Week 7 - Fingerprinting

The Chinese used finger prints thousands of years ago to sign important documents. This practice, known as fingerprinting, was developed during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and was used as a way to authenticate and verify the identity of individuals. Fingerprints were considered unique to each person and were used as a form of personal identification and security measure. This ancient Chinese practice laid the foundation for the modern use of fingerprints in forensic science and criminal investigations.

According to the Henry's Classification System, a final fractional number is used to group different people for later comparison. This means that individuals are assigned a unique numerical code based on certain characteristics, and these codes are then used to categorize and compare people within the system. Therefore, the statement is true as it accurately describes the use of a final fractional number in the Henry's Classification System.

Fingerprints are classified into three main groups: arches, loops, and whorls. Arches are characterized by a ridge pattern that flows from one side of the finger to the other without making a complete circuit. Loops have ridges that enter from one side of the finger, curve around, and exit from the same side they entered. Whorls have ridges that form circular or spiral patterns. These classifications are used in forensic science to analyze and compare fingerprints for identification purposes.

The statement is true because porous surfaces, such as paper or fabric, can absorb oils and sweat from the fingers, leaving behind fingerprints. Non-porous surfaces, such as glass or metal, do not absorb these substances, but the oils and sweat can still leave visible prints on the surface. Therefore, both porous and non-porous surfaces have the potential to contain fingerprints.

The statement is true because Ninhydrin and Iodine fuming are indeed two processing methods commonly used for porous surfaces. Ninhydrin is a chemical reagent that reacts with amino acids present in fingerprints, causing them to turn purple or blue, making them more visible. Iodine fuming, on the other hand, involves exposing the porous surface to iodine vapors, which react with the oils and fats present in fingerprints, making them more visible as well. Both methods are widely used in forensic investigations to enhance and visualize fingerprints on porous surfaces.

The statement is true because it states that there are two processing methods for nonporous surfaces, which are powder and tape method, and Cyanoacrylate fuming. These methods are commonly used in forensic investigations to enhance and visualize latent fingerprints on nonporous surfaces.

The statement is true because a standard 10-finger card, commonly used for fingerprint identification, contains both rolled prints and pressed prints. Rolled prints are obtained by rolling each finger from one side of the nail to the other, capturing the entire fingerprint pattern. Pressed prints, on the other hand, are obtained by pressing each finger flat onto the card, capturing a single impression of the fingerprint. This combination of rolled and pressed prints provides a comprehensive record of an individual's fingerprints for identification purposes.

The given answer lists the eight sub-groups of fingerprinting, which include different types of fingerprint patterns such as arches, loops, and whorls. The sub-groups are categorized based on the specific characteristics of the fingerprint patterns, with "plain" and "tented" referring to the arch pattern, "ulnar" and "radial" referring to the loop pattern, and "plain," "double loop," "central pocket loop," and "accidental type" referring to various types of whorl patterns. These sub-groups help to categorize and classify fingerprints for identification purposes.

The factors that control the deposit of latent prints include weather conditions, age of the latent print when found, surface type of the item touched, pressure used when touching the item, and exposure to sunlight. These factors can affect the visibility and durability of the latent prints, making them more or less likely to be detected and preserved.