UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY

(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)

City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

NAME: TAGUM, GUIA N. SUBJECT: CDI 1

SECTION: BSCR 2B DATE: 11/27/2020

LEGAL ASPECTS OF FINGERPRINTING

A. LEGALITY OF FINGERPRINTING:
1. PEOPLE VS. JENNINGS (1911, ILLINOIS) – pass upon the admissibility of
fingerprint evidence.
2. STATE VS. CERCIELLO (NEW JERSEY) – fingerprint evidence was
permitted to be introduced.
3. STATE VS. CONNERS – it was held competent to show by a photograph the
fingerprints upon a balcony post of a house entered
without producing that post in court.
4. PEOPLE VS CORAL (CALIFORNIA) – it is completely settled law that
fingerprints are the strongest evidence of
the evidence of the identity of a person. It
was reasserted in another California case:
People v. Riser- fingerprint evidence is the
strongest evidence of identity and is
ordinarily sufficient aid to identify the
defendant.
5. BILANGAWA VS. AMADOR (PHILIPPINES) – a fingerprint expert and
constabulary sergeant
testified and successfully
defended fingerprint
evidence based on eight
identical ridge points.
6. PEOPLE VS. MEDINA – the first leading judicial decision in the Philippine
Jurisprudence on the science of fingerprinting

METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION BEFORE THE SCIENCE OF FINGERPRINT

WAS IN USED:
1. Tattoo Marks
2. Scar Marks
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

3. Anthropometry –is the first scientific method of identification done by

measuring various bony structure of the human body devised by
Alphonse Bertillon
ALPHONSE BERTILLON – Father of Scientific Identification

IMPORTANCE OR USES OF FINGERPRINTS

o For identifying suspects for investigation purposes
o To provide identity for unidentified dead person
o Identification of missing person
o Detecting a criminal identity through fingerprints collected at the scene and
determining recidivism or habitual delinquency
o Means of verification or confirmation of public documents
o For the purpose of issuing clearance
o Use in opening volts or doors leading to confidential matters
o Means in checking or verifying entry of authorized personnel on certain
establishments.

D. DACTYLOSCOPY- the science which deals with study of fingerprints as a means of

personal identification.
2 Greek Words:
Dactyl- a finger Skopein- to examine
DACTYLOGRAPHY-the study of fingerprints for the purpose of identification.
DACTYLOMANCY- an attempt at character reading through the pattern of
fingerprints.
DERMATOGLYPHICS- are the lines, tracings and designs on the skin of fingers,
palms and soles.
POLYDACTYL- a hand having more than the required numbers of fingers

THREE ALLIED OR RELATED SCIENCES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF

DACTYLOSCOPY:
1. CHIROSCOPY- scientific examination of the palm of the hand.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

Greek Words:
Cheir- palm/hand Skopein- to examine
2. PODOSCOPY –scientific examination of the sole of the foot.
Greek Words:
Podo- sole/foot Skopein- to examine
3. POROSCOPY- scientific examination of sweat pores/glands.
Greek Words:
Poros- a pore Skopein- to examine

DOGMATIC PRINCIPLES IN THE BIOLOGICAL STUDY OF FINGERPRINTS

1. PRINCIPLE OF INDIVIDUALITY – this states that no two fingerprints of
different persons or the neighboring fingers of the same person have
ever been found to be identical or exactly alike in all respect that the
ridges appearing in fingerprint patterns of identical twins are never
found to be identical to each other.
2. PRINCIPLES OF CONSTANCY/PERMANENCY – this states that the
papillary ridges are immutable, perennial and individual from the third
month of the embryonic while the child is still at the mother’s womb
and it will never change until the decomposition sets in after death.
3. PRINCOPLES OF INFALLIBILITY – this states that the fingerprint can never
be forged. Fingerprint is reliable means of identification.

