PREPARED BY : FIGUEROA JONIE C.

SUBJECT NAME : FORENSIC 2 PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

UNIT :3

PRELIM
FINGERPRINTING (DACTYLOSCOPY)

NATURE OF FINGERPRINTS

A FINGERPRINT is a composite of the ridge outlines which appears on the skin surface of the bulbs on the
inside of the end of joints of the fingers and thumbs. The ridges appearing in a fingerprint are commonly referred
to as papillary or frictional ridges. The ridges have a definite contour and appear in definite individual details by
which positive identification can be made.

Take Note:

Ridge – literally, the top of long hill

Ducts – these are little pockets underneath the skin where oils or sweats are carried by small holes to the
surface of the skin.

Ridge Destruction: Creases – little white lines that are found on a fingerprint that look like sears
(burn/blister). These are not permanent, and will not show any turning or “puckering.” Skin conditions such as
warts and blisters of temporary impairments caused by certain occupations, e.g. bricklayers, carpenters, have no
permanent effect and the individual characteristics revert to their natural alignment once the temporary skin
condition has been corrected.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS INVOLVING FINGERPRINTS

Are there any ancient records concerning the use of Finger and Palm Prints?

1. On the face of a cliff in NOVA SCOTIA, there has been found prehistoric Indian picture writing of a hand
with crudely marked ridge patterns.
2. Scholars refer to the impression of fingerprints on clay tablets recoding business transactions in ancient
Babylon and clay seals of ancient Chinese origin bearing thumbprints. Some of these seals can be seen in
the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, D.C. Chinese documents identified with the Tang
Dynasty (618-907) refer to fingerprint being impressed upon business contracts. It is conjectural as to
what extent these earlier instances of fingerprinting were intended for actual identification of the persons
impressing the prints. History shows that Emperor Te In Shi was the first on to use fingerprint in China.
3. In the Bible, Apostle Paul concludes in one of his epistles with the words, “The Salvation of Paul with my
own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I write.” Some have inferred from these words that Paul
used his finger impressions as a distinctive signature.
4. In Persia, 14th century, various government papers were reportedly impressed with fingerprints, and a
government official who was also a physician made the observation that no fingerprints of two persons
were exactly alike.
5. In Holland and China, identification of individuals was by means of branding, tattooing, mutilation, and
also manifested by wearing clothes of different designs.
6. In Old Mexico, the Aztecs impressed their hands accidentally or intentionally on the molded and still soft
clays of their hand-made idols to serve as their trade marks. The authorities stamped their hands on the
death warrants for the men and women who offered their lives to sacrifice for their idol-gods.
7. In France, numerous rock carvings and paintings featuring hand designs and fingerprints have been found
on the granite wall slabs in the Neolithic burial passage of the L’lle de Gavr’nis. Other specimens were
 also found in the Spanish Pyrunees caverns, the numerous digital relics left by Indiana at Keuimkooji Lake
in cliff dwellings in Nova Scotia, in the Balearic Islands, Australis, New England coasts and in Africa.
8. In Babylonia, the first use of fingerprints for personal identification originated when Babylonian
Magistrates ordered their officers in making arrests and property confiscation to secure the defendants’
fingerprints.
9. Kom Ombo Plain, on the east bank of river Nile, Egypt, lump of hundred much found in Sebekian deposit
which shows a portion of an adult palm during 12,000 B.C.
10. In Judea, Paul, the Apostle, used his own fingerprints to sign his letters (II Thessalonians 3:17 – “I, Paul,
greet you with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter. Thus I write.”). Other significant quotations
are found in Job 37:7 – “He sealeth up the hand of all men, that every one may know his works.”
Revelations 13:16 – “It will cause all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and
the bond, to have mark on their right hand or on foreheads.”
11. In Jerusalem, fingerprint relics were found in clay lumps during the 4 th and 5th centuries of the Christian
Era. The excavation of Palestine by the late Dr. Bade yielded fragments of such specimens (fingerprints).
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 3 rd century B.C.
13. During the Tang Dynasty, fingerprints were used in connection with the preparation of legal documents.
Kia Yung-yen, an author during this time stated that, “Wooden tablets were engraved with the full terms
of the contract, and notches were cut in the sides where they were identical so that the tablets could later
be matched or tallied, thus proving them genuine.”
14. The code of domestic relations as described in the Chinese Law Book of Yang Hwui states: “To divorce a
wife, the husband must write a bill of divorcement and state the reasons or grounds that are due for
action, and then impress his palmprint thereon.” For contracts, fingerprints were also used as signatures
of those who were illiterates, who could neither read nor write. This was under the subject of “Land
Tenure.”
15. Early in the 12th century, in the novel, “The Story of the River Bank,” fingerprinting found itself already in
the criminal procedure of China; and in the 16 th century, a custom prevailed in connection with the sale of
children.
16. In Japan, deeds, dotes, and certificates to be used as proofs were sealed by the mark of the hand (Palm-
print) called “Tegata.” In the treatment of criminals, the imprint of the thumb (bo-in or bo-an) was taken.
The criminal signed only by thumb-print with regard to his sentence and it was considered as an inferior
sort of signature.
17. In Constantinople, in a treaty of ratification, the sultan soaked his hand in a sheep’s blood and impressed
it on the document as his seal.
18. 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.

