INNOVATIVE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE &

TECHNOLOGY
Malitbog, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

JULIUS R. MIRADOR
I. OBJECTIVES:

 Know the importance and value of fingerprint.

 Trace the history of fingerprint;
 Identify the different personalities of fingerprint and their contribution:
 Discuss the principle of fingerprint;
 Identify the ancient and the present methods of criminal identification

II. TIME FRAME

Week 1 -3

III. DISCUSSION

CHAPTER 1
GENERAL CONCEPT

INTRODUCTION

Fingerprinting is a method of identification of an individual through the use of the impression

made by the ridge formation found in the terminal part of the fingers. There were several attempts in
the past questioning its reliability and credibility but to no avail.

Every human being carries with him from his cradle to his grave certain physical marks which do
not change their character by which he can always be identified and that without shade of doubt or
question these marks are his signature and this autograph cannot be counterfeited, nor can be disguise
it or hide it away. This signature' is each man's very own there is no duplicate of it among the swarming
populations of the globe. This autograph consists of the delicate line or corrugations with which Nature
marks the insides of the hands and the soles of the feet. (Mark Twain)

According to study, fingerprint will start to develop during 3rd or 4th month of fetal life of a
person and continue to exist until one will decomposition due to death Fingerprinting as a means of
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personal identification is a positive science. I cannot be forged and cannot be easily obliterated. Several
known criminals however have tried to efface their fingerprint to cancel their identities either by
burning them with acid or surgically removing them, but both were in vain.
The science of fingerprinting has gone far beyond in the world of forensics. Today, the use of
fingerprinting had invaded not only in the government agency but in private sectors as well. Various
private companies throughout the world had been using fingerprints as a method of personal
identification of their employees. Law enforcement agencies worldwide however had never ceased to
unveil the true science of fingerprint and had recently introduced the Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (AFIS). The AFIS is a computer based identification system that stored collected
fingerprints from convicts or those fingerprints collected from individuals when one applies for police
clearance. Moreover, AFIS will not only store record cards in computer memory, but it will also match
latent fingerprints from crime scene to its data bank.

THE IMPORTANCE OR VALUE OF FINGERPRINTS

1. Prevent impersonation (changing personal data)

2. Speedily identify a wrongdoer (falsification, forgery)
3. Serve to give evidence (identification of criminals)
4. Help to identify victims of disasters, calamities, floods, etc.
5. Identify bodies whose cadavers are beyond recognition
6. Aid the judiciary in penal treatment (fingerprinting of prisoners)
7. Prevent criminal substitution of the newly born.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS

The earliest use of fingerprints can be traced in ancient China Hundreds of years ago during the
Tang Dynasty. It was a common practice for the Chinese to use inked fingerprints on official documents
and business transaction. At that time, the Chinese likewise used fingerprints for identification purposes
to establish identity in courts in litigation over disputed business dealings. However, the Chinese people
at that time were not yet fully aware of the uniqueness of a fingerprint. The Japanese people however
can also be credited as one of the early explorer of fingerprint.

The Western awareness of the fingerprinting came after hundreds of years after fingerprints
were used in China and Japan. Knowledge of fingerprint's unique nature doesn't appear to have
surfaced the European countries until a lecture given by a British doctor named NEHEMIAH GREW who
was a fellow of the Royal Society and of the College of Physician. In 1684 Grew introduced several ridge
patterns of fingerprints. His study however was purely of an anatomical in nature. A couple of years
after, MARCELLO MALPHIGI an Italian physician and a plant morphologist at the University of Bologna,
conducted a research study similar to Grew. In 1686, he published his anatomical treatise "De Extemo
Tacos Organo" In his study; he delves further beneath the surface of the fingerprints and introduced the
ridges, spirals, and loops in fingerprints. Because of his scholarly work on anatomy, one of the layers of
the skin was named after him called "Stratum Malphigi", which is approximately 1.8mm thick.

Over a hundred years after, in 1798 JC Mayer of Germany theorized that the arrangement of
friction ridge is unique.
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 In 1823, Prof. JOHANNES EVANGELIST PURKINJE a Czechoslovakian physiologist who published
his doctoral thesis entitled "A commentary on a Physiological Examination of the Organs of the Vision
and the Cutaneous System”. In this study he describes and illustrates fingerprints ridge formation into
nine different types which was classified in Latin with the following English translation: Transverse Curve,
Central Longitudinal Stria, Oblique Stripe. Oblique Loop. Almont whorl, Spiral Whorl, Ellipse, Circle, and
the Double Whorl. The patterns referred to arches, tented arches, loops, whorls, and twin loops.
Considering that the study of Purkinje was also anatomical made no mention of individuals being
identified by the pattern that he described but recommended for further research.