SOME ATTEMPTS OF DESTROYING RIDGES AND DISGUISED

JOHN DILLENGER – is a US notorious public enemy no. 1, who tried to remove
his fingerprints with acid but failed. Post-Mortem fingerprints were taken
when he was shot by FBI agents proved that he was Dillenger.
ROBERT JAMES PITTS – gained fame as the man without fingerprints knowing
from an inmate of a possible destruction of fingerprints. He contacted a
doctor. He removed the skin up to the generative layer and served thin
into incisions on each side of Pitts chest, Scar Tissue was developed.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

Almost a year later, he was picked up and police amazed to find that he
had no fingerprints. The Texas Department of Public Safety was able to
affect identification out of the second joints of his fingers. He is also
known by the Name Roscoe Pitts.
LOCARD AND WITKOWSJI OF LYONS – who performed rather painful
experiments on themselves by burning their fingerprints with boiling
water, hot oil and hot metal had shown that after the healing of the
epidermis, the original patterns of fingerprints reappeared.

FINGERPRINT LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

1. INK ROLLER - refers to an instrument used for spreading the ink into the ink
slab or inking plate
2. INK SLAB/INKING PLATE - refers to a piece of metal or a plane glass with as
much as ¼ thick and 6 or more inches long where the fingerprint ink is distributed
for fingerprinting.
3. CARD HOLDER - refers to a gadget used for clipping the fingerprint card to
avoid movement of the card during printing/
4. FINGERPRINT INK - refers to an especially manufactured ink for purposes of
taking fingerprint.
5. MAGNIFYING GLASS - refers to an instrument used for examination of
developed prints.
6. FINGERPRINT POWDERS - refers to the powder used in developing latent
prints found in the scene of crime. They are normally found in two: the black and
the white or gray, which is applied depending upon the contrasting background.
7. FINGERPRINT BRUSHES - refers to an instrument used for powdering latent
prints. There are three variations of brushes used: the fiber glass, magnetic and
feather type.
8. FINGERPRINT LIFTING TAPE - refers to a tape used for lifting developed latent
prints which is quite harder than an ordinary tape.
9. LATENT PRINTS TRANSFER CARDS - refers to a card used in preserving lifted
latent prints which is either white or black in background.
10. FINGERPRINT CARDS - refers to a piece of card used for recording the ten
fingerprints for comparison. The usual size is 8”x8”.
11. SCISSORS - refers to a simple instrument for cutting latent prints tapes and for
other purposes.
12. RUBBER GLOVES - to protect the technician’s fingers from leaving his own
prints on the object or on the scene.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

13. POST-MORTEM FINGERPRINT EQUIPMENT- refers to a set of equipment

consisting of hypodermis syringe, spoon, tissue builder solvent, tissue cleaner,
etc. used for taking prints of dead person.
14. FINGERPRINT TABLE - a table intended for taking fingerprints
15. FINGERPRINT POINTERS - use for pointing the ridges in the conduct of ridge
counting
16. FINGERPRINT CAMERAS - use in photographing the developed latent prints.
17. FORENSIC OPTICAL COMPARATOR - use to compare two fingerprints at the
same time.
18. FINGERPRINT TABLE- table intended for fingerprinting.

FINGERPRINTS AND THE FRICTION SKIN

FINGERPRINTS - the distinctive ridge outline which appears on the bulb of
fingers.
- is an impression design by the ridges on the inside of the last
joint of the finger or thumb on smooth surface through the
media of an ink, sweat or any reagents capable of producing
visibility.
FRICTION SKIN - epidermal hairless skin found on the ventral/lower surface of
the hands and feet covered with minute ridges and furrows
and without pigment and coloring matters.
- the skin covering of the palms of hands and the soles of feet.
- are strips of skin on the inside of the end joint or our fingers
and thumbs by which fingerprints are made.