Are there any early publication concerning Fingerprints?

1. 1684-Nehemiah Grew published a report which was read before the royal society of London, England. He
described the ridges and pores of the hands and feet.
2. 1685-G. Bidloo published a treaty describing sweat pores and ridges.
3. 1685-Midle wrote a book, “Human Anatomy,” in which he included a drawing of the thumb print showing
the ridge configuration of the whorl pattern.
4. 1686-Professor Marcelo Malpighi, an Italian anatomist (GRANDFATHER OF DACTYLOSCOPY according to
Dr. Edmond Locard – “Father of Poroscopy”), commented in his writings on elevated ridges on the
fingertips and alluded to diverse figures on palmar surfaces.
5. 1751-Hintzo wrote on the ridge formation, but dealt with the subject from the viewpoint of anatomy
rather than identification.
6. 1764-Albinus followed along the same lines as Hintzo had written.
7. 1788-J.C.A. Mayer stated in his book (Anatomische Kupfertafein Nebst Dazu Geharigen) that although the
arrangement of the skin ridges is never duplicated in two persons, nevertheless, the similarities are closer
among some individuals.
 8. 1823-Johannes Evangelist Purkinje, (FATHER OF DACTYLOCOSPY) a Czechoslovakian professor of
anatomy at the University of Breslau, published a thesis in Latin (Commentio de Examine Physiogico
Organi Visus Et systematis Cutansi – A Commentary of the Physiological Examination System: Dec. 22,
1823, Breslau, Germany) describing the ridges, giving them names and established certain rules for
classification (nine groups). He involves vague differentiation of fingerprints or use them for
identification.
9. 1856-Herman Welcker took the prints of his own palm. In 1897, (forty one years later) he printed the
same palm to prove that the prints do not change. (Principle of Permanency).
10. 1883-Kollman, an anthropologist who wrote his book on ridges and pores. He did not associate
fingerprints with identification.

What are the historical events concerning Fingerprints as Method of Identification?

1. 1858-Sir William J. Herschel (FATHER OF CHIROSCOPY), in Hoogly, district of Bengal, India, he used
fingerprints in India to prevent fraudulent collection of army pay account and for identification of other
documents. He printed the palms of natives in order to avoid impersonation among laborers. Prints of
the entire palms were used instead of signatures. The first person Herschel printed appears to have been
one RAJYADHAR KONAI.
2. 1880-Dr. Henry Faulds, an English (Scottish) doctor stationed in Tokyo, Japan, wrote a letter to the English
publication, “NATURE” – “On the Skin Furrows of the Hand”, (dtd Oct. 28, 1880) on the practical use of
fingerprints for the identification of criminals. He recommended the use of a thin film of printers ink as a
transfer medium and is generally used today.
3. 1880-Sir Francis Galton, a noted British anthropologist and a cousin of scientist Charles Darwin began
observation which led to the publication in 1882 of his book “Fingerprints.” Galton’s studies established
the individuality of classifying fingerprint patterns.
4. 1882-Gilbert Thompson, a U.S. geological surveyor in charge of a field project in New Mexico used his
own fingerprints in commissary orders to prevent forgery.
5. Isaiah West Taber – A photographer in San Francisco advocated the use of the system for the registration
of the immigrant Chinese.
6. 1883-An episode in Mark Twain’s life on the Mississippi relates to the identification of a murderer by his
thumbprint.
7. Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) further developed his theme. Eleven (11) years later, he causes the
publication of “Puddin Head Wilson”, a novel based on dramatic fingerprint identification demonstrated
during a court trial. His story pointed out the infallibility of fingerprint identification.
8. 1888-Sir Edward Richard Henry, succeeded Sir William J. Herschel at his post in India. He became
interested in fingerprints and devised a classification of his own and published his work in book form and
titled it “Classification and Uses of Fingerprints.”
9. 1889-Sir Richard Henry at Dove, England read a paper detailing his system before the British association
for Advancement of Science.
10. 1891-Juan Vucetich, an Argentinean police official, installed fingerprints files as an official means of
criminal identification; based his system of the pattern typed by Sir Francis Galton; and he also claimed
the first official criminal identification by means of fingerprints left at the scene of crime.
11. In 1892, at La Piata, Argentina, a woman named Rojas who had murdered her two sons and had cut her
own throat, though not fatal, blamed the attack on a neighbor. Bloody fingerprints on a door post were
identified by Vucetich as those of the woman herself which led to her confession.
12. 1892-Sir Francis Galton, an English Biologist, wrote his first textbook. He devised a practical system of
classification and filing. 1894-Sir Francis Galton’s report on fingerprint as a method of identification, along
with his system, was read at Asquith Committee of London, England. His system was officially adopted on
February 12, 1894.
13. 1900-Alphonse Bertillon’s system of body measurement had by this time spread throughout the world.
14. 1901-Sir Edward Richard Henry was appointed assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard. His system was
so applicable that Henry emerged as the “Father of Fingerprints,” at least as the first man to successfully
 apply fingerprints for identification. 1901-marked the official introduction of fingerprinting for criminal
identification in England and Wales.
15. The system employed was developed from Galton’s observation and devised by Edward Richard Henry,
the Inspector-General of Police in Bengal, India. He later became commissioner of London’s Metropolitan
Police.
16. 1914-Fingerprints were officially adopted in France, replacing Bertillon age.

