Identification

Fingerprint Patterns

1. Arches - the ridges go from one side of the pattern to another, never turning back to make a loop A. Plain arches B. Tented arches 2. Loops - one or more ridges enter on either side, recurves and terminate on the same side from which it entered A. Ulnar loop B. Radial loop 3. Whorls - patterns with two deltas and patterns too irregular in form to classify A. Simple whorl B. Central pocket loop C. Lateral pocket loop D. Twin loop E. Accidentals

Identification of Hair and Fibers

1. Characteristics of the hair: Hair on body surfaces is fine while those from the beard, mustache and scalp are very thick. Hair from the eyebrows and lashes is tapering gradually to finepoints. 2. Length of the Hair: Hair from the scalp grows 2.5 cms. a month. Beard hair grows at the rate of 0.4 millimeter a day. 3. Color of the hair: May be black, blonde or brunette. Hair from older persons may be white or gray. The hair may be artificially colored by bismuth, lead or silver salts. It may be bleached by addition of hydrogen peroxide, chlorine or diluted hydrochloric or nitric acid. 4. Male or a Female Hair In many instances it is quite impossible to state the sex from the hair, but certain points may be worthy of mention: Hair on the scalp of male is shorter, thicker and more wiry than that of female's. Eyebrow hair of a male is generally long and more wiry than that of a female's. 5. Estimation of Age Based on the Hair: Hair of children is fine, short, and deficient of pigments and, as a rule, devoid of medulla. At the adolescent age, hair may appear at the pubis. Hair on the scalp becomes long, wiry, and thick. In the case of older persons, the color is usually white or gray, with marked absorption of pigments and degenerative changes

Necessary to determine the ABO blood group

1. Detection of agglutinins - Saline extract is made on the stain, then mixed on a slide with A, B and O cell suspensions - Results examined after agitation for several hours 2. Detection of agglutinogens - Presence may be shown by the ability of the RBC to absorb agglutinins A and B and their power to inhibit the action of the sera containing these agglutinins from the test sera

Practical Uses of Handwriting Examination

1. Financial crime 2. Death inveatigation 3. Robberies 4. Kidnapping with ransom 5. Anonymous threatening letters 6. Falsification of documents

Points of Identification applicable to both living and dead before onset of decomposition

1. Occupational marks- certain occupations may result in some characteristic marks or identifying guide 2. Race 3. Stature- change in height; rate of growth 4. Tattoo marks- introduction of coloring pigments in the layers of the skin by multiple puncture. 5. Weight- not a good point of identification for it is easily changed from time to time. 6. Deformities- may be congenital or acquired 7. Birth marks 8. Injuries leaving permanent results- e.g. amputation, improper union of fractured bone 9. Moles 10. Scar- a remaining mark after healing of the wound.

Extrinsic Factors in Identification

1. Ornamentations 2. Personal belongings 3. Wearing apparel 4. Foreign bodies 5. Identification by close friends and relatives 6. Identification records on file 7. Identification photograph

Methods of producing Impression

1. Plain method - bulbs of the last phalanges of the fingers and thumb are pressed on the surface of the paper after pressing them on ink 2. Rolled method - bulbs of the thumb and other fingers are rolled on the surface of the paper after being rolled on an ink pad - done in NBI clearance

Dental Identification

1. The possibility of two persons to have the same dentition is quite remote. 2. The enamel of the teeth is the hardest substance in the body. It may outlast all other tissues. 3. After death, the greater the degree of tissue deatruction, the greater is importance of the dental characteristic. 4. The more recent the ante-mortem records of the person to be identified, the more reliable is the comparative or exclusionary mode of identification that can be done. PD 1575 - dentists are required to keep dental records of patients There are no two dental patterns alike

Purpose of Handwriting Examination

1. Whether the document was written by the suspect 2. Whether the document was written by the person whose signature it bears 3. Whether the writing contains additions or deletions 4. Whether the document such as bills, receipts, suicide notes, or checks are genuine or a forgery