But no one immediately took the challenge or recommendation made by Purkinje until
fingerprinting found a firm believer in the person of WILLIAM JAMES HERSCHEL. In 1858, while Herschel
is working as employee of East India Company, he wanted a good way of to seal a contract with a
Bengali Firm opted on using fingerprint on contract. Few years after, William Herschel became a Chief
Magistrate of the Hooghly district in Jungipoor, India. As magistrate part of his official duty is to make
sure that the natives of the area will receive the pensions that were due to them and to prevent fraud in
claiming such. Majority of the pensioners at that time were illiterate, and therefore incapable in making
signature, thus, fraud raised drastically. To avoid fraud, he then required all pensioners to use their
fingerprint as a form of signature so that they can get what is due for them. As his fingerprint collection
grew, he began to note that the inked impression could. indeed, prove or disprove identity and in 1877
he try to ask for approval that his system of identification be used in a small prison in Bengal, India but
his request was turned down by the prison administrator. Later, Herschel took his own fingerprints and
noted that no change had occurred in them for over 50 years.

In 1880, Dr. HENRY FAULDS, a Scottish missionary doctor of the United Presbyterian Church
conducted a careful experiment and observation of fingerprint patterns in the hospital he established in
Tsukiji. Tokyo, Japan. He concluded that fingerprint patterns are unchangeable, and that superficial
injury of the fingers did not alter them, they returned to their former design as the injury healed,
Moreover, Fauld's important conclusion was that fingerprints left on objects with bloody or greasy
fingers may lead to the scientific identification of criminals. Upon learning that a thief was arrested by
the police for allegedly claiming over the whitewashed garden wall of a house in Tokyo who left sooty
handprints behind, Faulds requested the police that he may be allowed to compare the sooty handprints
and the handprints of the suspect, and then found out that the suspect was not the thief. Later, another
man was arrested and confessed the crime.

In 1892, SIR FRANCIS GALTON, an English physician and anthropologist, published an in-depth
study of fingerprinting science that included the system of classification to facilitate the handling of
voluminous amount of collected fingerprints. Although, the Galton system of classification has been
appreciated and became the foundation of the modern fingerprint science and art, his approach to
classify fingerprints however was inadequate.

A policeman in Argentina named JUAN VUCETICH was the first person to put Galton's system of
classifiication into practice. In 1891, he then devised his own system of fingerprint classification, which
he called "Icnofalagometrico" and was put into practice in September of the same year. Vucetich had
his first success in July 1982, when the first convection by means of fingerprint evidence was obtained
against Francisca Rojas who murdered her two children. In 1894, the Argentinean police force had
become the first in the world to adopt fingerprints as a principal means of identifying criminals.

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 In 1897, EDWARD RICHARD HENRY, the Inspector General of the Bengal Police (India), adopted
his own system of classification different from the classification introduced by Galton and Vucetich. Of
the same year, the Bengal Government established the first national fingerprint bureau in Calcutta that
adopted the Hendry system of identification. In 1901, Henry was appointed Assistant Commissioner of
Police at New Scotland Yard and begun to introduce his fingerprint system of identification into that
institution. The first British court conviction through the used of fingerprints was obtained in 1902 when
Harry Jackson was convicted of the crime of burglary. The Henry System of Classification is being widely
used by police forces and prison authorities throughout the world to date.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT DATES AND EVENTS

1858 - William Herschel started to experiment the science of fingerprint in India

1869 - England legislated the Habitual Criminals Act which provides longer sentences for hardened
criminals with previous convictions

1880 - Hendry Faulds becomes first person to publicly suggest fingerprints as a method of criminal
identification

1883 - Alphonse Bertillon, in Paris, introduced the anthropometric system of measurements.

1892 The first murder case solved thru the used of fingerprint in Argentina by the efforts exerted by
Juan Vucetich The murder case was committed against the two children by their illegitimate mother,
Francisca Rojas on June 19, 1892.

1894 - Britain adopts an identification system which is a combination of anthropometry by Bertillon and
fingerprints.

1896 - The reliability of fingerprint was tested when Adolf Beck was jailed for several years after he was
falsely identified by witness as the perpetrator of the crime, but later, fingerprint have shown he was a
wrong man.

1897 - The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, based in Chicago, Illinois, was established. It is
considered the depot of all criminal records which has been classified and filed using anthropological
Measurement

1898 The Canadian police services adopted criminal identification using a system introduced by
Bertillion.

1900 - The Belper Committee in England was established to look into the working of the method of
Identification of Criminals by Measurement and Fingerprints" Edward Richard Henry was one of the
experts who gave evidence in support of using fingerprints as a means of identification. In December
1900. the Belper Committee recommended that the current method of 'Bertillonage' be replaced by
Henry's system

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1901 - Edward Henry was appointed as head of Scotland Yard's new Fingerprint Branch on July 1901 b
he previous requirement to take prints only of habitual criminals widened to include all prisoners whose
sentence was more than one month

1902 - The first conviction in the UK of an individual was made as a result of fingerprints found at the
scene of the crime in June 1902. A burglar by the name of Harry Jackson left his thumbprint on the
paintwork of a house he entered in South London and despite the enormous task of comparing
thousands of prints, Detective-Sergeant Charles Stockley Collins and his colleagues at the Branch
identified it with Jackson's record card. In September the burglar was sentenced to seven years.

