Gapan City College

College of Criminology

CRM 223
PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION (DACTYLOSCOPY)
PROF RYAN DAVE G. GALANG

LECTURE NO 1
NATURE OF FINGERPRINTS
 What is Fingerprint and Fingerprinting

Fingerprint Fingerprinting

-Fingerprint is an impression  Fingerprinting is a method of

designed by the ridges on the identification using the
inside of the end joint of the impression made by the
fingers and thumb on any smooth minutiae ridge formations or
surface through the media of ink, patterns found on the fingertips
sweat or any reagents capable of of a person
producing visibility.
 What are the Divisions or Phalanges of Fingers

 Each finger of a human being has three divisions or phalanges namely

proximate baslar phalange: middle phalange; and endjoint or terminal
phalange.

 A normal person has 10 fingers namely thumb, index, middle, ring and little
fingers. The tips of each of the finger is called bulb that contains the elevated
portion of skin called ridges.
 Friction Skin and its Components

Ninety-five percent (95%) of the body skin is smooth

and relatively featureless, apart from hairs, pores
and creases. The remaining five percent (58)
covering the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
is markedly different. These areas although often
creased and containing many pores are completely
hairless and covered by numerous small lines formed
by the ridges of the skin and their consequent
furrows
Friction Skin is an
Click icon to add picture
epidermal hairless skin
found on the ventral or
lower surface of the
hands and feet covered
with minute ridges and
furrows and without
Pigment or coloring
matters.

It is also called
epidermal or papillary
skin. The ridges have
definite contour and
appear in several ridge
formations or patterns,
each possessing definite
individual detail by Friction Skin and its Components
which positive
identification can be
made.
Components of
the Friction
Skin
1. Ridge Surface is the
component of the skin that
actually forms the
fingerprint impression.

a. Ridges are tiny elevation

or hill like structures found
on the epidermis layer of the
skin containing sweat pores.
They appear as black lines
with tiny white dots called
pores in an inked
impression.

b. Furrows are the canal-like

impression or a depression
found between the ridges
which may be compared
with the low area in a tire
thread. They appear as white
lines in an inked impression.
Components of
the Friction
Skin
2.Sweat pores are small
opening found anywhere
across the ridge surface
but it is usually found
near the center. They are
sometimes called islands
with color white in plain
impression,

3. Sweat Duct is a long-

host like structure that
serves as the passage way
for the sweat.

4.Sweat Gland is found in

the dermis layer of the
skin which is responsible
for the production of the
sweat
Layers of Skin
1. Epidermal/epidermis
layer is the outer covering
of the skin. Its layers are
the following:

a. Stratum
Corneum/corneus layer is
the outer layer of the
epidermis layer of the
skin.

b.Stratum
Mucosum/transparent
layer is the layer
immediately beneath the
covering layer.

c.Stratum
lucidum/granucar layer is
present in thick Skin such
as in lips, soles of feet and
palms of hands where
little or no cell is visible..
Layers of Skin
d. Stratum granulosum
consists of 3-4 layers of
cell thick, consisting of
flattened keratinocytes. At
this level, the cells are
dying.

e. Stratum
spinosum/Malpighian
layer consists of
keratinocytes which is
referred to as living layer.

f. Stratum
Basale/generating layer is
a single layer of cells which
is in contact with the
basement membrane.
These cells are mitotically
active, alive and
reproducing.
Layers of Skin

2. Dermal
Papillae/Dermis is the
inner layer of the skin
containing blood
vessels, arrector pili
muscles, sebaceous
glands, sweat glands
and nerves.

3. Subcutaneous
Layer/Hypodermis is
the innermost layer of
skin that also contains
blood vessels,
connective tissue,
nerves and fat lobules (a
rounded division or
projection of an organ
or part in the body
especially in the lungs,
brain, or liver).
 Formations and Destruction of Ridges

Ridges of the fingerprints of a human being start to form in

its 3rd to 4th month inside the womb of the mother and the
ridges are fully formed in about 6 months. Fingerprints
remain constant until during the decomposition stage of the
skin of the corpse. The fingerprint size is the one that
changes as man grows but its ridge characteristics and
pattern remains the same
The layers of the skin of a person are very important for if
the epidermis or outer layer scarf of the skin is damaged, the
ridges can still return to its original formation. However, if
the dermis or hypodermis is damaged, there is no hope of
restoring the ridges in its original formation. The skin may
return into its formation with changes into its formation
 Causes of Ridge Destruction

 1. Manual works. Persons who use chemical like lime, cement, plasters such as electric shop
workers and assembly workers usually cause temporary destruction of the tissues that may
affect the formation of ridges in the fingers.

 2. Skin diseases. This may cause temporary destruction similar with those persons handling
lime and cements but such destruction ceases the moment that the disease has been cured.

 3. Warts. Fibrous growths in the skin are easily distinguished in impressions by the
appearance of alight spot. Usually encircled by a black ring. Warts do not destroy the ridges
just like creases.

 Warts are not permanent, when they are removed from the ridges, they assume their natural
conditions without even the appearance of a scar.

 4. Burns, Severe burns may leave a scar and will change the appearance of the skin and
totally destroy the ridges. In fact, the destruction of the sweat glands will change the skin
surface, leaving a scar in some form.