Scientific Methods of Identification

A. Fingerprinting B. Dental identification C. Handwriting D. Identification of skeleton E. Determination of sex F. Determination of age G. Identification of blood and bloodstains H. Identification of hair and fibers I. DNA testing

Voice Identification

Aural hearing Visual examination of voice print

Methods of Identification

By comparison-Identification criteria recovered during investigation are compared with records available in the file Ex: Fingerprints in the crime scene compared with fingerprints on file; dental findings on skeletal remains compared with dental records in the possession of the dentist By exclusion- If two or more persons have to be identified and all but one is not yet identified, then the one whose identity has not been established may be known by the process of elimination.

Light as Factor in Identification

Clearest moonlight: 16-17 yards for best known person Starlight 10-13 yards Broad daylight: 25 yards if person is almost stranger Flash of firearm: 2 feet Artificial light: relative to kind and intensity

Description of Location

Description of Location 1. Teeth position a. Anterior b. Posterior 2. Surface a. Occlosal b. Mesial c. Distal d. Buccal e. Lingual 3. Restoration 4. Prosthesis 5. Root canal treatment

Identification

Determination of the individuality of a person or a thing

Polymerase Chain Reaction

Enzyme, polymerase, replicates DNA in vitro Can analyze minute quantities of DNA Used when samples to be analyzed are highly degraded Replicates all DNA found in the sample, therefore there is increased chance of contamination Less accurate than RFLP A method of producing thousands of copies of DNA segment using the enzyme DNA polymerase

Identification of Skeleton

In the examination of bones, the following points can be determined: 1. Whether the remains are of human origin or not: Study the shape, size, and general nature of the remains, especially that of the skull 2. Whether the remains belong to a single person or not: Any plurality or excess of the bones after a complete lay out denotes that the remains belong to more than one person 3. Height 4. Sex: Study the pelvis, skull, sternum, femur and humerus 5. Race 6. Age: Determined by the appearance of ossification centers and union of bones and epiphyses, dental identification, and obliteration of cranial structures 7. Length of interment or length from the time of death May be determined by the nature and presence of soft tissues and the degree of erosion of the bones. Ordinarily, all the soft tissues in a grave disappear within a year. 8. Presence or absence of ante or post mortem injuries 9. Congenital deformities and acquired injuries on the hard tissues causing permanent deformities

Kinds of Impression

Kinds of Impression Real - puts thumb in ink, then puts in document. You have the intention Chance - impressed by mere chance without any intention to produce it a. Visible - done accidentally Impression made by chance, visible without previous treatment Made by fingers smeared with colored substances (black ink, vegetable juice) Visible immediately after impression b. Plastic - puts thumb in a surface which will create a mark, not necessarily a colored substance, but your fingerprint just got marked Impression made by chance by pressing the finger tips on melted paraffin putty, resin, cellophane, plastic tape, butter or soap c. Latent - brush and powder used to identify fingerprints Prints that are not visible after impression but made visible by addition of some substances Made because the fingers are always covered with colorless residues of oil and perspirations

Rules in Personal Identification

Law of Multiplicity of Evidence in Identification: the greater the number of points of similarities and dissimilarities of two persons compared, the greater is the probability for the conclusion to be correct. The value of the different points of identification varies in the formulation of conclusion (e.g. visual recognition by relative or friends may be of lesser value as compared with fingerprints or dental comparison). The longer the interval between the death and the examination of the remains, the greater is the need for experts in establishing identity. It is necessary for the team to act in the shortest possible time specially in cases of mass disaster. There is no rigid rule to be observed in the procedure of identification of persons

Determination of Sex

Legal Importance 1. As an aid in identification 2. To determine whether an individual can exercise certain obligations vested by law to one sex only 3. Marriage or the union of a man or a woman 4. Rights granted by law are different to different sexes 5. There are certain crimes wherein a specific sex can only be the offender or victim Tests to Determine the Sex 1. Social test - dress, hairstyle, general bodily shape 2. Genital test a. Penis - male b. Vaginal opening - female 3. Gonadal test a. Testes - male b. Ovary - female 4. Chromosomal test

