FINGERPRINT

1. FINGERPRINTING
• Fingerprint is considered to be the most valuable method of
• identification. It is a positive and absolute means of identification
• Theuse of fingerprints as an infallible means of identification is based on
• THREE DOGMATIC PRINCIPLES:
1.Individuality/Variation/Uniqueness (Sir Francis Galton)
2. Constancy or Permanency/Immutability (Herman Welcker )
3. Infallibility (Henry Faulds )

2. INDIVIDUALITY/VARIATION/UNIQUENESS
• No two persons have the same fingerprint (based on Statistic Probability)
• SIR FRANCIS GALTON IN 1892
• He concluded the theory that the chance of two people to
possess identical fingerprints is 1:64 Billion persons.
• There are no two fingerprints that are exactly alike,”(Meyer) except if two
fingerprints were taken from the same finger and the same person
• Two fingerprints maybe alike in its pattern or design but considering its minute
• characteristics, they differ.
• Fingerprints of two persons can be similar but NOT Identical.

3. CONSTANCY/PERSISTENCY/PERMANENCY/
IMMUTABILITY
• States that fingerprints are unchanging or constant from birth until the decomposition of
the body of the person.
• That the friction ridge once fully developed its arrangement will remains the same
throughout man’s life.
• That the friction ridge once fully developed, its arrangement will remains the same
throughout the man’s life. Ridges appears from 3rd to 4th mos. Of fetus life and
completes at 5th to 6th mos. Before birth. It is also known as the “From Womb to Tomb”
principle.

4. INFALLIBILITY
• That fingerprint cannot be easily forged
• That fingerprint is a reliable means of personal identification and all courts accept and adopt
fingerprint as a means of personal identification
SOME ATTEMPTS OF DESTROYING RIDGES
1. JOHN DILLINGER- a known criminal who tried to effaced his fingerprint by burning them with acid. It
was a failure because the print appeared again after how many days
Known U.S. public enemy number one
2. ROBERT (ROSCOE) JAMES PITTS - known as “Man w/o fingerprint” tried to elude arrest by
removing the friction ridge through incision.
He surgically removed his fingerprint of the first joint and covered it with another skin from his chest but
his works were futile.
He is known by name Roscoe Pitts

5. Edmond Locard & Witkowsji
Performed painful experiments on themselves by burning their fingertips with
boiling water and oil with hot metals to find out whether it can destroy the ridges of a
finger

6. DACTYLOSCOPY – is the practical application of the science of fingerprints.
Latin words
Dactyl = finger
Skopien – to study or examine
Greek words
Dactylos – Finger
Skopien - Study
DACTYLOGRAPHY – is the scientific study of fingerprint as a means of identification
DACTYLOMANCY – is the scientific study of fingerprint for purposes of personality
interpretation.
DERMATOGLYPHICS = is the science which deals with the study of skin pattern. It is
derived from two Greek words, Derma which means Skin and Glype which means
Carve.

7. RELATED SCIENCES/BRANCHES OF
DACTYLOSCOPY
• CHIROSCOPY PODOSCOPY POROSCOPY EDGEOSCOPY RIDGEOLOGY

8. CHIROSCOPY
WILLIAM HERSCHEL is considered as “Father of
Chiroscopy”
Science of palm print identification
Derived from Greek words:
Cheir - means “a hand” and
Skopien - means “to examine.”
PATTERN ZONES OF PALMPRINT:
THENAR ZONE – the base of the thumb.
HYPOTHENAR ZONE – the base of the little finger.
PALMAR ZONE – base of the four fingers.
CARPAL DELTA ZONE – near the wrist.
Some other terms used in the
study of palm
DISTAL – means towards the
fingertips
PROXIMAL – means towards the
wrist
RADIAL – flowing towards the
radius bone or thumb side
ULNAR – flowing towards ulnar
bone where the little finger rest.

9. PODOSCOPY
Footprints and footwear identification.
Derived from two Greek words:
1. Podo - means “the foot” and
2. Skopien - means “to examine.”
PATTERN ZONES OF FOOTPRINT:
BALL ZONE - base of the big toe
PLANTAR ZONE – space below the base of the 4 little toes besides the ball zone
CALCAR ZONE – is the area located at the heel
TIBIAL ZONE– side of the foot where the big toe is located
FIBULAR ZONE– situated on the little toe side of the foot just below the plantar zone
TREAD AREA – includes that portion of the foot lying between the ball-plantar zone and calcar
zone
*The fibular and tibial zones are found within the tread area.

