DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. FINGERPRINT (Dactylograms) - an impression,

designed by the ridges on the inside of the end joint of
the fingers and thumb on any smooth surface through
the media of ink, sweat or any reagents capable of
producing visibility.
2. DACTYLOSCOPY – the science that deals with the
study of fingerprints as a means of personal identification
that involves manual comparison of fingerprints.
3. DACTYLOGRAPHY – the scientific study and
analysis of fingerprints as a means of identification.

4. DACTYLOMANCY –the study of fingerprints for the

purpose of interpreting one’s personality.
 SKIN STRUCTURE

Friction, Epidermal or Papillary skin

1.It is an epidermal hairless skin on the ventral or lower
surface of the hands and feet.
2.The strips of skin on the inside of the end joints of our
fingers and thumbs by which fingerprints are made.

Friction Ridges are found on every Friction skin/epidermal

skin/papillary skin.

Minutiae are friction ridges that compose the patterns of

fingerprints.
 DEVELOPMENT OF RIDGES

3rd - 4th month – ridges start to develop

About 6 months - ridges are fully developed

• Fingerprint size – may Change

• Ridge characteristics and pattern – Does not
change
 FACTORS AFFECTING THE STABILITY OF
LATENT PRINTS
 
1. Climate/Climatic Condition – windy, sunny and wet
seasons affects the stability of latent print.

2. Subject Factor – Degree of acidity.

3. Nature of the Surface – whether the surface is smooth

or rough.
NO. OF RIDGE DETAILS FOR A FINGERPRINT TO
BE ACCEPTED AS EVIDENCE
There are no international rules or laws setting the
required no. of similarities of latent and suspect’s
fingerprint.

Other countries set points of similarities:

a) England = 16 similarities
b) United States = 12 similarites
 What about in the Philippines?
1. Educational background,
2. Training, and
3. Experience of the fingerprint examiner are
more important than the number of ridge
details.

Only the Judge – the only authority.

People v. Medina = 10 points

 CHEMICAL METHODS

1. Ninhydrin solution - destroys writings.

2. Ninhydrin Petroleum Benzine Solution

Written materials are not destroyed.
3. Victoria Pure Blue Method – This is used to detect latent
prints on leaves, scotch tape, and masking tape.

• Preparation: 1 gram of Victoria pure blue mix with 1 liter of

ordinary water to make 0.1% of Victoria pure blue solution.

• Procedure: Dip or soak the suspected object in a tray

containing the solution for 30 seconds to 1 minute and
observe how the prints appears, then wash it with water.
Photograph the developed print. The developed print can
remain for several months and years depending on its
preservation.
 GAS METHOD
1. Super Glue / Cyanoacrelate Method
The cyano bond’s brand name in the
Philippines is mighty bond.

• This is applied to metals, plastic/synthetic

resin, painted wood or metal, leather
products, adhesive tape (adherence surface
side, not the sticky side), glossy – paper.
 STEPS IN FINGERPRINT EXAMINATION
Introduced by Sgt. Asbaugh
Code: ACE-V
1. Analysis – general patterns and name of Specific patterns are
identified.

2. Comparison – ridge details of the fingerprints are being

compared.

3. Evaluation – The making of a conclusion whether the latent print

and fingerprint of suspect are the same.

4. Verification – The opinion of an examiner should be verified by

1-2 examiner/s.
 The AFIS of PNP
1. Turned over by the Japanese Gov’t thru JICA to
the PNP on May 24, 2005.
2. This is a grant aid project amounting to 975M Yen
(approx Php 487.5M).
3. AFIS I = C1 Prints
4. AFIS II = Palm Prints
Type lines
1. The two outermost ridges
2. The basic boundaries
3. The skeleton of pattern.

Pattern Area
4. The area surrounded by the
typelines.
5. The area of a loop or whorl which
contains the ridge details.
Delta (outer terminus and tri-radius)
• Found at, front, or near the point of
divergence.

Point of Divergence (Area of Divergence)

The area where delta can be found
inside the two diverging ridges.

Diverging Ridges
Are two ridges running side by side and
suddenly separating, one ridge going one
way and the other ridge going another
way.
Core (inner terminus)
1. The heart of the pattern.
2. The approximate center
Rod or Bar
A single ending ridge located inside the
innermost sufficient recurve in a loop
pattern.

