-scene prints.
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True or False: Sometimes the most difficult aspect of fingerprint examination is the location of prints. Recent advances in fingerprint technology have led to the development of an ultraviolet image converter for the purpose of detecting latent fingerprints. This device, called the Reflected Ultraviolet Imaging System (RUVIS), can locate prints on most nonabsorbent surfaces without the aid of chemical or powder treatments. RUVIS detects the print in its natural state by aiming the UV light at the surface suspected of containing prints. When the UV light strikes a fingerprint, the light is reflected back tot he viewer, differentiating the print from its background surface.
True.
True or False: Super Glue fuming develops latent prints on nonporous surfaces.
True.
True or False: Super Glue is approximately 98 to 99 percent cyanoacrylate ester, a chemical that interacts with and visualizes a latent fingerprint... The fumes and the evidential object are contained within an enclosed chamber for up to six hours. Development occurs when fumes from the glue adhere to the latent print, usually producing a white-appearing latent print. Interestingly, small-enclosed areas, such as the interior of an automobile, have been successfully processed for latent prints with fumes from Super Glue.
True.
True or False: The 'primary classification' is part of the original Henry system and provides the first classification step in the FBI system. Using this classification alone, all of the fingerprint cards in the world could be divided into 1,024 groups. The first step in obtaining the primary classification is to pair up fingers, placing one finger in the numerator of a fraction, the other in the denominator.
True.
True or False: The AFIS makes no final conclusions about the identity of a fingerprint; this function is left to the eyes of a trained examiner.
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True or False: The FBI has the largest collection of fingerprints in the world.
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True or False: The basic principles underlying the use of fingerprints in criminal investigations are as follows: (1) A fingerprint is an individual characteristic because no two fingers have yet been found to possess identical ridge characteristics, (2) a fingerprint remains unchanged during an individual's lifetime, and (3) fingerprints have general ridge patterns that permit them to be systematically classified.
True.
True or False: The development of latent prints with ninhydrin results from its chemical reaction with amino acids present in trace amounts in perspiration, creating a purple-blue color... Generally, prints begin to appear within an hour or two after ninhydrin application; however, weaker prints may be visualized after 24 to 48 hours... The ninhydrin method has developed latent prints on old paper after as long as fifteen years.
True.
True or False: The double loop is made up of two loops combined in one fingerprint. Any whorl classified as an accidental either contains two or more patterns (not including the plain arch) or is a pattern not covered by other categories. Hence, an accidental may consist of a combination of a loop and a plain whorl or a loop and a tented arch.
True.
True or False: The final step in the process involves verification of the examiner's conclusion by a second examiner.
True.
True or False: The fingerprint database known as AFIS converts an image of a fingerprint into digital minutiae that contain data showing ridges at their points of termination (i.e., ridge endings) and of branching into two ridges (i.e., bifurcations).
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True or False: The fingerprint database known as AFIS converts an image of a fingerprint into digital minutiae that contain data showing ridges at their points of termination (i.e., ridge endings) and of branching them into two ridges (i.e., bifurcations).
True.
True or False: The impact of the AFIS on no-suspect cases has been dramatic.
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True or False: The individuality of a fingerprint is determined not by its general shape or pattern but by a careful study of its ridge characteristics. The expert must demonstrate a point-by-point comparison in order to prove the identity of an individual.
True.
True or False: The individuality of a fingerprint is not determined by its general shape or pattern but by a careful study of its ridge characteristics (also known as minutiae).
True.
True or False: The investigator can choose from several methods for visualizing a latent print, and his or her choice depends on the type of surface being examined.
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True or False: The original Henry system, as adopted by Scotland Yard in 1901, converted ridge patterns on all ten fingers into a series of letters and numbers arranged in the form of a fraction.
True.
True or False: The presence or absence of the whorl pattern is the basis for the determination of the primary classification.
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True or False: The primary classification is the first step in classifying fingerprints under the FBI system. The presence of absence of the whorl pattern is the basis for the determination of the primary classification.
True.
True or False: The primary classification is the first step in classifying fingerprints under the FBI system. The presence or absence of the whorl pattern is the basis for the determination of the primary classification.
True.
True or False: The resolution is the degree of detail that can be seen in an image. It is defined in terms of dimensions, such as 800 x 600 pixels. The larger the numbers, the more closely the digital image resembles the real-world image.
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True or False: There are three kinds of crime-scene prints.
True.
True or False: Until such a study is undertaken and completed, no meaningful guidelines can be established for defining the uniqueness of a fingerprint. In 1973, after a three-year study of this question, the International Association for Identification concluded that "no valid basis exists for requiring a predetermined minimum number of friction ridge characters which must be present in two impressions in order to establish positive identification." Hence, the final determination must be based on the experience and knowledge of the expert, with the understanding that others may profess honest differences of opinion on the uniqueness of a fingerprint when the question of minimal number of ridge characteristics is involved. In 1995, members of the international fingerprint community at a conference in Israel issued the Ne-urim Declaration, which supported the 1973 International Association for Identification resolution.
True.
True or False: Visible prints are made when fingers touch a surface after the ridges have been in contact with a colored material such as blood, paint, grease, or ink.
True.
True or False: When a finger touches a surface, perspiration and oils are transferred onto that surface, leaving a fingerprint. Prints deposited in this manner are invisible to the eye and are commonly referred to as latent or invisible fingerprints.
True.
True or False: Whorls are actually divided into four distinct groups: plain, central pocket loop, double loop, and accidental. All whorl patterns must have type lines and at least two deltas. A plain whorl and a central pocket loop have at least one ridge that makes a complete circuit. This ridge may be in the form of a spiral, oval, or any variant of a circle. If an imaginary line drawn between the two deltas contained within these two patterns touches any one of the spiral ridges, the pattern is a plain whorl. If no such ridge is touched, the pattern is a central pocket loop.