1902 - Fingerprinting as a means of identification had been vindicated in the English courts.

1903 - The New York City Civil Service Commission started using fingerprints to impersonations during
prevent examinations Also in 1903. finger printing was implemented ty the New York State Prison
System and at Leavenworth Penitentiary

1905 - Hendry Faulds sided with Stratton Brothers when the duo was charged with murder of Thomas
and Ana Farrow The Stratton brothers were eventually convicted and hanged through the used of
fingerprint as evidence.

1911 - The first conviction of US court using fingerprint evidence. Thomas Jennings was convicted of the
crime or murder. It was also at this year when the famous Francis Galton dies.

1913 - The Founder of anthropometric system, Alphonse Bertillon dies

1915 - The International Association for Criminal Identification (IAI) was established.

1918 - William James Herschel dies.

1924 - The FBI Identification Division is created, after the records the National Bureau of Criminal
Identification and the Leavenworth Penitentiary Bureau were consolidated

1930 - Finger Print pioneer Dr. Henry Faulds dies.

1931 - The first palmprint case was brought before the English court

1964 - Computerization of Scotland Yard's Fingerprint Bureau was initiated and successfully entered two
millions fingerprint sets.

1970 The technique of lifting prints became acceptable practice in the British police for the first time.

1973 - The 58 Annual Conference of the International Association for Identification was held in Jackson,
Wyoming, its Standardization Committee, hereby states that no valid basis exists at this time for
requiring that a pre-determined minimum of friction ridge characteristics must be present in two
impressions in order to establish positive identification"

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1995 - International symposium on fingerprint detection and identification is held in Ne'urim Israel in
June 1995. The following resolution was agreed upon by the friction ridge identification specialists who
attended:

"No scientific basis exists for requiring that a predetermined minimum number of friction ridge
features must be present in two impressions in order to establish a positive identification."

1999 - Federal Bureau of Investigation installs massive fingerprint computer capable of storing the
fingerprints of 65 million individuals.

OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES IN THE STUDY OF FINGERPRINT

THOMAS BEWICK (1753-1828)- an Englishman who used fingerprint as his signature by engraving them
in a wooden plate.

EUGENE FRANCOIS VIDOCQ (1775-1857)- the chief of French police organization called Sûreté, who
introduced method of identifying criminals by memory remember his facial characteristics as accurately
as (photographic eye), Police officers are required to possible.

ADOLPHE QUETELET (1796-1874) - developed a theory that there was a one to four chance of any two
adult persons having the same height,

THOMAS TAYLOR - introduced the new system of palmistry. In his article, he cited that the markings of
the palms of the hands can possibly be used in identifying criminals.

HERMAN WELCKER - in 1956 took his own print on his right palm and 41 years - later took another print
of the same hand and found out that prints do not change.

JOHN DILLINGER - a known criminal who tried to effaced his fingerprint by burning them with acid, but
to no avail. The acid temporarily destroys the fingerprint but the prints restore to its original formation
few days later,

ROSCOE JAMES PITT (aka Robert Phillips) - a man who was once considered as a man without
fingerprint. He surgically removed the fingerprint of the first joint of his fingers and covered it with
another skin from his chest. His efforts however turn futile,

FINGERPRINTS DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

The history of fingerprints in the Philippines could be traced back in 1901. A certain Jones, who
taught fingerprint in the Philippine Constabulary, had introduced fingerprint in the Philippines.
However, the first Filipino fingerprint technician was GENEROSO REYES, who was employed in the
Philippine Constabulary. The first conviction in the Philippine court through the use of fingerprint as
evidence was the case of People of Philippines Vs Medina, Medina was convicted of the crime of
robbery.

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EARLY METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION

Personal Identification during ancient period is very essential since recidivist or repeat offender
will receive severe penalty if found to be one. Thus, proper identification is required to every felon prior
to be admitted in jail for future reference, but fingerprinting is not yet in the vocabulary of the prison
administrator during this period. The following were the methods employed:

A. Branding
B. Mutilation
C. Tattooing
D. Descriptive Clothing
E Measurement of the height. (Quetelet's method)
F. Photographic Eye Eugene Francois Vidocq method)
G. Photographing (Daguerrotyping)
H. Anthropological Measurement or Bertillionage

ANTHROPOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT

A method of criminal identification introduced by Alphonse Bertillion, a French Anthropologist.