What are the important dates concerning the development and use of fingerprint in the United States?

1. 1882-Gilbert Thompson of the Us Geodetic survey used thumb print for camp orders on an expedition to
New Mexico. This was not official but it was proven useful (the record was dated Aug. 8, 1882).
2. 1902-Sir Henry P. Forest, chief Medical examiner of New York Civil Service Commission and an American
preacher in fingerprint science in the US for the New York Civil Service commission to prevent applicants
from having better-qualified persons to take the test for them.
3. The New York Civil Service Commission, on Dec. 19, 1902 required all civil service applicants to be
fingerprinted. Dr. Henry P. Forest, put the system into practice.
4. 1903-New York State Prison in Albany claims the first practical, systematic use of fingerprints in the US to
identify criminals.

5. 1903-Fingerprints identification was adopted in the following penitentiaries: Singing Sing, Napanoch,
Auborn and Clinton prisons
6. Captain James Parke of the institution installed the identification system where the fingerprints of
prisoners were taken and classified and the fingerprint system was officially adopted in June of the year.
Today, New York State uses the American system that is similar to the Henry System and represents the
system initiated by Capt. Parke in 1903.
7. 1904-Maj. R. Mccloughry, the warden of the Federal Penitentiary of Leavenworth when the office of the
Atty. General of the U.S. granted permission to establish a fingerprint bureau therein. It was the first
national government use of fingerprints.
8. 1904-John Kenneth Ferrer (Perrier) of the Fingerprint Branch of the New Scotland Yard, attended the St.
Louis Missouri Worlds Fair. He had been assigned to guard the British Crown Jewels. American police
officials became interested in fingerprint through him and he became their instructor.
9. 1904-The City of St. Louis Missouri, became the first city to adopt fingerprint. The police department
officials adopted the system on October 29, 1904.
10. 1905-Fingerpritning was officially adopted by the U.S. Army. It was known as the first military use of
fingerprint.
11. 1907-Fingerprinting was officially adopted by the U.S. Navy (January 11, 1907).
12. 1908-Fingerprinting was officially adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps.
13. 1910-Frederick A. Brayley published what appears to be the first American book in fingerprints.
14. 1911-The State of Illinois, made the first criminal conviction based solely upon fingerprint evidence. It
was known as the first judicial ruling on such evidence, (People vs Jennings, 252 Illinois 543-96 NE 1007,
43 LRA (NS) 1206 for 1991).
15. 1915-The International Association for Criminal Identification was founded. The word “criminal” was
later dropped from the Association’s name. It is the first organized body of professional identification
experts.
16. 1916-The Institution of Applied Science established at Chicago, Illinois was the first school to teach
fingerprint identification (June 16, 1916).
17. 1916-Frederick Kuhne published a book entitled “The Fingerprint Instructor,” which probably the first
authoritative book in fingerprint to be circulated in the U.S. Munn and Co., served as the publisher.
18. 1919-Marked the publication of “Fingerprint and Identification Magazine” (Chicago). The first monthly
journal devoted exclusively to fingerprint science, (July 1919).
19. 1920-The Exceptional Arch, a new pattern, was adapted to Henry’s system by American experts. The
pattern was added after the study made by the assembly members at annual convention of the
International Association for Identification in 1920.
20. 1922-Haken Jersengen, the sub-director of police in Copenhagen, Denmark introduced first a long
distance identification to U.S. at a police conference here. The method was adopted and published in a
magazine entitled “Publications” of the International Police Conference, (New York City Police
Department, 1932).
21. Mary K. Holland – the first American Instructress in Dactyloscopy.
22. 1924-The Identification Division of the FBI was established after J. Edgar Hoover was appointed Director.
23. 1924-The book entitled “Single Fingerprint System” by T.K. Larson, was first published in U.S., (Berkley,
Police Monograph Series) D. Application and Co., New York City.
24. 1924-The First National Bureau of Identification was created by the act of Congress. The bureau was
established within the U.S. DOJ (Washington DC).
25. 1925-Harry J. Myers II installed the first official fact fingerprint system for infants in Jewish Maternity
Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
26. 1925-The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania used compulsory foot and fingerprinting of new born infants
and mothers which was enacted into law by Act of General Assembly as approved on April 20, 1925.
27. 1932-The International Exchange of Fingerprint date was initiated with a number of other nations on
February 15, 1932.
28. 1933-The Bureau of Identification, U.S. Department of Justice, adopted the single fingerprint
identification system. The first national use of single print for identification purposes for certain crimes
only, (Feb. 1933).
29. 1933-Latent fingerprints section, for making technical examination of latent prints or have inked prints on
an individual basis was instituted on November 10, 1933. The Civil Identification on Section was
established.