10. POROSCOPY
Study of the pore structure for the purpose of identification.
Derived from the Greek words:
1. poros - means “a pore” and
2. skopein - means “to examine.
Edmond Locard is considered the “Father of Poroscopy”
EDGEOSCOPY
Edges and shapes of the ridges.
This includes the study of:
• endings,
• puckering,
• Bifurcations
RIDGEOLOGY
combination of:
Poroscopy
Edgeoscopy
Ridge characteristics.

11. HISTORY AND PERSONALITIES IN
FINGERPRINT

12. In China, fingerprint is called “Hua Chi”. The value of fingerprints for
purposes of identification was found on a Chinese clay seal made not later
than the 3rd century B.C.
China has been recognized by many authorities as the 1st country that uses
fingerprint.
The arches and whorl were called as “LO” (snail) and loops are “KI”
(winnowing basket).
Emperor Tein Shi – 1st Chinese ruler who devised a seal carved from the
white jade, on the side of it was the name of the owner, and the others side the
thumb mark of the destitute.
In Japan, deeds, dotes, and certificates to be used as proofs were sealed by
the mark of the hand (Palm-print) called “Tegata.”
In England, Thomas Bewick, an English engraver, author, and naturalist
engraved the patterns of his own fingers on every wood-work he had finished
to serve as his mark so as to establish its genuineness.

13. NEHEMIAH GREW (1684)
Describes the ridges and pores of the hands and feet (Philosophical
Transaction) presented in Royal Society of London, England.
GOVARD BIDLOO
Works on the sweat pores and ridges. Pubished “Anatomia Humanis
Corporis”
MARCELO MALPIGHI (1628-1694)
Professor at the University of Bolognia, Italy, known for his discovery of
the Epidermis and Dermis layer. Written the book entitled “De Externo Tactus
Organo”.
“Grandfather of Dactyloscopy” according to Edmond Locard
He was noted for the discovery of Dermis and Epidermis
A layer of skin was named after him; MALPHIGI LAYER which is
approximately 1.8mm thick

14. J.C.A. MAYER (1788)
The first to state that fingerprints are never duplicated in two persons.
JOHANNES PURKENJIE (1823)
Professor at the University of Breslau, Germany. Established a certain
role for classification and be able to identify nine (9) types of pattern although
never associated to identification. “Father of Dactyloscopy”
HERMAN WELCKER
Took his own fingerprints twice with a lapse of forty-one years and show
the ridges formation remains the same. (Principle of Constancy)
WILLIAM HERSCHEL
The first to advocate the use of fingerprints as substitute for signature
from among Indian native to avoid impersonation. “Father of Chiroscopy”
RAJADHAR KONAI = the first person Herschel printed the palm

15. HENRY FAULDS
A surgeoon at Tsukuji Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, who claimed that latent prints
would provide positive identification of offenders once apprehended ( A Manual of
Practical Dactyloscopy). “Grandfather of Fingerprinting”
FRANCIS GALTON
Developed the Arch. Loop and Whorl Patterns as general classification and
identified nine (9) types of pattern. First to establish a Civil Bureau of Personal
Identification. He said that the possibility of two prints being alike was
1:65,000,000,000.
EDWARD RICHARD HENRY
Developed the Henry System of Classification at Scotland Yard which was
accepted by almost all English-speaking country. Known as Father of Fingerprint.
KHAN BAHADUR AZIZUL HAQUE AND RAI HEM CHANDRA BOSE – the two
Hindu police officers who have help Henry in attaining his goal.
JUAN VUCETICH
A Spanish counterpart of Henry who developed his own system of
classification inArgentina and was accepted in almost all Spanish Speaking country.

16. IN AMERICA
GILBERT THOMPSON
A geologist in New Mexico, adopted the first individual use of fingerprint in august 8, 1882 as
a protection to prevent tampering with the pay order.
ISAIAH WEST TABOR
Photographer in San Francisco who advocated the use of the system for the registration of
the immigrant Chinese.
SAMUEL LANGHORNE CLEMENS
An Englishman who informally introduced Dactyloscopy in the United States in his book “ Life
in the Mississippi” and “ Pupp n Head Wilson”.
DR. HENRY P DE FOREST
Utilized the first Municipal Civil use of fingerprint for Criminal Registration on December 1902
(Mun. Civil Service Comm., New York).
CAPT. JAMES L. PARKE
Advocate the first state and penal use of fingerprint adopted in SingSing prison on June 5,
1903 later on Auburn Napanoch and Clinton Penitentiaries.
SGT. JOHN KENNETH FERRIER
First fingerprint instructor at St. Louis Police Dept. Missouri.

