Personal Identification

Fingerprint - is an impression left by the friction ridge of a human finger.

Friction ridge - is a raised portion of the epidermis on the fingers and toes, the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot,
consisting of one or more connected ridge units of the friction ridge skin.These are sometimes known as "epidermal
ridges"

Dermatoglyphics - scientific study of fingerprints.

Type of Prints
1. Exemplar - "known prints" - fingerprints deliberately collected from a subject.
2. Latent - means chance or accidental impression left by the friction ridge skin on a surface regardless of whether it is
visible or invisible atthe time of deposition. Although the word latent means hidden or invisible in modern usage
for forensic science.
3.Patent - chance friction ridge impressions which are obvious to the human eye  and which have been caused by the
transfer of foreign material from a finger into a surface.
4. Plastic Print - is a friction ridge impression left in a material that retains the shape of the ridge detail.
5. Electronic Recording - example, a man selling stolen watches sending images of them on a mobile phone and those
images included parts of his hands in enough detail for police to be able to identifyfingerprint patterns.  

Notes:

 Plantar - refers to feet and toes.

 Palmar - refers to finger and palm.

Personalities who significantly contributed to the science offingerprint.

1. Jan Evangelista Purkinje (1787 - 1869) - a czech physiologist and professor of anatomy at the university of
Breslau, published a thesis in 1823 discussing 9 fingerprint patterns but he did not mention any possibility of
using fingerprint to identify people.
2. Georg Von Meisner (1829 - 1905) - German anatomist who studied friction ridges.
3. Sir William James Herschel - initiated fingerprinting in India. In 1877 at Hoogly near Calcutta, he instituted the
use offingerprints on contracts and deeds to prevent the then rampant repudiation of signatures and he
registered government pensioners fingerprint to prevent the collection of money by relatives after a pensioners
death.
4. Henry Faulds - a Scottish surgeon who in 1880, in a Tokyo hospital, published his first paper on the subject in
the scientific journal nature. He took up the study of "skin furrows" after noticing finger marks on specimens of
prehistoric pottery.
5. Juan Vucetich - an Argentine chief of police who created the first method of recording the fingerprint of
individuals on file, associating this these fingerprints  to the anthropometric system of Alphonse Bertillon.
 6. Alphonse Bertillon - created in 1879 a system to identifyindividuals by anthropometric photographs and
associated quantitative descriptions.
7. Edward Richard Henry - UK home secretary who conducted an inquiry into identification of criminals by
measurements andfingerprints. The Henry Classification System of classifyingfingerprint was named after him.
8. Azizul Hague and Hem Chandra Bose - Indian fingerprintexpert who have been credited with the primary
development of a fingerprint classification system eventually named after their supervisor Sir Edward Richard
Henry.
9. Henry P. deForrest - used fingerprinting in the New York civil service in 1902 and by 1906. Pioneered
U.S. fingerprinting.
10. Nehemiah Grew -(1641 - 1712) - in 1684, this English physician, botanist and microscopist published the first
scientific paper to describe the ridge structure of the skin covering the fingers and palms.
11. Marcelo Malphigi - an anatomy professor at the university of Bologna, noted in his treatise in 1686, ridges,
spirals and loops infingerprints, A layer of skin was named after him "malphigi layer" which is approximately 1.8
mm thick.
12. Mark Twain - in his memoir life on the Mississippi 1883, it mentioned a melodramatic account of a murder in
which the killer was identified by a thumbprint. Twain's novel Pudd'n head Wilson published in 1893 includes a
court room drama that turns on fingerprint identification.   
Fingerprint Sensor - is an electronic device used to capture a digital image of the fingerprint pattern. The captured
image is called a live scan.

Biometrics (Biometric Authentication) - refers to the identificationof humans by their characteristics or traits.

  Latent Print - (known as dactyloscopy or hand printidentification) - is the process of comparing two instances of friction
ridge skin impressions from human fingers, palm of the hand, or even toes to determine whether these impressions
could have come from the same individual.

The Most Popular Ten Print Classification System.

1. Roscher System - developed in Germany. Implemented in Germany and Japan.
2. Juan Vucetich System - developed in Argentina. Implemented through out South America.
3. Henry Classification System - developed in India. Implemented in most English speaking countries.

In the Henry System of Classification. There are 3 basicfingerprint patterns.