COMPONENTS OF THE FRICTION SKIN:

RIDGE SURFACE — is that component of the friction skin that actually forms the
fingerprint impression.
1. RIDGES - are tiny elevation or hill like structures found on the epidermis layer of the
skin containing sweat pores.
- it appears as black lines with tiny dots called pores in an inked impression.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

2. FURROWS - are the canal like impression or a depression found between the ridges
which maybe compare with the low area in a true thread.
SWEAT PORES - is small opening found anywhere across the ridge surface but
is usually found near the center.
- sometimes called an "islands high colors white in plain
impression and is considered as individual as the fingerprints".
SWEAT DUCT - Is a long host like structure that serves as the passage way for
the sweat that exits at its mouth, the pore.
SWEAT GLANDS - that glands found in the dermis layer of the skin which is
responsible for the product of the sweat (watery substance).
FUNDAMENTAL LAYERS OF THE SKIN
1. EPIDERMIS - the outer covering of the skin
2 Main Layers of the Epidermis:
1. Stratum Corneum - outer layers
2. Stratum Mucosum- immediately beneath the covering layers.
TERMINAL PHALANGE - the particular bone that is covered with the
friction skin having all the different types of
pattern and located near the tip of the finger.
FIVE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE STRATUM CORNEUM
1. Corneous Layer
2. Transparent Layer
3. Granular Layer
4. Malpighian Layer
5. Generating Layer

2. DERMIS - the inner layer of the skin containing blood vessels, various glands
and nerves. It is where the dermal papillae are found.
RIDGE FORMATION - Ridges begin to form on the human fetus during the 3rd
to 4th months of the fetus (5 to 6 months before birth)
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

DERMAL PAPILLAE - irregular blunt pegs composed of delicate connective

tissues protruding and forming the ridges of the skin
each containing a small opening or pores.
RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS (also known as minutiae) - details of ridge
structures, formations and elements which
differentiate fronm one fingerprint from another and
which impart individually to each print.
Identification by fingerprints relies on pattern matching followed by the detection
of certain ridge or minutiae and the comparison of the relative positions of these
minutiae points with a reference print, usually an inked impression of a suspect's print.
There are three basic ridge characteristics, the ridge ending the bifurcation and the dot
(or island).
Identification points consist of bifurcations, ending ridges, dots, ridges and
islands. A Single rolled fingerprint may have as many as 100 or more identification
purposes. There is no exact size requirement as the number of points found on a
fingerprint’s impression depend on the location of the print. As an example, the area
immediately surrounding a delta will probably contain more points per square millimeter
that the area near the tip of the finger which tends to not have that many points.
1. BIFURCATION - a single ridge that divides itself in two or more branches. It
sometimes called as FORK
2. CONVERGING RIDGE - a ridge formation characterized by a closed angular end
and serves as a point of convergence (meeting of two ridges that were previously
running side by side)
3. DIVERGING RIDGES - two ridges that are flowing side by side and suddenly
separating or spreading apart.
4. ENCLOSURE (LAKE ON EYELET) - a ridge that divides into two branches and
meets to form the original ridge.
5. ENDING RIDGE - an end point of a ridge with abrupt ending.
6. RECURVING OR LOOPING RIDGE - a kind of ridge formation that curves back
in the direction from which it started.
7. SUFFICIENT RECURVE - a recurving ridge complete in it shoulder and is free
from any appendage.
8. APPENDAGE - a short ridge found at the top or summit of a recurving ridge.
9. ROD OR BAR - a short or long ridge found inside the innermost recurving ridge
of a loop pattern
10. OBSTRUCTION RIDGE - short ridge found inside the innermost recurving ridge
that spoiled the inner flow towards the center of the pattern
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

11. FRAGMENTARY RIDGE - a ridge of extremely short length

12. DOT RIDGE - ridge formed like dots.
FOCAL POINTS - are enclosed within the pattern area.
PATTERN AREA - is that part of a loop or a whorl in which appear the
core deltas and ridges are located.
CORE - the inner terminus of the approximate center of a fingerprint
pattern.
DELTA - the outer terminus or that point in a ridge at or in front of or
nearest the center of the divergence of the type lines.
6 DELTA FORMATIONS
1. a bifurcating ridge 4. a short ridge
2. a dot 5. a converging ridge
3. an ending 6. a point on a long ridge
ADDITIONAL COMPARISON POINTS
CREASE - usually run longitudinally along the length of the finger.
FLEXURE LINE - a permanent crease in the skin at the knuckles which
permits the skin to flex the finger is extended.
CAUSES OF RIDGE DESTRUCTION
 Persons doing manual work - fingerprint of persons who handle lime cement
plaster or persons whose hands are continually wet.
 Diseased person
 Warts
 Creases - caused by a folding of the skin
 impressions appear as white limes crossing the ridges
 Scar
 Burns