17. MAJ. R. MC CLOUGHRY
Warden of the Federal Penitentiaries of Leaven Worth. Established the first
official National Government use of fingerpprint.
MARY K. HOLAND
FirstAmerican instructress in dactyloscopy
INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCE
First private school to install laboratories for instruction purposes in
dactyloscopy
IN THE PHILIPPINES
MR. JONES
One who first taught FP in the Phils. (1900)
BUREAU OF PRISON - (1968) CARPETAS fingerprint was used.
GENEROSO REYES – First Filipino Fingerprint Technician employed by P.C.
ISABELA BERNALES – first Filipina Fingerprint Technician

18. CAPT. THOMAS DUGAN, New York Police Dept. AND FLAVIANO
GUERRERO, FBI Washington – gave the first examination in FP in 1927 and
AGUSTIN PATRICIO of the Phils. Top the Examination
PLARIDEL EDUCATION INSTITUTE (PEI) now known as Phil. College of
Criminology, first government recognized school to teach the Science of
Fingerprint and other Police Sciences.
LUCILA LALU – the first Filipina Chop-chop lady who was identified through
fingerprint

19. FINGERPRINTS
Is an impression design by the first joint of the fingers and
thumb on smooth surface through the media of ink, sweat or any
substance capable of producing visibility

20. FINGER COMPOSITION AND
STRUCTURE
PHALANGE
is the skeletal finger covered with friction skin.
It is made up of three bones.
a. BASAL OR PROXIMAL PHALANGE – it is
located at the base of the finger nearest the palm.
b. MIDDLE PHALANGE - the next and above the
basal done.
c. TERMINAL PHALANGE - the particular bone
covered with friction skin, having all the different
types of fingerprint patterns and it is located near
the tip of the finger.

21. ABNORMALITIES IN FINGER
POLYDACTYL – more than regular number of finger
MACRODACTYL –enlarged finger
BRACHYDACTYLY – fingers are abnormally short

22. ECTODACTYL – missing finger at birth
SYNDACTYL – side fusion of finger
ANKYLOSIS – finger cannot be bend
ORTHODACTYL - a condition where then fingers cannot
be stretch.

23. THE FRICTION SKIN
• Is the epidermal hairless skin found on the ventral/lower surface of the hands and feet covered
with minute ridges and furrows.
• This is where fingerprints are formed.
• Also called as Papillary skin/Epidermal skin/Volar skin (Biologist)

24. COMPONENTS OF THE FRICTION
SKIN
1. RIDGES – are hill like, elevated,
appear as black lines with tiny white
dots called pores in an inked
impression.
2. FURROWS – canal-like, depressed
portions found between the ridges
which appear white lines.

25. 1. SWEAT PORES (sometimes called islands) – are small opening found on skin and appear
white on plain impression.
2. SWEAT DUCT – is a long-host like structure that serves as the passage way for the sweat.
3. SWEAT GLANDS – produces sweat/perspiration
KINDS OF SWEAT GLANDS
ECCRINE GLAND – the only sweat glands that can be found on the palms and soles
APPOCRINE GLAND –found on the pubic, mammary and anal areas. It produces fat for milks
LACRIMAL GLANDS –produces tears
SEBACEOUS GLANDS –located at the forehead, chest, back and abdomen. It produces oil
and fats.
STRUCTURE OF SWEAT PRODUCER

27. LAYERS OF SKIN
1. EPIDERMAL LAYER (EPIDERMIS) – the outer layer
Sub-layers:
a)Stratum Corneum – also known as corneus layer.
b)Stratum Mucosum – also known as transparent layer.
c)Stratum lucidum – also known as granucar layer.
d)Stratum granulosum – consists of 3-4 layers.
e)Stratum spinosum – also called Malpighian layer.
f) Stratum Basale – also called Generating Layer.

28. 2. DERMAL PAPILLAE (DERMIS)
The inner layer of the skin containing blood vessels, arrector pili
muscles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands and nerves. It is where the dermal
papillae are found.
3. SUBCUTANEOUS LAYER (HYPODERMIS)
The innermost layer of skin that also contains blood vessels,
connective tissue, nerves and fat lobules (a rounded division or projection of an
organ or part in the body, especially in the lungs, brain, or liver)

29. RIDGE FORMATION
Ridges starts to form in the fingers and thumb during the 3rd to 4th months of the fetus life
Dermal Papillae = are irregular pegs composed of delicate connective tissue protruding and
forming the ridges of the skin on the fingers, palms, toes and soles of the feet
RIDGE DESTRUCTION
Damage in the friction skin can be temporary or permanent. Such permanency in the
damage may cause scar or termed as “Sicatriz.”
Epidermis- temporary scar
Dermis- permanent scar
Cut with a depth of more than 1 mm.- PERMANENT;
With less than 1mm.- TEMPORARY