Spike – a rod that extends its length

beyond recurving ridges

Upthrust – the ending of a ridge that rose

sufficiently from the horizontal
baseline.
Recurving Ridges (Looping ridges)
The ridges that curve back from
which it started in the horizontal
baseline.

Shoulders of a Loop
The two points where the looping
ridge start and ends its curve.

Sufficient Recurve
Located on top or closed end of a
recurving ridge between the two
shoulders.
Bifurcating Ridge
•A single ridge which splits into two ridges, forming a
Y shape structure. It is referred to as a fork.

Double bifurcation – two tandem of bifurcations

Trifurcating ridges
•is a friction ridge that divides into three friction
ridges.

Opposed bifurcation
•are two bifurcations located at both ends of a single
ridge.

Series of Bifurcations – appear in tandem or group.

Spur or hook ridge
• A bifurcation with one
short ridge branching off
a longer ridge.
Converging ridge
• A ridge formation whose
closed end is angular and
serves as a point of
convergence, usually pointed
and abrupt.

Puckering Ridge
• A kind of ridge that appears
curly, irregular in appearance
and growth ceases at several
ends.
Appendage or Abutment
• A short ridge that spoils the sufficiency
of a recurve located at the top or
summit of a recurve usually at right
angle.

Staple
• a single recurving ridge on the center
of the pattern area. It can be located
along the looping ridges.

Crossover or Bridge
• A ridge that connects atleast two
ridges. It must have crossed and
connected two ridges.
Fragment
• a ridge of extremely short in length
not more than 3 millimeters.

Short ridge
• a ridge that is insufficient or limited
in length other than the fragment.

Series of Short Ridges

• A group of short ridges found inside
a pattern area. These ridges could
appear also as broken short ridges
between well-formed ridges.
Dot Ridge
• Any dot or point that can be
observed inside a fingerprint pattern.

Series of dot ridges or Row of dots

• The group of dots as printed inside a
pattern area.

Ridge Ending
• an abrupt end of any ridge
formation.
Island, Lake, Eyelet
• Refers to a formation of ridge that forms
a lake-like smaller in size than the
enclosure.

Enclosure
• A bifurcation which does not remain
open but in the legs of the bifurcation,
after running alongside for a short
distance, come together to form a single
ridge once more.

Envelop
• A single recurving ridge enclosing one or
more bars, short or dot ridge.
Incipient Ridges ( or Nascent ridges)
• NOT counted because they are only the
result of dirts, dirty fingerprint
paraphernalia and other factors, found
between two well formed ridges.

Dissociated Ridges
• NOT counted. Appears like patches and
has no no well defined pattern.

Creases
• They are caused mainly by minor surface
damage, work and tear or advanced of
age.
 CATEGORIES /FAMILIES/ GENERAL PATTERN
TYPES OF FINGERPRINTS:

1. Family of loop – 60% frequency.

2. Family of whorl - 35% frequency.

3. Family of arch - 5% frequency.

LOOP PATTERNS FREQUENCY:
1. Radial Loop – 6%.
2. Ulnar Loop – 94%.

ARCH PATTERNS FREQUENCY:

3. Plain Arch – 60%.
4. Tented Arch – 40%.

WHORL PATTERNS FREQUENCY:

5. Plain Whorl - 71%.
6. Central Pocket Loop Whorl - 13%.
7. Double Loop Whorl - 13%.
8. Accidental Whorl - 3%.
1. Plain arch (A) - a pattern
in which the ridges enter
on one side of the
pattern then flow
toward the other side,
with a rise at the center.

The simplest of all pattens.

2. Tented arch (T) - a fingerprint pattern where
majority of the ridges form an arch and one
or more ridges at the center shape a tent in
outline giving an angle of 90 degrees or less or
one with an upward thrust having an angle of
45% or more, or a pattern similar to a loop but
lacking one or two of its essential elements.

• Considered “Transitional Pattern.”

3. Radial Loop (R) - a
fingerprint pattern that
has a downward slope or
slanting of the ridges
towards the direction of
the thumb either to the
right or left hand.

RIGHT HAND
4. Ulnar Loop (U) - a fingerprint
pattern where the direction
of the ridges flows towards
the little finger side of either
right or left hand.