30. 1937-The Institute of Applied Science installed Photographic and Firearms Identification (Forensic
Ballistics) laboratories. The institute was the first private school in U.S. which installed laboratories for
instructional purposes only.
31. 1938-A book by Harry J. Myers II, “History of Identification of fingerprints in U.S.” was published in
Fingerprint and Identification Magazine (Chicago, Illinois, Vol. 20, no. 4, Oct. 1938).
32. 1946-the 100th millionth fingerprint card was received in the identification division of the FBI. The total
grew to 152 million in May 11, 1959.
33. 1967-“Minutiae” was initiated by the FBI, a computerized scanning equipment to read and record
fingerprint identifying characteristics.
34. 1972-the prototype automatic fingerprint reader was delivered.
35. 1973-implementation of the first phase of the automated Identification System (AIS-1), which was to
establish the database consisting of the name, description, and criminal record of all first offenders with
birthdates of 1956.
36. 1978-Journal of Forensic Science – reported that certain properties of perspiration and body oils
contained in latent print residue will luminesce without pre-treatment and to a degree that photographs
could be taken when activated by continuous Argon-ION Laser. Hence, the FBI’s Latent Print Detection
System was put into use.
37. 1979-AIS-2 replaced AIS-1. This phase involved the automated searching by name and other descriptor
information of incoming fingerprint cards against the database.
38. 1979 (Oct. 17, 1979)-A latent fingerprint was developed and lifted from the hand of a victim in Miami,
Florida murder resulting in identifying the suspect. This was the first known case where a fingerprint from
a human skin was used in the identification, prosecution and conviction of a perpetrator of a crime.
39. 1982-Missing Children Act was signed into law which requires the Attorney General to acquire, collect,
classify, and preserve any information which would assist in the location of any missing person (including
an unemancipated person as defined by the laws of the place of residence of such person) or assist in the
identification of any deceased individual who have not been identified.
40. 1983-Completion of the conversion of the FBI criminal fingerpint searching from manual to automated
searching. Also, AIS records became available by mail upon request of the National Crime Information
Center’s (NCIC’s) interstate identification index (III) – an interstate record exchange.
 41. 1984-AIS records became available “ON-LINE” through the NCIC program. Records from the NCIC and
AIS, and participating state and local telecommunication networks became available w/in seconds to
authorized criminal justice agencies.
42. 1985 (Jan. 2) – a contract was awarded for building the final phase of the Identification Division
Automated System (IDAS).
43. 1989-IDAS implementation. Its features are: integrated document transport equipment; on-line
automated technical fingerprint search; and simplified processing flow. All, for expeditious response time
of fingerprint cards.

What about Historical Development of Fingerprints in the Philippines?

1. 1900-Mr. Jones was the first to teach fingerprints in the Philippines in the Phil. Constabulary.
2. 1918-The Bureau of Prisons records show that carpetas (commitment and conviction records) already bear
fingerprints.
3. Under the management of Lt. Asa N. Darby during the American occupation in the Philippines, a modern
and complete fingerprint file has been established for the Philippine commonwealth.
4. 1937-The first Filipino fingerprint technician employed by the Phil. Constabulary was Mr. Generoso Reyes.
Capt. Thomas Dugan of New York City Police Department and Mr. Flaviano C. Gurrero of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gave the first examinations in fingerprints.
5. 1933-The first conviction based on fingerprints was handed by the Supreme Court of the Phil. in the case
People vs. Medina and this case is considered the leading judicial decision in the Philippine jurisprudence
concerning fingerprinting (December 23).
6. The science of fingerprinting was first offered as a subject in the Philippines through the effort of the
Plaridel Educational Institution.