1. Loop - constitute 60% to 65% of all fingerprint.

Kinds of Loop
1)ulnar Loop
  2)radial Loop
2. Whorl - constitute 30% to 35% of all fingerprints.
Kinds of Whorl        
1)plain Whorl
2)accidental Whorl
3)double Loop whorl
4)central Pocket Loop Whorl.

3. Arch - constitute 5% of all fingerprints.

Kinds of Arch
1)plain Arch
2)tented Arch

The Basic Fundamentals of Fingerprints are:

1. Permanence - fingerprints never change.
2. Individuality - no two fingerprints are alike.

Characteristics of a Ridge (minutia Features)

1. Ridge Ending - the end of a ridge.
2. Bifurcation - the Y-shaped split of one ridge into 
    two.
3. Dot - is a very short ridge that looks like a dot.

When is fingerprint ridges formed? ans. formed during the third to fourth month of fetal development.

Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) - is the process of automatically matching one of many

unknown fingerprintsagainst a database of known and unknown prints.

What is a Loop? ans. the ridges enter from one side of the finger, form a curve and then exit on that same side.

What is a whorl? ans. ridges form circularly around a central point on the finger.

What is an Arch? ans. the ridges enter from one side of the finger, rise in the center forming an arch and then exit the
other side of the finger.

What does a Minutiae Include? ans. It includes the following:

1. Ridge Ending - the abrupt end of a ridge.
2. Ridge Bifurcation - a single ridge that divides into
    two ridges.
3. Short Ridge or Independent Ridge - a ridge that 
    commences, travels a short distance and then 
    ends.
4. Island - a single small ridge inside a short ridge 
    or ridge ending that is not connected  to all other
    ridges.
5. Ridge Enclosure - a single ridge that bifurcates and
    reunites shortly afterward to continue as a single
    ridge.
6. Spur - a bifurcation with a short ridge branching off
    a longer ridge.
7. Crossover or Bridge - a short ridge that runs 
    between two parallel ridges.
8. Delta - a Y-shape ridge meeting.
9. Core - A U-turn in the ridge pattern.

Forensic Anthropology - forensic discipline that studies human skeletal remains for identification.

Forensic Odontology - study of dental features to identify a victim when the body is otherwise unidentifiable.

Personal Identification Reviewer 1

1. The abrupt end of a ridge.

      A. Ridge ending                                     
      B. Independent ridge   
      C. Ridge bifurcation   
      D. Island                                                              
                                                                        
2. A single ridge that divide into two ridges.
      A. Ridge ending                                     
      B. Bridge  
      C. Spur
      D. Ridge bifurcation                                        
                                                                                              
3. A Ridge that commences, travels a short distance and then ends.
      A. Ridge ending                                     
      B. Spur                                                 
      C. Short ridge
      D. Delta
                                                                        
4. A single small ridge inside a short ridge or ridge ending that is
    nor connected to all other ridges.
      A. Delta                                                        
      B. Spur                                                        
      C. Short ridge
      D. Island
5. A single ridge that bifurcates and reunites shortly afterwards
    to continue as a single ridge.
       A. Cross-over
       B. Ridge enclosure
       C. Independent ridge
       D. Island                                                                                                   
6. A bifurcation with short ridge branching off a longer ridge.
      A. Core                                                         
      B. Independent ridge                                   
      C. Spur 
      D. Delta                                                                                                
7. A short ridge that runs between two parallel ridges.
      A. Bridge                                                 
      B. Short ridge                                   
      C. Ridge enclosure
      D. Ridge bifurcation                                                                                         
8. A Y shaped ridge meeting.
      A. Delta                                                        
      B. Cross-over                                              
      C. Core     
      D. Spur                                                                                           
9. A U turn in the ridge pattern.
      A. Delta                                                        
      B. Cross-over   
      C. Core
      D. Spur                                                                                                                                       
10.Major features of a fingerprint.
      A. Minutiae                                       
      B. Bridge  
      C. Divergence ridge    
      D. Cross-over                                                 
                                                                                               
Remember the following: Personal Identification

1. Ridge ending -The abrupt end of a ridge.

2. Ridge bifurcation - A single ridge that divide into two ridges.

3. Short ridge - A Ridge that commences, travels a short distance 

    and then ends. 
     
4. Island - A single small ridge inside a short ridge or ridge ending that 
    is nor connected to all other ridges.
   
5. Ridge enclosure - A single ridge that bifurcates and reunites 
    shortly afterwards  to continue as a single ridge.
6. Spur - A bifurcation with short ridge branching off a longer ridge.