LEFT HAND
5. Plain Whorl (W) – a fingerprint
pattern consisting of two deltas
and in which at least one ridge
makes a turn through one
complete circuit of 360 degrees.

Two Types:
1. Elongated or Oval whorl
2. Spiral or Circular whorl
REQUISITES OF PLAIN WHORL:
1. It must have a complete circuit;
2. It must have atleast two deltas; and
3. Atleast one circuiting ridge is touched or crossed
by an imaginary line traversing the two deltas.
6. Central Pocket Loop Whorl (C)
a fingerprint pattern that forms a variant of a
whorl inside a loop like pattern.

• Sometimes called a composite pattern.

• Means, there are two patterns in one, a whorl
inside loop.
7. Double Loop Whorl (D)
A fingerprint pattern
consisting of two separate
and distinct loop formations
with two sets of shoulders,
and two deltas.

Also called Composite Pattern.

8. Accidental Whorl (X) – a fingerprint pattern
consisting of a combination of two different patterns
such as:
a. A combination of a loop and any whorl
b. But it cannot be the combination of an arch with
any other pattern.
 KINDS OF FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS
1. Rolled impression is one made by rolling an inked finger
from one side of the finger nail to the other.
2. Plain impression is one made by pressing an inked
finger directly down upon a fingerprint card without any
rolling motion.
 TYPES OF FINGERPRINT CARD
1. Criminal Fingerprint Card - used to record
fingerprints of suspects and criminals.

2. Civilian Fingerprint Card - used in recording

fingerprints of a civilian for various purposes
such as requirement for employment,
clearance, etc..
MANNER OF INKING AND PRINTING :

Thumbs - rolled towards the subject’s body

(inward).

Four other fingers - rolled away from the

subject’(outward)

The rolling of fingers should be done 180

degrees.
 QUALITY CHECKLIST OF RECORDED
FINGERPRINTS
1. Is there a fingerprint impression in each finger block?
2. Were the fingerprints rolled fully, from nail
to nail?
3. In every pattern, are the delta and core present?
4. Are the fingerprint impressions clear and
distinct?
5. Are the fingerprint impressions uniform in tone
and not too dark or light?
7. Are the rolled impressions in the correct
finger blocks when compared to the plain
impressions below?
 SPECIAL CONDITIONS IN RECORDING
FINGERPRINTS

1. Amputated (Amp) or Finger missing at birth (FMB)

Write “Amp” or FMB at the upper right corner of the
block.

2. Bandaged Finger Due to Injury

Write “bandaged” on the plain impression NOT at the
block.

3. Presence of scar
Write the word “ scarred” on the plain impression.
4. Presence of
deformities on
fingers

• Make use of
Spatula and
Spoon in
recording the
prints.
5. Partly amputated
By all means, print the remaining, then write partly
amputated on the plain impression.

6. Two thumbs at the same hand

Ignore the outermost thumb and record the 5 fingers. At the
back record the prints of the outermost thumb and make a
note.

7. Extra little finger at the same hand

Ignore the outermost little finger. Begin recording from the
thumb. Record the print of the outermost little finger at the
back of the card and make a note.
8. Extra finger appear anywhere between any of
the fingers
Record the prints of the fully-formed and normal
fingers, but record also the print of the extra
finger which is NOT fully formed at the back of
the card with notation.

9. A hand has six fully formed fingers.

Begin recording prints from the thumb, then
record any left-over finger at the back of the card.
10. Split thumb
Print it in the usual manner and make a note on
the plain impression below.
11. Two or more
normal fingers
joined or webbed
by thin membrane
of skin

The webbed fingers

must be recorded in
plain impressions. The
others, if possible, in
rolled impression.
POSTMORTEM FINGERPRINTING:
The process of recording the
fingerprints of a dead person.
Corpse
Tenprint card
Horizontal ink roller
Fingerprinting a corpse using card strips
Fingerprint or Printing spoons
Spatula / Single digit pad
Actual Pictures of Dead persons left by Typhoon
Ondoy in the Philippines

Warning:
Parental Guidance is Advised
PHOTO BY: PNP CRIME LABORATORY
PHOTO BY: PNP CRIME LABORATORY
PHOTO BY: PNP CRIME LABORATORY
PHOTO BY: PNP CRIME LABORATORY
PHOTO BY: PNP CRIME LABORATORY