STUDYING FINGERPRINTS

What are the basic principles of Fingerprint Science? (3 dogmatic Principles)

1. Principle of Individuality (Variation) – There are no two fingerprints that are exactly alike unless taken
from the same finger.

2. Principle of Permanency (Constancy/Perennial/Immutable) – The configuration and details of individual

ridges remain constant and unchanging till after the final decomposition of the body.

3. Principle of Infallibility – That fingerprint is a reliable means of personal identification and all courts
accept and adopt fingerprint as a means of personal identification.

What are the two main layers of the Skin?

1. Outer scarf or Epidermis

2. Inner Scarf or Dermis

Take Note:

1. Stratum Malpighi or the layer of the Malpighi – the ridges are formed into patterns by virtue of the fact
that the epidermis is penetrated and molded by the dermal papillae
2. Damage to the epidermis alone does not result to permanent ridge destruction, whereas damage to the
dermis will result to permanent ridge destruction
3. We can identify many fingerprints which we cannot classify.
State the principal uses of fingerprints - Some of the uses of fingerprinting include:

1. Identification of criminals whose fingerprints are found at the scene of the crime
2. Identification of fugitive through a comparison of fingerprints
3. Assistance to prosecutors in presenting their cases in the light of defendants’ previous records
4. Imposition of more equitable sentence by the courts
5. Furnishing identification data to probation and parole officers and to parole boards for their
enlightenment in decision making
6. Exchanging of criminal-identifying information with identification bureaus of foreign countries in cases of
mutual interest
7. Means of personal identification
8. Recognition by the government of honored dead
9. Identification of unknown deceased
10. Prevention of hospital mistakes in the identification of infants
11. Identification of persons suffering from amnesia where fingerprints are on file
12. Identification of missing person
13. Personal identification of victims of disaster works
14. Identification of unconscious persons; and
15. Licensing procedures for automobile, firearms, aircraft and other equipment.

Give some important Events, Dates or Personalities showing the basis of the Legality of Fingerprinting

1. In 1911, an Illinois court, in the case of the People vs. Jennings (252 Ill. 534, 96NE 1077 (1911) ) pass upon
the admissibility of fingerprint evidence.

2. In that case, fingerprint evidence was admitted as a means of identification may give their opinions as to
whether the fingerprints found at the scene of the crime correspond with those of the accused. The
court’s conclusion were based on a comparison of the photographs of such prints with the impressions
made by the accused, there being no question as to the accuracy or authenticity of the photographs. It
was stated that the weight to be given to the testimony of experts in the fingerprint identification is a
question for the jury.

3. Following the Illinois case was one in New Jersey, State vs. Cerciello, in which fingerprint evidence was
permitted to be introduced.

4. In the Cerciello Case, the defendant argued that it was an error to allow the testimony by experts
explaining the comparison of fingerprints obtained from the defendant voluntarily with those fingerprints
found upon a hatchet near the body of the deceased when the body was discovered. The New Jersey
Court of Errors and Appeals held, “in principle, its admission as legal evidence is based upon the theory
that the evolution in practical affairs of life, whereby the progressive and scientific tenderness of the age
are manifested in every other department of human endeavor, cannot be ignored in legal procedure.

5. In the case of State vs. Conners (87 N.T.L. 419, 94 Atl. 812 (1915) ) it was held competent to show by a
photograph the fingerprints upon the balcony post of a house entered, without producing that post in
court, and to show by expert testimony hat the fingerprints found on the post were similar to the
fingerprints of the defendant.

6. In the case of Lamble vs. State (Lamble V. State, 96 N. T. L. 231; 114 ATL. (N.J.) 346 (1921) ) which
involved the discovery of fingerprints on the door of an automobile, the court was of the opinion that it
was not necessary to produce the door as an evidence. The court stated that a photograph of the
fingerprints noted on the door should be sufficient along with the identification of the fingerprints by an
expert to show these of the defendant. The court referred the case of States V. Conners (Supra).
 7. In the case of Commonwealth vs. Albright, (101 Pa. Sup. C.L. 317 (1931) ) a fingerprint expert testified
that the fingerprint on a piece of glass, establish to be from a pane in a door that had been broken to
effect entrance to the house was the same as the impression of the defendant’s left index finger and he
explained in detail the points of identity which led him to that judgment. The court stated, “it is well
settled that the papillary lines and marks on the fingers of every man, woman and child possess an
individual character different from those of any person and that the chances that the fingerprints of two
different persons may be identical are infinitesimally remote.