Bertillion believed that certain body parts especially the bone is unchangeable. Bones do not change in
dimensions after adulthood, and therefore by taking measurement of another bone, the identity of an
individual can be established. Specifically, this system of identification measures the following: (1) body:
height standing, reach from fingertips to fingertips, length of trunk and head, or height sitting: (2) head:
length and width, length and width of right car: (3) limbs: length of left foot, length of left middle finger,
length of left little finger, length of left forearm. These measurements are recorded on cards and
classified according to the length of the head. The supremacy of betrillion system infiltrates worldwide
and was accepted for almost 30 years. Until in 1903, when the case of Will West and William West
unveiled and destroyed the credibility and the reliability of the Bertillion System

WILL WEST and WILLIAM WEST CASE

Will West was convicted of a certain crime and was committed to the U.S. Penitentiary at
Leavenworth, Kansas. Upon his commitment to the penitentiary and after his measurement, authorities
have found out that Mr. WEST was indeed a repeat offender. Mr. West mightily protested this charge,
and upon further examination of the records, the jailers discovered than Will West and William West are
two different persons, with the same Bertillon measurements. (Per prison records discovered later West
men were apparently identical twin brothers and each had a record of correspondence with the same
immediate family relatives.)

IDENTIFICATION METHODS AND THEIR CHANCES OF FAILURE

[Link]. Identification Method Chances of Failure

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 1 Measurement of Height (Quételet's method) 1 in 4

2 Comparison of Pubic hair 1 in 800

3 Comparison of Scalp hair I in 4500

4 Anthropometry 1 in 268 million

(Bertillon's method)

5 Teeth bite marks 1 in 2.5 billion

6 Dactylography (Fingerprints) 1 in 64 billion

7 DNA Fingerprinting 1 in 2 x 10 ²²

Table 1: Various identification methods and their chances of failure.

SOME IMPORTANT TERMS IN THE STUDY OF FINGERPRINT

ANTHROPOMETRY - the art of personal identification through body measurement,

DACTYLOGRAPHY- is the art of fingerprint recording for identification purposes.

DACTYLOSCOPY - is the science of fingerprint. It derives from the words "dactylos" which means
fingers, and "skopien" which means to examine"

EDGEOSCOPY- the study of the characteristics of the ridge edge for comparison purposes.

FINGERPRINT - it is a reproduction of some smooth surface of the hand form by the ridges and
furrow.

FRICTION RIDGE - raised strips of the sky side of the end join the fingers and thumbs by which
fingerprints are made it is sometimes called papillary ridge or epidermal ridges.

POLYDACTYLISM - the appearance of extra fingers as anatomically known.

PORES - are tiny holes of the skin where sweat and other secretion may come out

RIDGEOLOGY -the study of poroscopy. edgeoscopy. and ridge characteristics for the purpose of
the positive identification of fingerprints

ALLIED SCIENCES OF FINGERPRINT

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 I. Chiroscopy - the science that deals with the study of the palm print in relation to
identification.

2. Podoscopy- the science deals with the study of - sole of human foot for identification
purposes.

3. Poroscopy - the science that deals with of the study human pores or sweat gland. This
method of identification is introduced by Edmond Locard,

DOGMATIC PRINCIPLES OF FINGERPRINT

1. Principle of Individuality - No two persons have the same fingerprint patterns. Some
mathematician however, did not omit the possibility that two persons will be having the same
fingerprint patter to a ratio of 1:64 billions as shown in Table 1

2. Principle of Permanency - It explains that the fingerprint of every individual will remain
unchangeable until one losses his life and decomposed Fingerprint started to develop at 3 embryonic
period of fetal life. This principle is sometimes called "Principle of Womb to Tomb”

3. Principle of Infallibility - Fingerprint is reliable. It is a positive science. It cannot be forged.

There were however, several persons have tried to forged their fingerprint but to no avail.

Can a person be forced to be fingerprinted?

YES. The authority is vested in the Opinion No. 204 series of 1939 made by the former secretary
of June JOSE ABAD SANTOS. The opinion substantially said: "As long as the person is under legal arrest
he can be forced to be fingerprinted. A person under arrest who refuses to be fingerprinted may be
prosecuted by disobedience to the agent of the person in authority, defined in, and penalized by Article
151 of the Revised Penal Code.

III. COMPREHENSION CHECK-UP

1. What is an anthropological measurement?

2. How did JOHN DILLINGER and ROSCOE JAMES PITT try to forge their respective fingerprints?
3. What was agreed upon by the standardization committee during the 58" Annual Conference
of the International Association for Identification in Wyoming?