UNIT V PRINTS FOUND IN THE FINGERPRINT CARD

Specific Objectives
At the end of the nit, the students will enable to:
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

a. Distinguish Rolled impression and plain impression

b. Know the purpose of plain impression
c. Know and follow the Scientific way of taking Fingerprint
d. Know the reason for Poor Impressions
e. Identify
f. The problems in the Recording Inked Fingerprint
g. Know and understand the procedure on Postmodern-Fingerprinting
Text:
TWO TYPES OF PRINTS FOUND IN A FINGERPRINT CARD
ROLLED IMPRESSION – an impression made or place in the fingerprint card
which is taken individually, by rolling the ten fingers of the subject 180
degrees from tip to the second joints
PLAIN IMPRESSION – an impression made simultaneously that serve as a
reference impression

PURPOSE OF THE PLAIN IMPRESSION:

 To serve as a guide in checking the rolled impression whether or not the rolled
impression was properly place on their respective boxes
 To check on the ridge characteristics of the plain impression, if the rolled
impression is somewhat faint, or indistinctive due to the bad condition of the
friction skin either temporary or permanently deteriorated or in case of doubtful or
questionable prints.
 To check the minute details of the ridge characteristics for purpose of
classification and identification.

SPECIFIC WAY OF TAKING FINGERPRINTS

1. Prepare the set-up for printing
2. Clean the inking plate/slab thoroughly before spreading the ink
3. Place a small amount of fingerprint ink on each side of the slab and in the center,
then start spreading the ink using the roller back and forth until the ink is evenly
distributed.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

4. To check whether or not the ink was spread properly or whether it is enough or
not try to print one of your fingers or put the slab near the light and if brownish
reflection is observed it means you have a good ink for used.
5. Place the fingerprint card on the card holder properly to ensure that proper entry
will be easy.
6. Check the hands of the subject. Make sure that it is clean and dry. If it is
perspiring freely wipe them off with a soft clean cloth dampened with alcohol.
7. The technician should stand at the left of the subject in taking the right-hand
impression and take the right side in taking the left-hand impression of the
subject.
8. Subject should be instructed to stand straight but relax and not to assist the
technician in rolling his finger.
9. In taking the rolled impression, technician should place first the right thumb to be
rolled toward the body of the subject while the other fingers not in use either
folded or close. Then inked the remaining fingers and rolled it away from the
body of the subject. Make sure to roll the finger from the tip down to the
beginning of the next joint, and from one side to the other (180 degrees).
10. Same should be done in the left hand only that the technician will turn to the
right of the subject.
11. Apply only moderate amount of pressure in printing the subject fingers to avoid
blurred prints but hold the subject hand firmly so as prevent pulling that may
cause smeared impression.
12. To obtain the plain impression all the fingers of the right hand should be pressed
lightly upon the inking plate, then press simultaneously upon the lower right hand
of the card and do the same to the left hand.

REASONS FOR POOR IMPRESSIONS:

1. Poor ink – resulting in the ridges too light to count or trace
2. Dirty Finger or equipment – presence of foreign materials which may
result from failure to clean thoroughly the inking equipment if the fingers
may cause false markings, distorted ridges or disappearance of
characteristics.
3. Improper rolling – failure to roll the fingers fully from one side to the other
resulting in incomplete prints which may cannot be fully identified.
4. Rolling more than once
5. Too much pressure
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

6. Slippage – this happens when the fingers are allowed t slip or twist
resulting in smears, blurs, and false patterns.
7. Over thinking – using of too much ink resulting obliteration of the thin
layers with the roller.
8. Incomplete Inking – failure to ink the entire bulb of the finger from joint t
tip from side to side of nails, resulting in the possible of omission of deltas
and core.