Identification of Blood and Blood Stains

Legal Importance 1. For disputed percentage (maternity and paternity) 2. Circumstantial or corroborative evidence against or in favor of the perpetrator of the crime 3. Determination of the cause of death 4. Determination of the direction of escape of the victim or the assailant 5. Determination of the approximate time the crime was committed 6. Determination of the place of commission of the crime 7. Determination of the presence of certain diseases

Determination of Age

Legal Importance 1. As an aid in identification 2. Determination of criminal liability 3. Determination of right of suffrage 4. Determination whether a person can exercise civil rights 5. Determination of the capacity to contract marriage 6. As a requisite to certain crimes: a. Rape b. Infanticide c. Seduction d. Consented abduction

DNA testing

Less than 2% actually code for proteins Almost 99.9% are exactly the same in all people, 0.1% maximum as having different genes Only 1% difference with chimpanzees Extracted samples analyzed by scanning 13 regions known as loci or markers Profiles are created based on scanned data Greater than 1 in 1 billion chance that 2 individuals will have the same 13-loci DNA profile

General rule for presumption of death

No contact for 7 years Special circumstances: If he went to war, rode a plane/ship and disappeared, 4 years is sufficient for presumption of death For purposes of remarriage under these special circumstances, you just have to wait for 2 years For purposes of succession, the estate will only be opened after 10 years Exceptions: If plane crashed or ship sank, and debris of vessel is found, wait 7 years for presumption of death. If your wife/husband disappeared not due to special circumstances, you have to wait for 4 years to get married again

Scanning Kelvin Probe

No longer uses powder and brush Enables fingerprints to be visualized on metallic and electrically conductive surfaces without developing the prints Measures voltage or electrical potential, at pre-set intervals over the surface of an object Measurements mapped to produce image of print They pass a probe over the print, where minute particles are present, and these give out electro-magnetic charges, the amount of which the machine will recreate, and eventually an image of the pattern of one's fingerprint will be produced

Can fingerprints be effaced?

No, as long as the dermis of the bulbs of the finger is notcompletely destroyed, the fingerprints will always remain unchanged and indestructible

Visual examination of voiceprint

Requires use of spectrograph and computer Displays similarities and differences between patterns of SIMILAR words from known and unknown voices Parameters include frequency, time and relative intensities May change due to age, health, emotional state or voluntary alteration

Disguised Writing

The deliberate attempt on the part of the writer to alter his writing habit to invent a new writing style of by imitating the writing of another person. Done by changing the direction of the slant, changing the speed in writing, deliberate carelessness

Handwriting

The handwriting of a person may be proved by a witness who believes it to be the handwiting of such person, and has seen the person write, or has seen writing purporting to be his upon which the witness has acted or been charged, and has thus acquired knowledge of the handwriting of such person.

Can fingerprints be forged?

There is considerable controversy as various experiments could almost make an accurate reproduction, still there is no case in record known or have been written

Points of identification applicable to the living person only:

Those that may not easily be changed: 1. Mental memory- a recollection of time, place, and events. 2. Speech- a person may stammer, stutter, or lisp; manner of talking and quality of the voice. 3. Gait- a person, on account of disease or some inborn traits, may show a characteristic manner of walking. 4. Mannerism- stereotype movement or habit peculiar to an individual. (E.g. way of sitting, movement of hand, movement of body, movement of facial muscles, manner of leaning, etc.) 5. Hands and feet- Size, shape, and abnormalities. Foot or hand impression develops when a foot or hand is pressed on mouldable materials like mud, clay, cement mixture, or other semi-solid mass. Footprint or handprint- a footmark or handmark on a hard base contaminated or smeared with foreign matters like dust, floor, blood,etc. 6. Complexion Changes in the eyes- nearsightedness, far-sightedness, state of being color blind, etc. 7. Facies- different kinds of facial expressions brought about by disease or racial influence. 8. Left- or right-handedness 9. Degree of nutrition- in relation to height and age