7. Bridge -  A short ridge that runs between two parallel ridges.

8. Delta -   A Y shaped ridge meeting.

9. Core - A U turn in the ridge pattern.

10.Minutiae - Major features of a fingerprint.

Personal Identification
1. Fingerprint
2. DNA
3. Forensic Anthropology
4. Facial reconstruction
5. Hair comparisons       

Answers: Personal Identification                                     

1.   A
2.   D
3.   C
4.   D
5.   B
6.   C
7.   A
8.   A
9.   C
10.  A

Personal Identification Reviewer 2

1. It is an electronic device used to capture a digital image of the 

    finger print pattern.
        A. Fingerprint
        B. Fingerprint Identification
        C. Fingerprint Sensor
        D. Electronic Recording

2. It refers to the identification of humans by their characteristics 

    or traits.
        A. Fingerprint
        B. Fingerprint Identification
        C. Fingerprint Sensor
        D. Biometrics
3. A U-turn in the ridge pattern.
        A. Island
        B. Delta
        C. Bridge
        D. Core

4. A Y-shape ridge meeting.

        A. Delta
        B. Island
        C. Cross-over
        D. Core

5. A short ridge that runs between two parallel ridges.

        A. Ridge Enclosure
        B. Bridge
        C. Ridge Ending
        D. Cross-over

6. A bifurcation with a short ridge branching off a longer ridge.

        A. Spur
        B. Ridge Bifurcation
        C. Ridge Enclosure
        D. Island

7. A single ridge that bifurcates and reunites shortly afterwards 

    to continue as a single ridge.
        A. Spur
        B. Ridge Bifurcation
        C. Ridge Enclosure
        D. Island

8. A single small ridge inside a short ridge or ridge ending that is 
    not connected to all other ridges.
        A. Ridge Ending
        B. Island
        C. Cross-over
        D. Spur

9. A ridge that commences, travels a short distance and then 

    ends.
        A. Short Ridge
        B. Ridge Ending
        C. Spur
        D. Cross-Over
10. Short Ridge is also known as
        A. Spur
        B. Bridge
        C. Island
        D. Independent Ridge

Answer:

1.     C
2.     D
3.     D
4.     A
5.     B
6.     A
7.     C
8.     B
9.     A
10.   D

Personal Identification Reviewer 3

1. A bridge is also called

        A. Spur
        B. Island
        C. Independent Ridge
        D. Cross-Over

2. A single ridge that divides into two ridges.

        A. Cross-Over
        B. Delta
        C. Ridge Bifurcation
        D. Island

3. The abrupt end of a ridge.

        A. Ridge Ending
        B. Short Ridge
        C. Island
        D. Core

4. Major Features of a fingerprint, using which comparisons of one 

    print with another can be made.
        A. Minutiae
        B. Friction Ridge
        C. Latent Print
        D. Fingerprint Identification
5. A Short Ridge is also known as
        A. Spur
        B. Core
        C. Island
        D. Dots

6. Ridges which are significantly shorter than the average ridge 

    length on the fingerprint.
        A. Delta
        B. Dot
        C. Spur
        D. Bridge

7. It is the point at which a ridge terminate.

        A. Core
        B. Island
        C. Delta
        D. Ridge Ending

8. Points at which a single ridge split into two ridges.

        A. Island
        B. Ridge Enclosure
        C. Bifurcation
        D. Bridge

9. The ridges enter from one side of the finger, rise in the center  
    forming an arch and then exit the other side of the finger.
        A. Loop
        B. Arch
        C. Whorl
        D. Accidental whorl

10. Ridges form circularly around a central point on the finger.

        A. Radial Loop
        B. Loop
        C. Arch
        D. Whorl
  

Answer:
 

1.     D
2.     C
3.     A
4.     A
5.     D
6.     B
7.     D
8.     C
9.     B
10.   D
Personal Identification Reviewer 4
1. The Ridges enter from one side of a finger, form a curve and then 
    exit on that same side.
        A. Accidental Whorl
        B. Loop
        C. Arch
        D. Whorl

2. When is fingerprint ridges formed?

        A. First to second month of fetal development
        B. Second to third month of fetal development
        C. Third to fourth month of fetal development
        D. Fourth to fifth month of fetal development

3. It is the process of automatically matching one of many unknown 

    fingerprints against a database of known and unknown prints.
        A. Minutiae
        B. Automated Fingerprint Identification System - AFIS
        C. Exemplar
        D. Electric Recording