8. In a California case, People vs. Coral (224 cal. 2d300 (1964( ), the court stated, “it is completely settled
law that fingerprints are the strongest evidence of the identity of a person.” This Doctrine was reasserted
in another California case, People V. Riser (47 cal. 2d566 (1956) ) in which the court stated, “fingerprint
evidence is the strongest evidence of identity and is ordinarily sufficient alone to identify the defendant.”

9. The US Supreme Court in the case of Schmerber vs. California (Schmerber v. California, 384 us, 757, 763
764 (1966) ), held that the introduction into evidence of fingerprint impressions taken without consent of
the defendant was not an infringement of the constitutional privilege against self incrimination. The high
court held that it is constitutional to obtain real or physical evidence even if the suspect is compelled to
give blood in a hospital environment, submit to fingerprinting, photographing or measurement, write or
speak for identification, appears in court, stand or walk, assume a stance or make a particular gesture, put
on a cloth that fits him, or exhibit his body as evidence when it is material. The Schmerber case points out
the fact that the privilege against self-incrimination is related primarily to “TESTIMONIAL COMPULSION”.

10. In the Philippines, several decided cases could be cited where fingerprint evidence was admitted,
considered and appreciated by the appellate courts with even lesser number of ridge similarities. In the
BILANGAWA vs. AMADOR case, (Court of Appeals No. 37320-b), a fingerprint expert and constabulary
sergeant testified and successfully defended fingerprint evidence based on eight identical ride points.

11. People vs. Medina (59 Phil. 330) - The first leading judicial decision in the Philippine jurisprudence on the
science of fingerprinting.

Admissibility of Fingerprint Testimony

Expert’s testimony as to the identity of thumb marks or fingerprints is admissible. The method of
identifying fingerprints is a science requiring close study. Where thumb impressions are blurred and many of the
characteristic marks far from clear, thus rendering it difficult to trace the features enumerated by experts as
showing the identity of the impressions, the court is justified in refusing to accept the opinion that a distinct
similarity in some respects between the admittedly genuine thumb mark and the questioned thumb mark is
evident.

This method of identification of persons has become a fixed part of our “SYSTEM OF JURISPRUDENCE”.
Proof of the accused found in the place where the crime was committed under such circumstances that they could
only have been impressed at the time when the crime was committed may be sufficient proof of identity to sustain
conviction.

Number of Ridge Characteristics as Basis for Absolute Identity

There are no national or international rules or laws that fix the number of ridge characteristics that must
be present in both the questioned and standard prints that should be used as a basis for establishing absolute
identity. Experts of different countries differ in the requirements of the minimum number. In England, the
minimum is 16 and in USA, the minimum requirement is 12. However, fingerprint experts in these countries
believe that identity can be established in lower number of guidelines laid down by the famous French Criminalist
Dr. Edmond Locard:

1. Clearness of the pattern.

2. Rarity of the type
3. Presence of core or delta in the decipherable part
4. Presence of pores
5. The perfect and clear identity of the width of ridges and furrows, of the direction of the lines, and the
angular value of the furrows.

Weight of Fingerprint

The weight to be given to evidence of correspondence of fingerprint when offered to prove identity of the
accused as the person committing a crime is for the determination of the court in the light of all the surrounding
facts and circumstances.

To warrant a conviction the fingerprints corresponding to those of the accused must have been found in
the place where the crime was committed under such circumstances that they could only have been impressed at
the time when the crime was committed.

Can Fingerprint be destroyed?

John Dellinger, a notorious gangster and a police character, attempted to erase his fingerprints by burning
them with acid but as time went by the ridges were again restored to their “natural” feature. The acid he applied
temporarily destroyed the epidermis of the bulbs of his fingers but re occur later.

Locard and Witkowsji of Lyons, who performed rather painful experiments on themselves by burning
their fingertips with boiling water, hot oil and hot metal had shown that after the healing of the epidermis (outer
skin), the original patterns of fingerprints reappeared.

Can Fingerprints be forged?

The authorities conducted various experiments and although they could almost make an accurate
reproduction’s till there is no case on record known or have been written that forgery of fingerprints has been a
complete success.

