Forensics-fingerprint quiz

What is a latent fingerprint?

a hidden fingerprint made visible with powders etc.

A fingerprint that resembles a bull's eye.

a whorl

what is a plastic fingerprint?

a fingerprint made in soft material like clay or putty.

What are the small ridge characteristics on a fingerprint called?

minutiae

The center of a loop or whorl is called?

The core

A triangular ridge pattern is called?

A delta

A form used to record and preserve a person's fingerprints is called?

Ten card

A fingerprint pattern where ridge lines flow inward and return out the same side.

A loop

A fingerprint pattern in which the lines start on one side, flow up and out the other side.

An Arch

The most common ridge pattern is ?

Loops

The least common ridge pattern is ?

Arches

Fingerprints are mostly made up of what substance?

water (sweat) and the natural oils in the skin

Can fingerprints be permantly removed with chemicals etc. ?

No-they grow back

What is the most common method for detecting latent prints?

Dusting with powders

True or False
The data base that holds fingerprints allows CSI's to get a match within seconds of analysis.

False-computers make it easier but they are not that fast.

Fingerprints classification system that awards points for whorls located on each finger is called?

The Henry Classification system

What is normally used to "lift" a fingerprint?

tape

True or False
Fingerprint analysis has only been used in the last 100 years for solving crimes.

False-fingerprint analysis has been around for thousands of years

True or False
Identical twins will have the same fingerprints.

False- No two individuals have the same fingerprints.

What is AFIS?

Automated Fingerprint Identification System. A national database that holds over 47 million fingerprints.

Supergue fuming (Cyanoacrylate) works best for prints on what surfaces?

Plastic, metal & glass

Iodine fuming works best for prints on what surfaces

Paper

the name given to the study of fingerprints

dactyloscopy

What is the function of the ridges on our fingers which create fingerprints?

They enable us to grasp objects

the three basic types of fingerprint patterns

arches, loops, whorls

At what age do human beings acquire fingerprints?

at three month's gestation

Which animal is said to have fingerprints virtually indistinguishable from those of human beings?

koala

Why is it usually impossible to obtain fingerprints from textiles such as fabric, clothing and carpet?

because textiles are very absorbent

Who is generally recognized as being the first person to use fingerprints as a means of identification?

Sir William Herschel, a magistrate and government administrator in colonial India

What is the minimum number of matching points required to identify an unknown latent print?

there is no minimum

In which country was the first case of a conviction based on fingerprint evidence?

Argentina

In 1902, Henry (Harry) Jackson became the first person in the United Kingdom to be convicted on fingerprint evidence. What was his crime?

burglary

In 1910, Thomas Jennings became the first person in the United States of America to be convicted on fingerprint evidence. What was his crime?

murder

Who was responsible for starting the first national fingerprint register in America in the 1920s?

J Edgar Hoover

Which famous author was the first to utilise fingerprint evidence to solve a fictional crime?

Mark Twain

Fingerprints are no more similar between two family members than between two strangers.

False: General characteristics of fingerprints (such as whorls, arches and loops) can be inherited, therefore family members do tend have similar fingerprint patterns.

Loop Patterns

In a Loop pattern, the ridges will flow in one side, recurve, (loop
around) touch or pass through an imaginary line drawn from the
delta to the core, and exit the pattern on the same side from which it
entered.

What is a Delta?

The point on a ridge at or in front of and nearest the center of
the divergence of the type lines.
-The delta area is located as a triangular area where the
ridges radiate outward in three directions.

Loop has how many deltas?

One

How many types of Loop patters are there?

Two

What are the types of loop patterns?

Ulnar Loop and Radial Loop

Whorl Patterns

A whorl pattern consists of a series of almost concentric circles.

whorl has how many deltas?

A whorl pattern has two deltas

How many types of Whorl patters are there?

4

What are the types of Whorl patterns?

1. Plain whorl,
2. Central Pocket Loop whorl,
3. Double Loop whorl,
4. Accidental whorl

Whorl patterns account for what percent?

25%

Loop patterns account for what percent?

70%

Arch patterns account for what percent?

5%

Arch Patterns

In an arch pattern, ridges flow in one side and flow out the
opposite side.

Arch has how many deltas?

There are no deltas in an arch pattern.

How many types of Arch patters are there?

2

What are the types of Arch patterns?

1. Plain arch,
2. Tented arch

Type lines

1. The two innermost ridges which start parallel, diverge, and surround or tend to surround the pattern area.
2. When there is a definite break in a type line, the ridge immediately outside of it is considered as its
continuation.

How many methods are there for classifying fingerprints?

2

What are the methods for classifying fingerprints?

1. Henry Classification
2. NCIC Classification

minutiae

ridge characteristics

The Plain Arch

ridges enter on one side of the impression and flow or tend to flow out the other with a rise or wave in the center.

The Tented Arch

most of the ridges enter upon one side of the impression and flow or tend to flow out upon the other side, however the ridges at the center do not. Tend to form an upthrust or angle at the center of the pattern.

LOOPS

The type of fingerprint pattern in which one or more of the ridges enter on either side of the impression, recurve, touch or pass an imaginary line drawn from the delta to the core, and terminate or tend to terminate on or toward the same side of the impr

WHORLS

The type of pattern in which at least two deltas are present with a recurve in front of each.

The Plain Whorl

Has two deltas and at least one ridge making a complete circuit, which may be spiral, oval, circular or any variant of a circle. An imaginary line drawn between the two deltas must touch a recurving ridge in the pattern area.

The Central Pocket Loop

Has two deltas and at least one ridge which makes a complete circuit. A line drawn between the two deltas must not touch or cross any recurving ridges within the inner pattern area.

The Double Loop

Two separate loop formations, with two separate and distinct sets of shoulders and two deltas.

Accidental

Combination of two different types of patterns, with the exception of the plain arch, with two or more deltas; or a pattern which possesses some of the requirements for two or more different types or a pattern which conforms to none of the pattern definit