IV. POST - TEST

1. What is the significance of fingerprint in the modern criminal investigation?

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2. What is the legal consequence the person refuses to be fingerprinted?

3. Among the different identification methods, which do you think is more effective? Why?
4. Why is Fingerprint considered as positive science?
5. What makes fingerprint infallible?
6. How did Dr. HENRY FAULDS discover that fingerprint is unchangeable?
7. How do Chiroscopy. Podoscopy and Poroscopy differ from each other?

Checked By:

Melody C. Dimapilis, MCRIM

Department Head

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 INNOVATIVE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Malitbog, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

JULIUS R. MIRADOR
I. OBJECTIVES:

 Understand the composition and structure of skin;

 Identify the sweat glands responsible for fingerprint impression:
 Differentiate the two layers of the skin;
 Identify and illustrate the different ridge characteristics:
 Identify the two focal points of fingerprint
 Internalize the rules in the selection of a Core and Delta:
 Know how to perform ridge counting

II. TIME FRAME

Week 4 & 5

III. DISCUSSION

CHAPTER 2
FRICTION RIDGE

THE SKIN

Generally, Fingerprints are found in human skin. Skin is the body's largest organ. It is called
organ because it consists of several types of tissues that function together. This organ is very important
to man's survival because the skin help prevent harmful microorganism and hazardous chemicals into
the body. It likewise helps to regulates temperature of the body, excretes some waste product from the
human body and helps protect the damaging sunrays. The skin is a protective. pliable covering of the
body, one that is continuously replaced.

The skin is part of INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM of the body that weight about 4.5 to 5 kg in an
average built adult male and has a total width at approximately two (2) square meters. It will usually
11
appear with a thickness of 1.4 to 4.0 mm, however, skin which are regularly rub against the object is
thicker than the other parts.

Most skins are generally smooth with tiny hair growing. Friction skin, however, is an epidermal
hairless skin usually found in the palms and soles. This is where fingerprints are formed. It is called
friction because of their biological function to assist in our ability to grasp and hold onto objects. (Fig. 1.
Shows the Cross Section of Friction Ridge)

Friction skin is made up of ridges that run parallel to each other. These ridges are known as
friction ridges, epidermal rides, or papillary ridges. In between this ridges are furrows. The ridges will
eventually form during the third or fourth month of pregnancy and will continue to exist until the skin
decomposes due to death.

Figure 1. Cross Section of Friction Ridge

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 Figure 2. Structure of the Skin Showing Epidermis and Dermis

TWO LAYERS OF THE SKIN

1. Epidermis - the upper or the outer layer of the skin is a tough, waterproof protective layer.

2. Dermis - the lower or the inner layer of the skin. It is made up mainly of fibrous proteins and
other large molecules.

KINDS OF SWEAT GLANDS

1. Eccrine Glands these are found in all parts of the body and are the only sweat glands found
on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

2. Apocrine Glands - those are found in the pubic, mammary and anal areas

3. Sebaceous Glands - these are located on the forehead, chest, back and abdomen with an oily
secretion called sebum

TWO COMPONENT PARTS OF THE FRICTION SKIN

1. RIDGES -are tiny elevation or hill like structure.

2. FURROWS - are the depressions or canal between ridges.

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RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS

The ridge characteristics generally refer to the individual formation of the ridge. Ridges may
appear in the friction skin in different shape or form. The following are the common characteristics:

1. Bifurcation - one single ridge that split into two or more branches or the forking or the
splitting of one ridge into two branches. (If the forking consists of three branches it is called trifurcation)

2. Ridge Enclosure - a ridge formed by a bifurcation but which does not remain open, after
running along side by side for a short distance, the splitting ridge meet again to form a single ridge.

Ridge Enclosure

3. Ridge Ending - a point where ridge terminates or ends

4. Ridge Bridge - a ridge that connects one ridge to the other, it is sometimes called "railway tie"

Ridge Bridge

5. Diverging Ridge - is the splitting apart of two ridges after running parallel.

6. Converging Ridge- the meeting of two ridges after running parallel.

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 7. Ridge Hook or Spur - is a bifurcation in which one branch is remarkably short, ending near the
original split or fork.