Give the reasons why Fingerprints is one of the most Infallible Means of Personal Identification

1. Fingerprints are already formed about 3 to 4 months of intra-uterine life and will remain unchanged
throughout life until the final decomposition of the body.
2. The pattern formation formed by the papillary ridges contains peculiar characteristics upon which a
person can always be identified by fingerprint examiners.
3. Almost every police and law enforcement agencies throughout the world accept, adopt and utilize the
fingerprint system as a means of absolute identification of a person.
4. The court and other authorities had taken cognizance of its importance and reliability as a means of
identification.
5. That fingerprint will speak for itself as it shows the owner thereof in accordance with the principle of re
ipso liquitor (a thing will speak for itself).
FINGERPRINT CHARACTERISTICS AND FORMATIONS

Allied Sciences of Fingerprints

Dactyloscopy – identification of persons through examination and comparison of fingerprint. Taken from
Greek words: Dactylos – a finger and skopien – to examine

1. Poroscopy – Science of which deals with the study of pores found on the papillary or friction ridges of the
skin for the purpose of identification.
2. Chiroscopy – Science of palm print identification.
3. Podoscopy – Science of foot print identification.

Pattern Interpretation

1. Arches – 5%
2. Loops – 60%
3. Whorls – 35%

Take Note: According to studies, the appearance of arches is less followed by whorls and the loops.

What are the Types of Ridge Formation?

1. Recurving ridge – is a ridge that curves back in the direction in which it started.
2. Converging Ridges – Two or more lines forming an angle, a ridge whose closed end is angular and serves
as a point of convergence.
3. Diverging ridges – Two ridges running side by side and suddenly separating, one ridge going one way and
the other ridge, another way.
4. Bifurcating ridges – A single ridge which splits into two ridges forming a “Y” shape formation or structure.
5. Island, Eyelet, lake or Eye – it is a single ridge which bifurcates where the bifurcating ridges converge at a
certain point to form again into a single ridge.
6. Dot or Series of Dots – They are fragmentary ridges formed like a dot or dots.
7. Short or Series of Short Ridges – they are fragmentary ridges formed by short or series of short ridges.
8. Ridge Ending - It is a termination or ending of ridge or ridges.
9. Fragmentary Ridges – They consist of disconnected sequences of short ridges embodied intensely. These
ridges are considered in the classification of fingerprints if they appear as dark and as thick as the
surrounded ridges within the pattern area.
10. Ridge Hook – It is a ridge that divides to form two ridges which are shorter in length than the main ridge.
11. Ridge Bridge – This is a connecting ridge between two ridges.
12. Incipient or Nascent Ridge – This is a kind of ridge which is madly formed, thin, short or broken which
appears in the depressions between two well formed ridges.
13. Sufficient Recurve – The space between shoulders of a loop, free of any appendage, and a butting at right
angle.
14. Appendage – A short ridge at the top or summit of a recurve usually at right angle.
15. Core – It is a point on a ridge formation usually located at the center or heart of a pattern.
16. Delta or Triradial Point – It a point on the first ridge formation at or directly in front or near the center of
the divergence of the type lines.
17. Envelop – Is a single recurving ridge enclosing one or more rods or bars.
18. Friction ridges – Are strips of skin on the inside of the end joints of our fingers and thumbs by which
fingerprints are made. They are also called papillary ridges or epidermal ridges.
19. Furrows – Are depressions or canals between the ridges which maybe compared with the low area in a
tire tread.
20. Rod or Bar – is a single ending ridge at the center of a recurving ridge of a loop pattern.
 21. Up thrust - Is an ending ridge of any length rising at a sufficient degree from a horizontal place.
22. Dissociated ridges – are unusual ridge structures having no well defined patterns; the ridges are
extremely short, appear like a series of “patches” caused by a disturbance of developmental process at
early fetal life of the individuals.
23. Shoulder of a loop – It is that point at which the recurving ridge definitely turns or curves.
24. Puckering – As growth ceases at several ends, the ends curl slightly.
25. Creases – Are thin, usually straight narrow white lines running transversely or formed side to side, across
the print, causing the puckering of the ridges.
26. Staple – Single recurving ridge at the center of the pattern area.
27. Spike – an ending ridge at the center of a pattern which forms the up thrust.

Type Lines and Pattern Area

1. Type line – basic boundaries of most fingerprints.

2. Pattern area – The part of the fingerprint which lies within the area surrounded by the type lines.

What are the Rules on Core and Delta Location?

The rules in CORE location are:

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

2. When the innermost sufficient recurve contains ending ridges or rod rising as high as the shoulder of the
loop further from the delta. The exemption to this rule is when both shoulders are equidistant to the
center of the sufficient recurve.
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.
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 further one of the two center rods, the two rods being treated as
though they were connected by a recurving ridge.