4. A basic fundamentals of fingerprints which says that fingerprint 

    never change.
        A. Individuality
        B. Permanence
        C. Static
        D. Variable

5. A basic fundamentals of fingerprint which says that no two 

    fingerprints are alike.
        A. Individuality
        B. Permanence
        C. Static
        D. Variable

6. One of the characteristics of a ridge, The point at which the 

    ridge terminate.
        A. Ridge Ending
        B. Bifurcation
        C. Dot
        D. Island

7. The Y-Shaped split of one ridge into two.

        A. Ridge Ending
        B. Bifurcation
        C. Dot
        D. Island

8. It refers to the feet and toes.

        A. Palmar
        B. Plantar
        C. Exemplar
        D. Latent 
9. It refers to fingers and palms.
        A. Palmar
        B. Plantar
        C. Exemplar
        D. Latent

10. It is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger.

        A. Dermatoglyphics
        B. Latent Print
        C. Friction Ridge
        D. fingerprint
    
  

Answer:
1.     B
2.     C
3.     B
4.     B        
5.     A
6.     A
7.     B
8.     B
9.     A
10.   D

Definition of Terms

Accidental whorl -  relatively rare pattern having 3 or more deltas or all

the characteristics of two or more different pattern types (excluding the plain arch).
This category is used to accommodate those patterns that do not conform to any of
the fingerprint patterns.

Adhesive lifter - any of a variety of adhesive coated materials or tapes used to lift
fingerprints or footwear impressions.They are primarily used to lift powdered
impressions from non-pourous surfaces.

AFIS - (automated fingerprint identification system) enables computers to make rapid

and accurate comparisons between fingerprints and the vast number of fingerprints
in police records.

Alternate light source - equipment used to produce visible and invisible light at various
wavelengths to enhance or visualize potential items of evidence.

Angle - results from two or more ridges converging with one another at a point.

Anthropometry - method of identification devised by Alphonse Bertillon in the late

19th century,consisting of a set of body measurements thought to form a unique
profile.

Arch - the ridges enter from one side of the finger,rise in the center forming an arc and
then exit the other side of the finger.

Argentina - became the first country to rely solely on fingerprints as a method of

individualization.

Bartillonage - a method of classifying human beings by a set of detailed body

measurements, invented by Alphonse Bertillon, a clerk in the French Surete in 1883
but rendered obsolete byfingerprinting.

Bifurcation - (fork) a single ridge splitting or forking into two branches.

Biometrics - refers to the identification of humans by their

physiological/behavioral characteristics.

Bridges - a connecting friction ridge between parallel running ridges generally right

angles.

Central pocket loop - a variation of the plain whorl pattern.Some ridges tend to form a
loop pattern that recurves and surround a whorl at the center.

Core - A u-turn in the ridge pattern.Approximate center of the pattern area.

Cross over/Bridge - a short ridge that runs between two parallel ridges.

Cyanoacrylate fuming - important method for the visualization of latent

fingerprints.Also called "super glue fuming".

Delta - the nearest point nearest the typeline divergence,a characteristic junction in
the looped ridge pattern seen in the fingerprints of approximately 65% of people.The
outer terminal point of the pattern nearest the type line divergence.A Y-shape ridge
meeting.

Dental records - a standard system for classifying a persons teeth according to

distribution,displacement, and their appearance together with any gaps or evidence of
remedial work; useful for identifying bodies because of the virtual indestructibility of
the teeth.

Dermis - the layer of the skin just below the epidermis or outer layer.The dermis has a
rich supply of blood vessels,nerves, and skin structures.

Divergence - is the spreading a part of two ridges that have been running parallel or
nearly parallel.

Diverging ridges - diverging ridges are parallel for some distance but then swing out
away from each other.

DNA profile - consists of a set of DNA identification characteristicsthat permit the DNA

of one person to be distinguishable from that of another person.
Dot - a very short ridge and means exactly what the word implies.

Double loop - (twinned loop) another type of whorl.In it ,two separate loop formations
are present and may surround each other.

Enclosure,ridge - a single ridge that bifurcates and reunites shortly afterwards to

continue as a single ridge.also known as lakes.

Enhance - to develop or to bring out from a latent form.

Enlargement - a print made from a smaller negative or slide through magnification.

Epidermis - the outermost non vascular covering of the skin.

Femur - the thighbone which can be measured and used as a guide to the height of the
person to whom it belong.