Ridge Hook

8. Dot - a very short island, of basically equal length and width.

9. Appendage - a short ridge at the top or summit recurve usually at the right angle.

10. Short Ridge - ridge which are remarkably short than the other.

11. Fragmentary Ridge - group or series of short ridges less than 3mm in length.

TWO FOCAL POINTS OF FINGERPRINTS

a. Delta (Outer Terminus)

b. Core (Inner Terminus)

TYPE LINES and PATERN AREA

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 To further understand what is Delta and Core, it would be practical to define Type Lines and
Pattern Area first. Type Lines are the two innermost ridges that start parallel, diverge, surround or tend
to surround the pattern area. In the definition, remember that type lines are always parallel to each
other, they are located at the inner part, they diverge, and they surround or tend to surround the
pattern area. Type lines are not always two continuous ridges, if the type lines experience an abrupt
ending of the ridge, the next outside ridge shall be the continuation. (Figure 3 the type lines are
continuous ridges while Figure 4 the type lines are interrupted having its continuation at the next
outside ridge)

So, the area surrounded by the type lines, where the core, delta and ridges are located is called
Pattern Area (Figure S identifies lines A and B as the type lines and the area surrounded by it is the
pattern area.)

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THE DELTA

The Delta is defined as the first obstruction at or in front of and nearest the center of the point
of divergence of the type lines, So to speak, delta is obviously located at the point of divergence of the
two type lines. (See figure 7) The delta is comparable to the small island found at the middle of the river
which water flows towards the lake. (Fig.6)

Figure 6

Figure 7

Delta may appear in the pattern area in any of the following ridge characteristics:

 A bifurcation
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  A short Ridge

 An ending Ridge
 A convergence
 A dot
 Recurving Ridge

Illustrations of different ridge characteristics

Since Delta will appear in different ridge characteristics the following rules shall govern in its
selection when there is a choice between two or more possible deltas.

Rule 1. The Delta may not be located at the bifurcation which does not open towards the core.

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Rule I clearly states that if the opening of the bifurcation is not heading towards the direction of the
delta such bifurcation should not be selected as delta. In Figure 8, there are two bifurcations (marked 1
and 2) that can be possibly considered as delta. Since bifurcation number one is not open towards the
core, bifurcation number 2 must be the delta.

Rule 2. When there is a choice between a bifurcation and another type of delta, the bifurcation is
selected.

In Figure 9, there are three possible deltas exactly located at the point of divergence of the two
type lines, 1. Short Ridge 2 Dot and 3. Bifurcation. In this case the delta number 3 must be selected since
it is bifurcation

Rule 3. If there are series of bifurcation opening towards the core, equally close to the point of
divergence of the type lines, the delta nearest to the core shall be selected.

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 This rule explains that if there are two or more bifurcation found within the point of divergence
of the two type line and all of them are open towards the core, the bifurcation nearest to it must be the
delta. In Figure 10, bifurcation number 1 must be selected as delta since it is nearest to the core.

Rule 4. When there are two or more possible deltas which conform to the definition, the one nearest the
core is chosen,

Figure 11 shows three (3) possible delta, a dot (1), ridge ending (2), and short ridge (3). Since
short ridge in the figure is nearest to the core, then it must be selected as delta.

Rule 5. The delta may not be located in the middle of a ridge running between the type lines toward the
core, but at the nearer end only.

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THE CORE

Core, as the name implies, it is the approximate center the pattern.

RULES IN THE SELECTION OF CORE OF A LOOP TYPE OF PATTERN.

Rule 1. The core is placed upon or within the innermost sufficient recurve.

The rule explains only as to where the core can be possibly located. The sufficient recurve is a point
where a ridge return back from the direction from where it started. (see Figure14)

Figure 14

Rule 2. When the innermost sufficient recurve contains no ending ridge or rod rising as high as the
shoulders of the loop, the core is placed on the shoulder of the loop farther from the delta. (See Figure
15)

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 Figure 15
Rule 3. When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an uneven number of rods rising as high as the
shoulders, the core is placed upon the end of the center rod whether it touches the looping ridge or
not. (See Figure 16 & 17)

Rule 4. When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an even number of rods rising as high as the
shoulders, the core is placed upon the end of the farther one of the two center rods, the two center
rods being treated as though they were connected by a recurving ridge. (See Figure 18 & 19)

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RIDGE COUNTING

Ridge counting usually applies only to a loop type of pattern. It can be done by drawing an
imaginary line between delta and core. The number of ridges intervening between them is called ridge
count. Any ridge formation which touches the imaginary line shall be counted. The delta and the core,
however, shall not be included in the ridge count. Here are some rules in the ridge count:

1. Fragments and dots can only be counted if they appear as thick as the surrounding ridge.

23
 2. If an imaginary line crosses a bifurcation, each branch shall be counted separately.

3. White space must intervene between the delta and the first ridge count.

III. COMPREHENSION CHECK-UP

1. What is Friction Skin?

2. What is ridge counting?
3. Why is the Skin considered an organ?
4. How does dermis differ from epidermis
5. Explain the kinds of sweat glands.

IV. POST - TEST

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 1. What are the different ridge characteristics and briefly explain its
formation?
2. How does pattern area differ from Type lines?
3. What will be continuation if the type line breaks or abruptly ends
before it has surrounded the pattern area?
4. Illustrate the rules in the selection of core in a loop type of pattern.
5. How is ridge counting done?