Points of identification applicable to the living person only:

Those the may easily be changed: 1. Growth of hair, beard or mustache 2. Clothing- a person may have a special preference for certain form, texture or style 3. Frequent place of visit- A person's special desire or habit to be in a place if he has the opportunity to do so 4. Grade of profession- e.g. a mechanic may be recognized by his tools, a clergy man by his robe, or a nurse by her cap 5. Body ornamentations earrings, necklaces, rings, pins, etc. Usually worn by persons

Importance of Identification

To establish the identity of the offender and that of the victim in the prosecution of the criminal offense. To identify a person missing or presumed dead in order to facilitate the settlement of the estate, retirement, insurance, and other social benefits. Identification resolves the anxiety of the next-of kin, other relatives and friends as to the whereabouts of a missing person or victim of calamity or criminal act. Identification may be needed in some transactions like cashing of check, entering a premise, sale of property, release of dead bodies to relatives, parties to a contract, etc.

Types of Forgery

Traced - forger places another paper above the signature - the outlining of a genuine signature from one document onto another Simulated - done by experts in a freehand manner - an attempt to copy in freehand manner the characteristics of a genuine signature either from the memory of the signature or from as model Spurious - no attempt to copy genuine handwriting - one prepared primarily in the forger's own handwriting wherein little or no attempt has been made to copy the characteristics of the genuine writing

Short Tandem Repeat Technology

Used to evaluate specific regions within nuclear DNA Variability in STR regions can distinguish one DNA profile from another Look at specific regions, specific loci

Aural Hearing

Using long term memory - listener is familiar with the perceptual characteristics of a given voice Using short term memory - listener not necessarily familiar with the voice Both are subjective

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism

a variation in the length of restriction fragments produced by a given restriction enzyme in a sample of DNA. Such variation is used in forensic investigations and to map hereditary disease. Geneticists estimate that there are more than 10 billion possible patterns More accurate but requires greater sample and Longer time required for analysis

Dactylography

art and study of recording fingerprints as means of identification

Dactyloscopy

art of identification by comparison of prints

Fingerprinting

considered to be the most valuable method of Identification the finger may be wounded or burned, but the whole pattern with all its details will reappear when the wound heals 1. There is no two identical fingerprints 2. Fingerprints are not changeable Practical uses 1. Help establish identity in cases of dead bodies 2. Prints recoveres from crime scene associate person 3. Prints on file are useful for comparative purposes 4. Among illiterates, right thumbprint is recognized as substitute for signature

Signature Forgery

most common activity of a questioned document examiner

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis

mtDNA is not easily degraded and is used to examine samples that cannot be analyzed by RFLP, PCR or STR, which require nuclear DNA that can easily be degraded Mitochondria are organelles in each cell where the production of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) occurs. It is inherited only from the mother. It is gaining popularity in hair analysis.

When does one personality begin to exist?

personality begins at birth The exception here is: a fetus may be considered a person if it's beneficial to him For example: If Sandra is one month pregnant, and Bert, a wealthy friend of Sandra, wants to donate 10 million pesos to Sandra's fetus, the fetus can already be considered as a person and can receive the share because this donation is beneficial to it

Anthropometry (Bertillon System)

scheme utilizing anthropometrical measurement of the human body as the basis of identification Basis 1. The human skeleton is unchangeable after twentieth year. 2. It is impossible to find two human beings having bones exactly alike. 3. The necessary measurement can easily be taken. Information included 1. Descriptive Data - color of hair, eyes 2. Body marks - moles, scars 3. Anthropometrical measurements A. Body measurement B. Measurement of head C. Measurement of the limbs

Bibliotics

science of handwriting analysis for the purpose of determining genuineness

Graphology

study of handwriting to determine writer's personality, character and aptitude

Poroscopy

study of pores found on papillary and friction ridges for purposes of identification

Portrait Parle'

verbal, accurate and picturesque description of the person identified. Such information may be given bybthe witness, relatives, or persons who ate acquainted with the physical features of the person to be identified