1. Fingerprints
The Basics
T. Trimpe

2. History of Fingerprints

3. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
Chinese used fingerprints to sign legal documents as far back as three thousand years ago
William Herschel, an English civil servant (India), required natives to sign contracts with an imprint of their right hand – Hindu custom?

4. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
In 1880, Scottish physician, Henry Fauld wrote that skin ridge patterns could be important in identification work
A thief left his fingerprint on a whitewashed wall – compared with 1st suspect - No match; compared with 2nd suspect with positive association

5. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
Fauld offered to set up a system of fingerprints at Scotland Yard (at his own expense)
Rejected in favor of the Bertillon System
This decision reversed less than two decades later

6. HISTORY OF FINGERPRINTING
The first systematic attempt at personal identification was devised and introduced by the French police expert, Alphonse Bertillon, in 1883.

7. Bertillon’s System
Relied on:
Portraite Parlé – Detailed description of the individual
Full length and profile photographs
Anthropometry – A system of precise body measurements

8. ANTHROPOMETRY A method of identification
Based upon the premise that the dimensions of the human skeletal system remained fixed from age 20 until death
Eleven (11) measurements taken include height, width of head & length of left foot

9. FRANCIS GALTON In 1892, published the classic work Finger Prints
In this book he discussed the anatomy of fingerprints and suggested methods for recording them
Proposed three pattern types: loops, whorls and arches

10. FRANCIS GALTON No two prints are identical
An individual’s prints remain unchanged from one year to the next

11. SIR EDWARD HENRY Englishman
In 1897, proposed another classification system which is still in use today
Most English-speaking countries use some version of Henry’s classification system

12. Primary Classification
The Henry—FBI Classification
Each finger is given a point value
right 4 8 16
left 4 2 1
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 12

13. Primary Classification
Assign the number of points for each finger that has a whorl and substitute into the equation; loops & arches are assigned zero.
right right left left left
index ring thumb middle little =
right right right left left
thumb middle little index ring
That number is your primary classification number
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 13

14. Primary Classification
The Henry—FBI Classification
Each finger is given a point value
right
4 - Loop
8 - Whorl
8 - Arch
16 - Arch
16 - Whorl
left
4 - Arch
2 - Loop
2 - Arch
1- Loop
1 - Whorl
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 14

15. Primary Classification
Assign the number of points for each finger that has a whorl and substitute into the equation: 8 1 10
right right left left left
index ring thumb middle little =
right right right left left
thumb middle little index ring 16 17
That number is your primary classification number
0.59
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 15

16. In the United States
1901 – First systematic use of fingerprints adopted by the New York Civil Service Commission
1904 – American police received training in fingerprint techniques from Scotland Yards representatives
1924 – Fingerprint records from the Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth merged to form records for the new FBI

17. Admissibility of Fingerprints
Challenged in the case of United States v. Byron C. Mitchell
Argued under Daubert guidelines that fingerprints were not unique
Judge upheld admissibility and ruled:
1. Human friction ridges are unique
and permanent
2. Human friction ridge skin arrangements
are unique and permanent

18. PHYSIOLOGY OF FINGERPRINTS

19. What are Fingerprints? Friction ridge skin pattern
Found on fingers, palms, toes, soles of feet.
Composed of ridges (hills) and furrows (valleys)
Black = Ridges
White = Valleys 19

20. What are Fingerprints? Develop in early embryonic development.
Pattern based on genetics, detail somewhat random
Identical twins do not have identical fingerprints 20

21. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FIRST PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridges develop
their Unique form
in the fetus

22. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
SECOND PRINCIPLE:
A Fingerprint will remain
LARGELY UNCHANGED
during an
Individual’s Lifetime

23. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
THIRD PRINCIPLE:
Friction Ridge Patterns
and their details
are UNIQUE.
No Two Fingers have yet been
found to possess IDENTICAL
RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS (even identical twins!!)