Checked By:

Melody C. Dimapilis, MCRIM

Department Head

INNOVATIVE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Malitbog, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

JULIUS R. MIRADOR
I. OBJECTIVES:

 Identify the three (3) large group of fingerprint pattern and their frequency of appearance.
 Define and illustrate the different types of fingerprint pattern.
 Differentiate the plain arch from tented arch
 Know the different type of tended arch
 Learn how to whorl tracing is to be done.
 Internalize the rules in whorl tracing.

II. TIME FRAME

Week 6 & 7

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III. DISCUSSION

FINGERPRINT PATTERN

Fingerprint Pattern refers to the general formation of the ridges found within the pattern area.
This formation or pattern is very essential in fingerprint classification. Fingerprint pattern are divided
into three large groups: These are: Arches, Loops and Whorls

Pattern Frequency
Arch – 5%
Whorl – 30%
Loop- 65%

Arch – a pattern in which the ridges flow one side to the other side without recurving. It has no delta
and core. Its frequency of appearance in all fingers is five percent (5%).

Characteristics of an Arch
1. The ridges flow without recurving
2. No delta and core
3. No ridge count

Loops – a pattern in which the ridges start at one side of the pattern goes toward the upper corner of
the opposites side, then recurve and start back toward the side from which they came originally,
forming a loop with core in the center and a delta at the edge of the pattern area.

Characteristics of a Loop
1. There must be a sufficient recurve.
2. There must be a Delta and Core.
3. There must be ridge count of at least one.

Whorl – is a pattern in which the formations of the ridges are usually circular or spiral. Whorl pattern
will have two or more deltas. For a whorl pattern, all deltas and the areas between them must be
recorded. It occurs in about 30% of all fingerprints.

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Sub-Group of the Pattern
The three large group of the pattern are further divided into sub-groups by means of the minute
variations that can be found in the same general group. The sub-divisions are as follows:

A. ARCH
1. Plain Arch
2. Tented Arch
B. LOOPS
1. Radial Loop
2. Ulnar Loop
C. WHORLS
1. Plain Whorl
2. Central pocket Loop Whorl
3. Double Loop Whorl
4. Accidental Whorl

Standard Fingerprint Pattern

Plain Arch – is one of the two arches that belong to an arch family. The ridges of this type enter
from one side to the other side without recurving; it has an slight upward curve or wave at the center,
with no angular ridge formation or up thrust.

Plain Arches

Tented Arch – is that type of pattern which most of the ridges appear like an arch and the ridges
at the center appears like a tent or the ridges raise higher at the center or one with an upward thrust
having an angle of 45 degrees. This pattern resembles like a loop but does not possess all the

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characteristics or essentials of a loop. Tended arch differs from the plain in the sense that tented arch
raise higher while plain arch rise slightly at the center.

Tented Arch

Radial Loop - the term radial loop is derived from the bone found or situated at the side of the
thumb finger of the hand called Radius Bone. This pattern is called radial loop because the direction of
the downward slant of the ridges flows towards the direction of the thumb or the radius bone.

This is a radial loop if the pattern is taken from the right hand of the
subject since the ridges flows the direction where the
thumb is located.

Ulnar Loop – is term after the bone of the forearm located at the side of the little fingers of
both hands called Ulna Bone. Ulnar Loop differs from radial loop as the direction of the downward slant
of the pattern since this pattern flows toward the direction of the little finger or to the ulna bone.

ULNAR LOOP

The distinction between Ulnar

and Radial loop depends on
which hand the loop is found
on, since the location of the
thumb and little fingers of both
hands are in exact opposite to
each other.

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Plain Whorl – it is a pattern in which one or more of the ridges from a series of circle or spiral at the
center of the pattern. This pattern can be an oval, spiral, circular or any variant of a circle. When an
imaginary line is drawn from one delta to the other, at least one recurving ridge within the inner pattern
area is cut or touch. The plain whorl should always possess at last two deltas and a core. This pattern is
the most common among the whorl family.

Central Pocket Loop whorl – consists of at least one recurving ridge, or an obstruction at right
angles to the line of flow, with two deltas, between which when an imaginary line is drawn, no recurving
ridge within the pattern area is cut or touched. This pattern forms like a loop pattern but possess al the
essentials or characteristics of a whorl since the pattern consist of two deltas. It differ from the plain
whorl since if an imaginary line is drawn connecting the two deltas no recurving ridge is cut or touch.

Double Loop – is a pattern in which consists of two separate loop formation with two distinct
and separate shoulder of the loop. If the shoulder is formed by the same recurving line then it is NOT
valid as double loop.