Fingerprint pattern type - formed by a series of lines corresponding to ridges (hills)

and grooves (valleys) on the skin of the fingertip.There are eight basic types of
fingerprint patterns.

Fingerprint powder - a powder (silver,gray,black,red, or fluorescent) dusted on a

latent print with a brush to enhance or bring out the ridge details of a print.   

Fingerprint recognition/Fingerprint identification - refers to the automated method of

verifying a match between two human fingerprints.

Focal point - are found within most pattern areas, usually a delta and core.

Forensic odontology - the study of teeth,dentures,and bite marks for the purpose of
obtaining criminal evidence or identifying physical remains or the source of the bite
wounds.

Friction ridge skin - skin on the soles of the feet,palms of the hands, and fingers of
humans ans some primates that form ridges and valleys.Friction ridge skin forms
classifiable patterns on the end joint of the finger.

Horizontal plane - is the ridge directly below an up thrusting or angular ridge in tented

arch pattern,the baseline ridge enters the pattern may rise slightly and exits on the
opposite side from which it enters.

Identikit - the first packaged system for reconstructing the appearance of a suspects
face based on a wide choice of drawings of facial features.

Iodine fumes - the oldest method for visualizing latent fingerprints at a crime scene.

Island - a single small ridge inside a short ridge or ridge ending that is not connected
to all other ridges.

Langer's lines - structural orientation of the fibrous tissue of the skin that forms the
natural cleavage line present in all body areas but visible only in certain areas such as
the creases of the palms.
Latent print - generally used to describe any type of print found at the scene of a crime
or on evidence associated with a crime.Latent prints are normally not visible.Some
means of development is generally required for their visualization.

Line of flow - imaginary line between the delta and core in the loop and whorl
patterns.Line of flow is used to determine sufficient recurve in patterns.

Loop - the ridges enter from one side of a finger,form a curve and then exit on the
same side.

Major criminal prints - a recording of all of the friction ridge skin that covers the
hands.Major criminal prints include fingers,palms,tips of the fingers and middle joints
of the finger on both sides.

Minutiae - the characteristics that make each fingerprint capable of being

differentiated from any other print by a different area of friction skin.Comparison of
latent prints with known prints begins with the overall pattern.The ridge detail of
fingerprints including the ends of the ridges,their separations, and their relationships
to one another constitute the bases for fingerprint comparison.

Palmar zone - the elevated area just behind the fingers and above the center of the
palm.This zone has no hair follicles and thus, no apocrine or sebaceous glands.

Pattern area - is that part of the fingerprint impression used in the interpretation and
classification of a finger.Is that part of a loop or whorl in which appear the core,delta,
and ridge.

Plain arch - the simplest pattern.The ridges enter on one side,rise to form a wave in
the center and exit smoothly on the opposite side.

Plain whorl - a pattern in which one or more ridges form a complete revolution  around
the center.Whorls generally have two or more deltas.

Plantar - pertaining to the sole of the foot.

Radial loop - a loop formed as part of a fingerprint pattern that opens toward the
thumb, recurve and then exit on the same side

Ridge count - is the number of ridges intervening between the delta and the core.

Ridge crossing - a point where two ridge units intersect.

Ridge ending - the point of the ridge's termination.It is considered an ending ridge
only if it terminates within the pattern area.

Rojas murder case - considered the first homicide solved by fingerprint evidence.

Short ridge - a relative term used to denote a ridge that is not as long as the average
ridge in that specific print.

Spur - a bifurcation with a short ridge branching off a longer ridge.also known as hooks.

Tented arch - variation of the plain arch.Ridges at the center are thrust upward in a more
abrupt manner similar to the appearance of a tent pole.

Tibia - the shin bone, often used as guide for calculating a persons height.

Tracings - are used to breakdown whorl patterns into smaller sub-groupings.

Trifurcation - one single ridge splitting into three-pronged fork-shaped pattern.

Typelines - the two innermost ridges that surround or tend to surround the pattern area.The
pattern area of a loop surrounded by two diverging ridges.

Ulnar  loop - a pattern in which one or more ridges enter on the side toward the little finger,
re-curve and then exit toward the same side.

Visible print - sometimes referred to as a patent print.Made by fingers stained with colored
materials such as blood,ink,paint,grease, or dirt.

Whorls - fingerprint pattern where the ridges turn through at least one complete circuit.Ridges
form circularly around a central point of the finger.