 5. Scars. May appear as thin white lines with the ridges slightly puckered on both sides of the
scar.
 Principles of Fingerprint

 1. Principle of Permanency. It states that fingerprints are

unchanging or constant from birth until the decomposition of the
body of the person. This is sometimes called as principle of
constancy/ persistency.

 2. Principle of Individuality. It explains that "there are no two

fingerprints from two individuals that are exactly alike," except if
two fingerprints were taken from the same finger and the same
person. Two fingerprints maybe alike in its pattern or design but
considering its minute characteristics, they differ.

 3. Principle of Infallibility. It states that fingerprints are the most

reliable means of personal identification. It is for the reason that
fingerprints are permanent, therefore they cannot be forged nor
changed.
Obliterating
.
Fingerprint
1 John Herbert Dillinger
(1902-1934) was a famous
American criminal who
attempted to erase his
fingerprints with the use of
acid.

2. Roberts James Pitts

(a.k.a. Roscoe Pitts) gained
the fame as the "man
without fingerprints" after
knowing from an inmate of
a possible destruction of
fingerprints.

3 Dr. Edmond Locard &

Witkowsji performed
painful experiments on
themselves by burning
their fingertips with boiling
water and oil with hot
metals to find out whether
the process can destroy the
ridges of a finger.
 Research on Fingerprint

1. Dactyloscopy- is the science that deals with the study

of fingerprints as a means of personal identification In
involves manual comparison of fingerprints to
determine the identity of a person as well as the
classification of his fingerprints. (The word dactyloscopy
was derived from two Greek words: dactyl which means
finger and skopein which means to study or to examine.
Therefore, Dactyloscopy means the study of fingers)
2. Dactylography- is the scientific study and analysis of
fingerprints as a means of identification.
3. Dactylomancy -is the study of fingerprints for the
purpose of interpreting one's personality.
Field Studies
Regarding Prints
1. Chiroscopy is the
science of palm print
identification. The term
was derived from two
Greek words cheir
which means a hand
and skopein which
means to examine,

Pattern Zones of
Palmprint

-Palmar zone

-Thenar zone

-Hypothenar zone

-Carpal delta zone

Pattern Zones
of Palmprint

Thenar zone is the large

cushion area at the base
of the thumb.

Hypothenar zone refers

to the large cushion
area just below the base
of the little finger.

Palmar zone is the area

at the base of the
fingers.

Carpal delta zone is the

area about the center of
the palm, down near the
wrist where a delta is
frequently present.
Levels of Palm

a. Distal side is towards

the fingertips.

b. Proximal side is
towards the wrist.

c. Radial side is the

study of fingerprint
pattern where a loop is
shown having 'ridges
flowing towards the
radius bone or
thumbside.

d. Ulnar side is towards

the side of the ulna
bone where the little
finger rests.
Field Studies
Regarding
Prints
2. Podoscopy is the
science of footprints
identification. Derived
from the Greek words
podo which means the
foot and skopein which
means to examine
Divisions of
the foot
a. Ball pattern zone is
found below the base of
the big toe.

b. Plantar pattern zone

is the space below the
base of the four little
toes beside the ball zone.

c. Calcar pattern zone is

the area located at the
heel.

d Tibial side is an area in

the tibial bone side of
the foot where the big
toe is also located.

e. Fibular side is located

on the little toe side of
the foot just below the
plantar zone
 Cases on Footprint Identification

Commonwealth vs, Bartolini 13 NE Massachusetts 1938.

This was about a murder case where (2nd) 382, a woman
victim was killed and dismembered. This was known as the
"Boston legs mystery“
William Gourley Case. This was a robbery/burglary Case
committed in a bakery of Bellshill and Mossend
Cooperative Society Ltd., Bellshill, Lanatkshire, England
on 29 June 1952.
James Walker Adams Case. This was another robbery/
burglary committed in a warehouse occupied by the
Aberdeen Shore Porters Society at the City of Aberdeen,
Scotland on December 30, 1952
Field Studies
Regarding
Prints
3. Poroscopy is a
science of fingerprinting
which deals with the
study of the pore
structure found on the
papillary or friction
ridge of the skin for the
purpose of
identification. The term
was derived from the
Greek words poros
which means a pore and
skopein which means to
examine.
Field Studies
Regarding
Prints
4. Edgeoscopy is the study
of the edges of the ridges
and the various shapes
found therein

5. Ridgeology is a new term

that combines the related
sciences of poroscopy,
edgeoscopy and ridge
characteristics for the
purpose of positive
identification of fingerprints

6. Dermatoglyphics is the
study of the lines, tracings,
ridges of the skin of fingers,
palms and "derma" which
means hands. Derived from
the words:"skin" and
"glyphein" which means "to
study"
 Fingerprints in Other Species

The Koala is one of the few mammals (other than

primates) that has fingerprints. fingerprints are In
fact, koala remarkably similar to human fingerprints;
even with an electron microscope, it can be quite
difficult to distinguish the difference between the
two.

Monkeys have fingerprints which are almost the

same with human beings. It is proven that
fingerprints of monkeys fingerprints. are mistakenly
identified as human
 Chapter Activity

Instructions: Draw the following activities in a short

bondpaper, and use a short folder as a cover for your
activity.

1. Draw a footprint and identify the different pattern

zones.

2. Illustrate a palm with fingers, label the phalanges

and indicate the pattern zones.
END OF LECTURE NO 1