24. FUNDAMENTALS OF FINGERPRINTS
FOURTH PRINCIPLE:
FINGERPRINTS CAN BE SYSTEMATICALLY CLASSIFIED by GENERAL RIDGE PATTERNS

25. Fingerprint Classes
There are 3 specific classes for all fingerprints based upon their visual pattern: arches, loops, and whorls.
Each group is divided into smaller groups as seen in the lists below.
Arch
Plain arch
Tented arch
Loop
Radial Loop
Ulnar loop
Whorl
Plain whorl
Central pocket whorl
Double loop whorl
Accidental whorl

26. 60% of people have loops, 35% have whorls,
Interesting Info
Fingerprint Factoid:
60% of people have loops, 35% have whorls,
and 5% have arches
Did you know?
Dactyloscopy is the study of fingerprint identification. Police investigators are experts in collecting “dactylograms”, otherwise known as fingerprints.

27. Arches
Arches are the simplest type of fingerprints that are formed by ridges that enter on one side of the print and exit on the other. No deltas are present.
Tented Arches
Similar to the plain arch,
but has a spike in the center.
Spike or “tent”
Plain Arch
Ridges enter on one side and
exit on the other side.

28. Loops
Left Hand
Right Hand
Loops must have one delta and one or more ridges that enter and leave on the same side. These patterns are named for their positions related to the radius and ulna bones, i.e. the bone that the loop opening is facing towards.
Ulnar
Ulnar
Radius
Help: “UP RT”
Ulnar Pinkie side
If Left Hand – Radial Loop
If Right Hand - Ulnar Loop
Radial Thumb side
If Left Hand – Ulnar Loop
If Right Hand - Radial Loop
Delta
X-Ray Imagine:

29. Whorls – Part 1
Whorls have at least one ridge that makes (or tends to make) a complete circuit. They also have at least two deltas. If a print has more than two deltas, it is most likely an accidental.
Central Pocket Whorl
Plain Whorl
***Draw a line between the two deltas in the plain and central pocket whorls. If some of the curved ridges touch the line, it is a plain whorl. If none of the center core touches the line, it is a central pocket whorl.

30. Whorls – Part 2 Double Loop Whorl Accidental Whorl
Double loop whorls are made up of any two loops combined into one print.
Delta
Accidental Whorl
Accidental whorls contain two or more patterns (not including the plain arch), or does not clearly fall under any of the other categories.
Delta
Delta
Delta
Delta
Plain Arch

31. Ridge Ending Dot Island Bifurcation
Minutiae, also known as ridge characteristics.
They help create unit ridge patterns.
Bifurcation
Ridge
Ending
Dot
Island 31

32. Range of 8-16 comparative points
How many ridge comparisons are necessary to identify two fingerprints as the same?
Range of comparative points

33. Identify each fingerprint pattern.
Right Hand…
Deltas? Zero=Arch
One=Loop
Two=Whorl
2. Arch? No center spike=Plain
Center spike=Tented
3. Loop? Thumb=Radial
Pinkie=Ulnar
4. Whorl? Touches Delta Line=Plain
No touch Delta Line=Central Pocket
Two loops wrapped together=Double Loop
Two + patterns fitting other category=Accidental
Left Hand…
Answer Key: A - Plain Whorl, B – Double Loop Whorl, C – Ulnar Loop, D – Tented Arch, E – Plain Arch
Right Hand…
Right Hand….
Left Hand….

34. It’s time to make some prints!
Avoid Partial Prints
GOOD PRINT Get as much of the top part of your finger as possible!

35. Directions
1st – Roll the “pad” portion of your thumb over the ink pad from the left side of your thumb to the right. You do not have to push down really hard!
2nd – Roll the “pad” portion of your thumb from the left side of your thumb to the right in the correct box on your paper to make a thumbprint.
3rd – Continue this process to make a fingerprint of all ten fingers on the “My Prints” worksheet.
4th – Use your notes and a magnifying lens to help you figure out what type of pattern is found in each of your fingerprints. Label each one with the pattern’s name.