1. Fingerprints Can be considered class evidence until the prints are individualized.

2. Fundamental Principles of Fingerprints: 1.A fingerprint is an individual characteristic; No two fingerprints have been found to possess identical ridge characteristics. 2.A fingerprint will remain unchanged during an individual’s lifetime. 3.Fingerprints have general ridge patterns that permit them to be systematically classified.

3. Principles of Fingerprinting Third Principle: Systematic Classification by Ridge Patterns

4. LOOPS –Comes in –Recurves –Goes back out same side –Usually curving around a delta 4 LOOP

5. ARCH –In one side –Rises –Falls –Goes out the other side 5 ARCH

6. WHORL –Ridge recurves around 2 deltas 6 WHORL

7. 7 LOOP ARCH WHORL L.A.W.

8. Looking in depth, there are really 8 basic patterns. 8 In Depth Classifying 8 Types

9. LOOP-the ridges flow inward and then recurve in the direction of the origin. --A single delta type divergence must be present in front of the recurving ridges Radial Loop-Ridges flow from the recurve toward the radius or thumb side of the hand (approximately 5% of all fingerprint patterns) Ulnar Loop-Friction ridges flow from and recurve toward the ulna or little finger side of the hand, (Approximately 60% of all fingerprint patterns)“PU” 9 Radial Loop Ulnar Loop LOOP –In depth

10. ARCH-In Depth ARCH-Ridges enter on one side of the impression and tend to flow out the other side with a rise in the center Plain Arch-Ridges enter, wave or rise and exit smoothly Tented Arch-Ridges in the center thrust upward to give an appearance similar to a tent. Inside angle is smaller than 90 degrees Both types of arches comprise about 6% of all fingerprint patterns 10 Plain Arch Tented Arch

11. WHORL-In Depth WHORL-At least two delta type divergences are present with recurving ridges in front of each. (whorls comprise approximately 29% of all fingerprint patterns) Plain Whorl-One or more ridges form a complete revolution around the center (2 deltas) Central Pocket Loop Whorl- Some ridges form a loop pattern which recurves and surrounds a central whorl (1 delta) 11 Plain Whorl Central Pocket Loop Whorl

12. Additional Types Double Loop-Two separate loops are present, which sometimes surround each other. Sometimes called Double Loop Whorl (ying / yang) Accidental-Any pattern which does not conform to any of the previous patterns 12 Double Loop Accidental

13. BEYOND THE PATTERN First Principle: No two fingerprints have yet been found to possess identical ridge characteristics

14. RIDGE ENDINGBIFURCATION LAKE or ENCLOSURE DOT or ISLAND INDEPENDENT RIDGESPUR BRIDGE or CROSSOVER 14

15. BIFURCATION 15

16. RIDGE ENDING 16

17. BRIDGE or CROSSOVER 17

18. LAKE or ENCLOSURE 18

19. DOT or ISLAND INDEPENDENT RIDGE 19

20. Just the presence of these minutia does not individualize a print It is the exact type of minutia as well as the minutia location that individualizes a print NO TWO PRINTS HAVE EVER BEEN FOUND TO HAVE THE SAME MINUTIA IN THE SAME PLACE Therefore, you can conclude if you are comparing two prints, and they do have the same markings in the same place you must be looking at the same print What next... 20

21. On the next two slides you will see 2 methods of individualizing a print Both methods are accepted The first you draw a line to the mark and name it right there The second you draw a line to the mark, number it, and name it below The second method is the preferred method for court cases. In this instance they put the two comparative prints side by side and show by number the correlation points Setting Up the Match

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23. 23 1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 1011 3-Bifurcation 4-Dot 5-Bifurcation 6-Lake 1-Independent Ridge 2-Ridge Ending 9-Ridge Ending 10-Bifurcation 11-Ridge Ending 7-Crossover 8-Ridge Ending 23