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 Accidental Whorl – is a pattern which consists of two or more type of pattern in a single pattern
area with the exception of plain arch or a pattern which possess some of the requirements for two or
more different types; or a pattern that conforms to none of the definitions.

WHORL TRACING
The whorl types of patterns are further classified according to its whorl tracing, either INNER,
MEETING or OUTER which whorl tracing is essentially useful for fingerprints classification purposes,
particularly in obtaining sub-secondary and the major classification. Whorl tracing is done by locating or
identifying the tracing ridge and examining its direction. The following are to be considered in whorl
tracing:
1. Whorl tracing will always start from the left delta to the right delta.
2. When the tracing ridge abruptly terminates, the next lower ridge shall be the continuation.
3. If the tracing ridge bifurcates, the lower branch of the bifurcation shall be considered.
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 4. Trace from the farthest left delta to a point opposite the furthest delta when there are three
or more deltas are present.
5. In tracing double loops or accidental whorls, when the tracing passes inside of the right delta,
stop at the nearest point to the right delta on the upward trend. If no upward trend us present, continue
tracing until a point opposite the right delta or the delta itself is reach.

INNER WHORL
When the tracing ridge goes above or inside to the right delta and it has a ridge count of
three or more intervening between the tracing ridge and the right delta it is called INNER WHORL.

OUTER WHORL
When the tracing goes below or outside to the right delta, and it has ridge count of 3 or
more intervening between the tracing ridge and the right delta it is called OUTER WHORL.

MEETING WHORL

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 When the tracing ridge goes above (inside) or goes below (outside) to the right and it
has a ridge count less than three intervening between the tracing ridge and the right delta or the tracing
ridge directly connected to the right delta it is called MEETING WHORL.

TAKING FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS

A. Pressure: The pressure on the fingers, while rolling, should be light and even. Too much pressure, or
uneven pressure, causes distortion of the print.

B. Removing Fingers from Card: As each finger is completely rolled, it must be lifted with quick, upward
movement from the card. A slow, dragging movement may cause a smeared impression.

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C. Rolling the Thumbs and Fingers: The thumb is rolled from the inside edge of the nail to the outside of
the opposite edge of the nail, thus the right thumb is rolled from the right to left, and the left thumb
from left to right. The fingers of the right hand are rolled from left to right, and fingers of the left hand
are rolled from right to left.

D. Make sure that the characteristics of each individual print are clear and present. The different finger
print patterns are:
a. Loop (will have a core and a delta)
b. Whorl (will have two deltas)
c. Arch

LIGHT/DARK FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS

Too Light – usually caused by dry skin. This can be remedied by first cleaning the fingers with a
fingerprinting towelette or other cleaning agent. Apply a hand lotion sparingly and wipe off any excess
with a lint-free cloth. Light prints ay also be caused by too little pressure.
Too Dark – usually caused by wet or oily skin. Clean the fingers with a fingerprinting towelette or
other alcohol-based hand cleaner. Keep these handy to wipe any recurring perspiration from the fingers
during printing. Dark prints may also be caused by excessive pressure.

Reasons for poor quality inked impressions

Poor impressions with ink are usually caused by one of the errors listed below.
1. Poor Ink – The use of old or poor pink, such as colored ink, thin ink or stamp pad ink.
These result in blotchy, pale prints.
2. Improper Cleaning – Failure to clean the inking equipment of the fingers. Foreign
particles may cause false marking, distorted ridges or the disappearance of characteristics. Hands and
fingers should be wiped dry of perspiration. Cleaning agent may be used.
3. Incomplete Inking – Failure to ink the entire bulb of the fingers, from joint to tip and
from side to side of nail. Result: possible omission of deltas and cores. These ridge details are essential
for classifying fingerprints.
4. Improper rolling – Failure to roll the finger fully from one side to the other.
5. Excessive Inking – The use of too much ink, filling between and obscuring the ridges.
Just a touch of the tube end will allow enough printers ink for several sets of prints. The ink should be
spread to a thin, even film with the roller.
6. Insufficient Inking –Insufficient ink in fingertips result in the ridges being too light to
count or trace.
7. Excessive Pressure – Ink is a grease base. Therefore too much pressure fills in
between the ridges.

III. COMPREHENSION CHECK-UP

1. What are the three large groups of fingerprint pattern and how do they differ from one
another?

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 2. What are the characteristics of a loop type of pattern?
3. What is a double loop?

IV. POST - TEST

1. What is the difference between outer whorl and inner whorl?

2. What will be the continuation if the tracing ride terminates before it reaches to the point near
to the right delta? How about bifurcation?
3. How does tended arch differ from plain arch?
4. Why does central pocket loop belong to whorl pattern?
5. How does radial loop differ from ulnar loop?

Checked By:

Melody C. Dimapilis, MCRIM

Department Head

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