HELLO MIDTERM!

TYPE LINES- basic boundaries of most fingerprints formed by ridges which run parallel, starting
from the lower corner of the pattern and flowing inward and upward the edge of the pattern
area, where they diverge or separate, then surround or tend to surround te pattern area.
PATTERN AREA- the part of the fingerprint which lies within the area surrounded by the type
lines.

TWO FOCAL POINTS OF FINGERPRINTS

a. CORE- is a point on the ridge formation usually located at the center or heart of the
pattern. It is also known as inner terminus.
b. DELTA- is a point on the ridge formation at or directly in front or near the center of the
divergence of the type lines. It is also known as outer terminus

RULES IN DETERMINING THE DELTA

RULE NO. 1 The Delta may not be located at the bifurcation which does not open towards the
core

RULE NO. 2 When there is a choice between a bifurcation and another type of delta, the
bifurcation is selected

RULE NO.3 If there are series of bifurcation opening towards the core, equally close to the point
of divergence of the type lines, the delta neareast to the core shall be selected.

RULE NO. 4 When there are two or more possible deltas which conform to the definition, the one nearest the core is
chosen
RULE NO. 5

The Delta may not be located in the middle of the short ridge running between the type lines toward the core, but at the
nearer end only

RULES IN DETERMINING THE CORE

RULE NO. 1 The core is placed upon or within the innermost sufficient recurve.

RULE NO. 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

RULE NO. 3 When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an uneven number of rods rising as high as the shoulder, the
core is placed upon the end of the center rod whether it touches the looping ridge or not
RULE NO. 4 When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an even number of rods rising as high as 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

RIDGE COUNTING AND RIDGE TRACING

RIDGE COUNTING- It refers to the process of counting the ridges that touch or cross an imaginary line drawn between
the core and the delta. It is the number of ridges intervening between the delta and core. In counting the intervening
ridges, the core and delta are excluded, only the ridge in between. Ridge counting is applicable to both loops and whorls.

RIDGE COUNT- the number of ridges intervening between the delta and core.

RULES IN RIDGE COUNTING

 Locate the exact core and delta.

 Delta and core not counted.
 There must be a white space between a ridge to the next ridge Count all the ridges that cross or touch the
imaginary line between delta and core.

RIDGE TRACING- it is the process of tracing the ridge that emanates from the lower side of the left delta to the right
delta to see where it flows in relation to the right delta.

RULES IN RIDGE TRACING

 Trace from left to delta, to a point opposite the right delta.

 Start ridge tracing below the extreme left delta going to the right delta. When the right delta is reached, stop the
tracing immediately.

 In the event that ridge of the whorl is broken or bifurcated, the continuation of the flow of the ridge trace is
immediately below the broken line; for the bifurcated , the continuation is below the bifurcating lines.
 WHORL
ARCH
LOOP
35%
5%
60%

THREE MAIN FINGERPRINT PATTERN WITH TYPES OF PATTERN

Eight types of fingerprint pattern
1. Characteristics of ARCH
a) The ridges flow without recurving
b) No delta and core
c) No ridge count
Two Types of Arch
a) PLAIN ARCH- a type of fingerprint pattern in which one or more ridge flow or tend to flow
one side of impression to the other with a rise in the center.

b) TENTED ARCH- a tented arch is that type of fingerprint pattern which possesses either
an angle, an upthrust or two of the three basic characteristics of the loop.

2. Characteristics of LOOP
a) There must be sufficient recurve
b) There must be a Delta an Core
c) There must be a ridge count of at least one

Two Types of Loop

 a) ULNAR LOOP- an ulnar loop is one in which the downward slant of the ridges from the
thumb towards the little finger or ulna bone.

b) RADIAL LOOP- a radial loop is one in which the downward slant of ridges are from the
little finger toward the thumb or radius bone.

3. Characteristics of WHORL
a) There must be a core
b) Two or more delta
Four Types of Whorl
a) PLAIN WHORL- It is a type of fingerprint pattern which has two delta and at least one
ridge making a complete pattern circuit, which may be spiral, oval, circular, or any variant
of a circuit. An imaginary line drawn between the two deltas MUST TOUCH or
cross at least one of the recurving ridges within the pattern area.

b) CENTRAL POCKET LOOP WHORL-consist 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.

c) DOUBLE LOOP WHORL-consist of two separate loop formation.

 d) ACCIDENTAL WHORL- consisting of a combination of two different types of patterns
except Plain Arch, with two or more deltas;

WHORL TRACING

 When the tracing ridge goes above or inside to the right delta and I has a ridge count of three (3) or more
intervening between the tracing ridge and the right delta is called INNER WHORL.

 When the tracing ridge goes below or outside and it has a ridge count of three(3) or more intervening between
the tracing ridge and the right delta is OUTER WHORL.

 When the tracing ridge goes above or below the right delta and it has a ridge count of less than 3 (1 or 2) the
right delta is MEETING WHORL.

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Prepared by:

ANGELICA N. NARVAZA, RCRIM