Latent Print
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Patent Print
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Plastic Print
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You have already learned about the three different types of fingerprint patterns: the loop, whorl, and arch. You have also learned about the different types of minutiae found in the fingerprints that are used for identification and the different aspects of a fingerprint, such as the cores, deltas, and ridge counts. There are three different types of fingerprints that can be found and/or made at a crime scene, or any other place. These are latent, plastic, and patent prints. Patent fingerprints are prints that are made when a finger comes in contact with a substance such as blood and leaves a print with that blood. A plastic fingerprint is a 3D print that is made in a soft material such as silly-putty, and that print is imprinted into the material and can then be taken in as evidence. The last fingerprint, and the hardest to find and lift, is the latent fingerprint. This is a fingerprint that is left on a surface from the oils in fingers, and it is not always visible to the naked eye. In order to lift and find these prints there are two methods, dusting and chemical usage. In order to ensure that the method they choose is as effective as possible, scientists and investigators determine which one to use depending on the surface the print is left on.
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These are all chemicals that are used to make latent prints visible. As you can see in the chart, all of the chemicals are used in different situations to get the best results.
Cyanoacrylate Vapor is a very fancy name for super glue. This method is one that is used by a forensic specialist in The Body Farm. With this method, the vapors of the super glue are fumed into a room, and then the chemicals from the vapors react with the oils in the fingerprints. This leaves behind a white film that can be photographed or taken as evidence. These prints can be made more visible through dust that is of opposite color of the print, and also through computer enhancement.
Super Glue Method Video
Cyanoacrylate Vapor is a very fancy name for super glue. This method is one that is used by a forensic specialist in The Body Farm. With this method, the vapors of the super glue are fumed into a room, and then the chemicals from the vapors react with the oils in the fingerprints. This leaves behind a white film that can be photographed or taken as evidence. These prints can be made more visible through dust that is of opposite color of the print, and also through computer enhancement.
Super Glue Method Video
When dusting prints, tape is used to lift the dust and log the print. This print is then transported in an evidence bag to be analyzed. There are many different types and colors of powder to use when lifting prints. Use of different colors is essential to lifting quality prints from different colored surfaces. They range anywhere from neon orange to black printing dust. There is also magnetic dust that is much easier to clean up. Dusting prints is a very effective method of recovering latent prints from a crime scene.
The diagram above came from the book Forensic Science Fundamentals and Investigations