Running head: DEVELOPMENT OF LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON SKIN 1

The Development of Latent Fingerprints on Skin

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DEVELOPMENT OF LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON SKIN 2

There are multiple areas in fingerprint research and review that need more exploration to

standardize the print lifting and development process for forensic investigation. Arguably, latent

print development on human skin is one of the most difficult processes in fingerprinting. For

instance, homicide by strangulation is one of the key areas that could benefit from improved

techniques in latent fingerprint development. Generally, the difficulty in the development of

fingerprints on the skin is based on aspects that are related to body temperature, excretion of

waste, and bother bodily biochemical changes that follow death (Kalka, Beachler, & Hicklin,

2020). Further, still, even live bodies still present a challenge in the development of fingerprints

that are admissible in court as a science. Therefore, there have been multiple studies that have

been conducted to develop idealized latent fingerprint developments.

There are different methods that are applied in developing latent prints on human skins

under different conditions. These include ideas such as the use of optical techniques,

photography iodine/ silver plate transfer methods, the use of different powders, cyano fuming,

and blood print enhancement chemicals. In the late ’60s and early 70s, X-rays were used in

experimental processes to develop latent prints on the skin (Giuliano, 2019). Dusting with

magnetic powders leads to the adherence of the powder with the print’s residual material on the

skin’s friction ridge. Ideally, the use of powder techniques is only ideal for smooth and non-

porous surfaces (Giuliano, 2019). FBI studies in 1996 fronted the use of magnetic powders in

post-superglue fuming. This was a more efficient process of recovering latent fingerprints on

human skin.

X-ray techniques also utilize some aspects of powder dusting to develop latent prints.

Finely powdered lead and a 400-grid mesh are used in the process to create contrast before X-

rays are used in the visualization process. While the method is more accurate, it is not popular in
DEVELOPMENT OF LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON SKIN 2

its use due to associated costs, the instability of equipment when needed at crime scenes, and the

higher health hazards associated with their repeated use. Therefore, other more suitable methods

such as the direct transfer method that uses Kromekote card lifting are more applicable. A latent

fingerprint on human skin can effectively be created by the firm pressing of the Kromekote card

to the target surface and gently lifting the impression card. This process should be carefully done

carefully with gentle motions until the card is fully free from the skin surface. After the lifting is

done, the card is then processed with the use of black fingerprint powder. The fiberglass bristles

brush is preferred for the development of the transferred print impression. The print is a mirror

copy of the original and requires photography and reversal. Any irregularities present on the

human skin may necessitate the use of silicone rubber. The Kromekard technique can be used

between 1 to 2 hours after the print is placed on the skin surface. For deceased persons, the

lifting of the prints using this method should be done before body refrigeration.

Electronography is also another approach that can be used to develop latent prints. The

method applies transmission x-ray techniques to visualize a surface. Other methods that can be

applied include iodine-silver plate transfers, laser detection by inherent luminescence, and the

use of ruthenium tetroxide. However, the specific method that is applicable to a case is

dependent on the condition of the surface and the period it has taken before the arrival of the

processing teams.
DEVELOPMENT OF LATENT FINGERPRINTS ON SKIN 2

References

Giuliano, A. (2019). Artifacts Caused by Livescan Affect a Latent Print Comparison: An

Actual Case. Journal of Forensic Identification, 69(1).

Kalka, N. D., Beachler, M., & Hicklin, R. A. (2020). LQMetric: A Latent Fingerprint

Quality Metric for Predicting AFIS Performance and Assessing the Value of Latent

Fingerprints. Journal of Forensic Identification, 70(4), 443-463.