PROBLEMS IN RECORDING INKED FINGERPRINTS

1. TEMPORARY DEFORMITIES – Occupational problems such as acid
workers, plaster, cement mixers, assembly workers in electrical appliance
plant. In such case the ridges are not exactly destroyed but they
weakened the prints.
2. PERMANENT DISABILITIES – One permanent disability is a s case of
amputated finger. In such case, proper notation of the exact blocks where
the amputated fingers are to be recorded should be made. In case of a
person without fingers at birth it should be noted “missing fingers at birth”
or “born without fingers”. If fingers are extremely crippled, broken or
disabled proper notation should be made and, in some case, the recorder
should make use of some inking device such as spatula, the roller and a
curve card strip holder to take the prints which is usually apply in taking
post mortem fingerprint.
3. DEFORMITIES – In this situation, an infrequent problem of a person with
an extra finger. In which the extra finger should be recorded at the back of
the card with the necessary notation. In case of two thumbs, the inner
should be used for purposes of classification. In webbed finger there is no
problem on it, the recorder just simply records the finger together.

POST-MORTEM FINGERPRINTING
1. Fingerprinting the newly dead
When the fingers are flexible It is often possible to serve inked
fingerprints impression of deceased person through the regular inking process on
standard fingerprint card.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

TYPES OF FINGERPRINT PATTERN

ARCH (5%) LOOP (60%) WHORL
(35 %)
Plain Arch Radial Loop Plain Whorl
Tented Arch Ulnar Loop Central Pocket
Loop Whorl
Double Loop
Whorl
Accidental
Whorl
1. Plain Arch – a pattern in which the ridges flows from one side to the other
without recurving usually having a slight upward curve in the center making the
pattern like arch.

2. Tented Arch – a pattern where one or more ridges at the center forms an up
trust or make sufficient rise giving the pattern of a “Tent” giving an angle of 90
degrees or less.

Requisites of a core:
a. No core
b. No delta

3. Radial Loop – a loop in which

the downward slope or the slanting ridges runs towards the direction of the
thumb.
RIGHT THUMB
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

• Radial Bone — the inner bone of the forearm that runs to the wrist on
the side where the thumb is located.
4. Ulnar Loop - a loop in which the downward slope or tile slanting ridges towards
the direction of the little finger
• Ulna Bone — the bone running to the wrist located or situated on the
little finger

Requisites of a Loop pattern:

1.it must have a delta
2. It must have a core
3.It must have a recurving ridge between the delta and the core
4. It must have a ridge count of at least one’
5. Plain whorl - a pattern consisting of two deltas and which at least one ridge
makes a turn through one complete circuit. An imaginary line drawn between the
two deltas must touch or cross at
least one of the recurving ridges
within the pattern area.
Elements of a Plain Whorl:
1. A complete Circuit
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

2. Two deltas
3. At least one circulating ridge is touched or crossed by an imaginary line
traversing the two deltas.
6. Central Pocket Loop Whorl - a pattern which possesses two deltas with core or
more ridges forming a complete Circuit which may be oval. spiral, circular, or any
variant of a circle
Elements of a Central Pocket Loop Whorl
1. At least one recurving or obstruction at right angle
2.Two deltas
3.No recurving ridges within the pattern area are touched or cross by an
imaginary line draw. between the two details.
7. Double Loop Whorl - pattern consisting of separate distinct loop formations.
with sets of and two deltas
Elements of a double loop whorl
1.Two separate loop formation
2.Two separate and distinct shoulders
3.Two deltas
8. Accidental whorl - a pattern consisting of a combination of two different type of
pattern such as a loop and a whorl. a loop and a central pocket loop whorl. or
any combination of different loop and whorl type pattern but it cannot be a
combination of a plans arch with any other pattern. It can have two or more
deltas
Elements:
I. Combination of two different type of pattern with the exceptions of the
plain arch.
2. Two or more deltas Unit evaluation:
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

