DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. FINGERPRINT as an impression - 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. FINGERPRINT as a science. It is the
identification of a person by means of the ridges
appearing on the fingers, on the palms and on the
soles of the feet.
3. PALM PRINT. The impression or
reproduction left on any material by the
friction skin of the palms.
4. FOOTPRINT/SHOE PRINT. The
impression or reproduction left on any
material by the friction skin of the
foot/feet or toe/toes.
5. Friction skin. The skin on inner hands and fingers,
and on the bottom of the feet and toes, which is
characterized by alternating strips of raised ridges
and furrows arranged in a variety of patterns
. 6. Furrow. That portion of the skin lower and
between the ridges.
7. Friction ridge. The raised portion of the skin that
leaves the impression or reproduction.
 PATTERN ZONES OF PALMPRINT:

Thenar zone – the base of the thumb.

Hypothenar zone – the base of the little finger.
Palmar zone – base of the four fingers.
Carpal delta zone – near the wrist
 OTHER TERMS USED IN THE STUDY OF PALM
1. Distal side – towards the fingertips.
2. Proximal side – towards the wrist.
3. Radial side – towards the radius bone or
thumb side.
4. Ulnar side – towards the side of the ulna bone
where the little finger rests.
PODOSCOPY – science of footprints and footwear
identification.

Podo - means “the foot”and Skopein - means “

to examine.”
PATTERN ZONES OF FOOTPRINT:
 Ball Pattern zone – base of the big toe.
 Plantar Pattern zone – base of the four little
toes.
 Calcar Pattern zone – the area of heel.
 Tibial side (inner) – the big toe side (Tibial bone)
 Fibular side (outer) – the little toe side (Fibular
bone).
6. Tread area – does not form footprints
POROSCOPY – study of the pore structure for the purpose
of identification

poros - means “a pore”and

skopein - means “to examine.”
 RIDGEOLOGY – combination of:

 edgeoscopy
poroscopy
 ridge characteristics.
 DERMATOGLYPHICS –

 study of the lines, tracings, ridges

of the skin of fingers,
 palms and hands. A Latin term
that translates as "skin carving.
"
Derived from the words:
 “derma” - means
“skin”and
“glyphein” - means “to
study”
 Fingerprints in Other Species

 Koala - is one of the few mammals,

native in Australia that has fingerprints.

 Monkeys- have fingerprints

which are almost the same with
human beings. It is proven that
fingerprints of monkeys are
mistakenly identified as human
fingerprints.
v LATENT PRINTS – are chance fingerprint impression
left by the perpetrator at the crime scene which are
somewhat hidden/obscure/invisible.

CLASSES OF LATENT PRINTS

1. Visible prints - are

impressions made by fingers

smeared with colored

substance, such as blood, ink, grease,

dirt or paint.
 Semi-visible prints - are molded or plastic

impressions. They are

prints made in plastic
materials such as soap,
melted candles, wax, tar,
pitch, paraffin, putty, the
adhesive gun on envelopes and postage stamps, and
the like.
 Invisible prints

Are the most common

types of chance
impression. They have
to be developed first
before they become of
any real value. THIS
CONSIDERED THE
TRUE LATENT
PRINT
 FACTORS AFFECTING TH STABILITY OF LATENT PRINTS

Atmospheric condition surrounding the latent print

(Climate/ weather condition).
 Nature of the surface touched (rough or smooth).
 Sweat content of individual (subject factor – degree
of acidity)
 Amount of pressure exerted in touching the object
 ANATOMY OF HUMAN SKIN
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It provides our
first line of defense to infection and the mechanism for our
sense of touch. Friction skin provides grip to the hands and
feet. In fact, the same friction skin ridges that allow you to hold
on an object (say, the lid of a cookie jar) may tell a criminalist
that you touched it.
 Friction Skin – (Sometimes called Epidermal or Papillary skin)

It is an 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.
The ridged areas of the skin apparently have three
biological FUNCTIONS namely:
1. Creating friction - Friction ridges make it
possible for the fingers and palms to grasp smooth objects.
Without the moistened ridges it would be difficult to pick up
or hold objects.
To heighten the sense of touch - Ridged skin is
thicker than other skin and contains more nerve
endings than the other parts of the body, resulting in
the heightened stimulation.

To rise up the mouths - This assists the discharge

of sweat form the ecrine sweat pores (sweat) glands.
 Minutiae

Are the ridge details found inside a pattern area such

as delta, core, dot, short ridge, bifurcation, recurving
ridges, etc.
Crease- Creases reveal themselves as white lines
on the print and appear to arise from two separate
causes, namely pathological conditions and those
caused by occupational hazards.
Friction ridge breath
The width of the friction ridges varies in different areas
as well in different people. In general, they are
narrower in females and wider in males.

Ridge units and pores

Pore ducts open along the top of the friction ridges.
Each ridge unit has one sweat gland and a pore
opening randomly somewhere on its surface. Eccrine
gland contains approximately 99% water and 1% solid
 COMPONENTS OF THE FRICTION SKIN

Ridge Surface – the component of the skin that

actually forms the fingerprint impression.