Fingerprints

 Anthropometry  Flaws:  body measurements change!  Too time consuming

Will WestWilliam West Two prisoners Unrelated!!! Body measurements too similiar

 English civil servant  Right hand imprints

 Said skin ridge patterns could identify individual  He was ignored

Published Finger Prints (1 st book on the topic) Developed principles

 Classification system

 1901 – NYC Civil Service Commission  1924 – Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth merged – FBI  1999 – US v. Byron C. Mitchell  Fingerprints challenged  Judge upheld ruling

1. A fingerprint is an individual characteristic. No two fingers possess identical ridge characteristics.

2. A Fingerprint remains unchanged during an individual’s lifetime Develop in the fetus Dermal papillae – between epidermis and dermis

John Dillinger

3. Fingerprints have three general ridge patterns that can be classified. Loops Whorls Arches

 Enter and exit same side A. Ulnar Loop  pinky B. Radial Loop  thumb

 Ridge patterns that are somewhat circular in nature A. Plain Whorls  one ridge makes complete circuit  spiral, oval, or circular B. Central Pocket Loop, Double Loop, Accidental

 Ridge patterns that enter on one side of the finger and exit on the other A. Plain Arch  wave-like, in one end – out the other B. Tented Arch  sharp rise