RIDGE TRACING – the process of tracing the ridges from the left delta to the right
delta.
RULES IN RIDGE TRACING
1. Look for the left delta and traced towards the front of the right delta below the
original tracing ridge and continue the tracing until it reaches the opposite side.
2. When the ridge being traced abruptly ends, drop to the next ridge just right below
the original tracing ridge and continue the tracing until it reaches the opposite side.
3. When the delta is a dot same thing should be done in number 2 procedure
4. When the ridge being traced is a bifurcation always follow the lower branch until
tracing is completed.
5. Determine whether the tracing ridge flows inside or outside the right delta.
6. Count the number of the intervening ridge (between the tracing ridge and the right
delta
TYPES OF WHORL TRACING
INNER ( I ) – a whorl pattern whereby the tracing ridge runs or goes inside or above the
right delta (3 or more intervening ridges going inside the right delta)
OUTER ( O ) – a whorl pattern whereby a tracing ridge runs or goes below or outside
the right delta ( 3 or more intervening ridges going outside the right delta)
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

MEETING ( M ) – whorl pattern having two or less intervening ridges regardless of

whether the tracing ridge flows below or above the right delta ( 2 or less intervening
ridges either it goes in or out the right delta )

RIDGE COUNTING – the process of counting the ridges that touch the imaginary line
drawn between the delta and the core of a loop.

RULES GOVERNING THE CHOICE BETWEEN TWO OR MORE POSSIBILITIES

DELTAS
a. A bifurcation may not be selected as a delta if it does not open towards the core.
A bifurcation should be the first ridge formation in front of the divergence of the
type lines a divergence of the type lines and it must open towards the patter
area.
b. When there is a choice between two or more possible delta, the one nearest to
the core be selected.
 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

c. When there is a choice between two or more possible delta one of which is a
bifurcation. The bifurcation should be selected.
d. The delta may not be located on the middle of the ridge running between the
type lines towards the core but at the end of the ridge.
e. When a pattern shows a series of bifurcation opening towards the core at the
point of the type lines. The bifurcation nearest the core is chosen as the delta.
f. If case of ridge near the center of the type lines despite several bifurcating ridge
opening towards the core. The delta is located at the point of the first bifurcation
just in front of the divergence of the type lines.

RULES GOVERNING THE SELECTION OF THE CORE

a. The core on the shoulder of the recurving ridge further from the delta.
 When an innermost recurving ridge contains a rod or an ending ridge
rising high as the shoulders of the loop. The core is placed on the summit
off the Rod.
b. When the innermost recurving ridge contains an uneven of rods rising as high as
the shoulder line or even higher the core is placed upon the end of the center
ridge whether it touches the recurve or not.
c. When the innermost recurve contains an even number of ridges which are rising
as high or higher than its shoulder line. The core is placed upon the end of the
center ridge whether it touches the innermost recurve or not.
d. When the innermost recurve contains an even number of ridges which are rising
as higher than its shoulder line of the two central ridges, the core us placed upon
the end of the second ridge which is farther from the delta.

RULES IN RIDGE COUNTING

a. Locate the exact points of the core and delta
b. Count all the ridges which touch or cross an imaginary line drawn between the
core and the delta
c. Incipient ridges are never counted no matter where they appear. The General
rule is that in order to be counted, the width of the ridge must be equal to the
width of the other ridges in the pattern under consideration.

RULES SUBJECT TO RIDGE COUNTING

 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)
City of Iriga
COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY

1. A ridge island or a dot gives one ridge count

2. A short ridge is given one ridge count
3. A long ridge is given one ridge count
4. An abrupt ending is given one ridge count
5. A bifurcation ridge is given two ridge counts when it was cross in the opening or
at the center of the bifurcation.
6. Ridge enclosure is counted as two ridges.