Take Note - Always base on the entrance of the pattern in the fingerprint.

The rule in DELTA location is:

1. A dot can be a delta when there is no other alternative.

Rules in Delta location when there is a choice between two or more Delta

1. The delta may be located at a bifurcation which does open towards the core.
2. When there is a choice between a bifurcation and another type of delta, equally close to the point of
divergence, the bifurcation is selected.
3. When there is a series of bifurcation opening towards the core at the point of divergence of two type
lines, the bifurcation nearest to the core is chosen as the delta.
4. The delta may not be located in the middle of the ridge running between the type lines toward the cores
but at the nearer end only. The location of the delta depends entirely upon the point of origin of the ridge
between the type lines toward the core.
5. If the ridge enters the pattern area from the point below the divergent type lines. The delta must be
located at the end nearer (inner terminus) to the core.

Ridge counting and Ridge tracing

 1. Ridge Counting – It refers to the process of counting the intervening ridges that touch or cross an
imaginary lien drawn between the core and the delta.

Take Note - It applies only to loops.

2. Ridge Tracing – Is the process of tracing the ridges that emanate from the lower side of the left delta
towards the right delta to see where it flows in relation to the right delta.

Divisions of Fingerprint Patterns

A. LOOPS
1. ulnar
2. radial

B. ARCHES
1. Tented
2. Plain

C. WHORLS
1. Plain whorl
2. Central pocket loop whorl
3. Double loop whorl
4. Accidental whorl

RULES ON FINGERPRINT PATTERNS

1. Radial Loop - “R” - derived its name from the radius bone of the forearm; it is one type of fingerprint
patterns in which the ridges run its direction to the radius bone or to the thumb.

2. Ulnar Loop is one type of fingerprint pattern in which the ridges flow toward the ulnar bone or little
finger. Ulnar loop therefore derived its name from the ulna bone of the forearm, or little finger. Its
symbol is letter “U” in classification purposes.

Take Note - A pattern to be a loop must have the following four (4) essential requisites:
a. It must have a core
b. It must have a delta
c. An imaginary line must pass between the core and the delta
d. It must have a ridge count of a minimum of at least one (1)

3. Plain Whorl - Symbolized by letter “W” in the classification. It is a fingerprint pattern which there are two
(2) deltas and in which at least one (1) ridge makes a turn through one complete circuit, an imaginary line
drawn between the two (2) deltas must touch or cross at least one (1) of the circuiting whorl ridges
within the pattern area.

4. Central Pocket Loop Whorl - Symbolized by letter “C “ in the classification. It is a fingerprint pattern
which for the most part of a loop, but which has a small whorl inside the loop ridges, sometimes called a
composite pattern, which means that it is made up of two (2) patterns in one, a whorl inside a loop.
It has two (2) deltas, one of which appears as the edge of the pattern area, as in plain loop. And one
shows inside the pattern area just below the counterpart ridges.

5. Double Loop Whorl - Symbolized by letter “D” in the classification. A double loop whorl is a pattern
consisting of two (2) separate and distinct loop formations. One of the loops surrounds or overlaps the
 other, also called COMPOSITE PATTERN, like the central pocket loop whorl. It arises from the fact that
these patterns are a composite or combination of two 92) patterns in one, with two cores and two deltas.

6. Accidental Whorl - Symbolized by letter “X” in the classification. It is a pattern which is a combination of
two or more different types of pattern except in the PLAIN ARCH. It is a pattern which is a combination of
two or more different types of pattern except in the PLAIN ARCH. It can be a combination of a loop and a
whorl, a loop and a central pocket loop whorl, or any combination of two or more different loops and
whorl type patterns.

7. Plain Arch - Symbolized by letter “A” in the classification. It is a fingerprint pattern in which the ridges
enter on one side of the pattern and flow towards the other side with a rise at the center with not more
than one of the four (4) essential requisites for loop pattern and with no recurving ridge, no angular
formation and no upward thrust.

Take Note - It enters to the left and flows towards the right.

8. Tented Arches - Symbolized by letter “T” in the classification. It is a variety of arch family, but their ridge
formations are not simple as those of the plain arch, also considered TRANSITIONAL PATTERN between a
plain arch and a loop. Generally speaking, TENTED ARCHES are formed in any of these three (3) way
formations, to wit:

a. One or several ridges in the center of the form an up thrust.

b. The ridge or ridges in the center formed a well-defined angle.
c. The pattern may have two or three or four essential requisites of a loop pattern.

Take Note - An up thrust must have an ending ridge.

REAL FINGERPRINT IMPRESSIONS

Real Impressions - Impressions of the finger bulbs with the use of the printing ink on the surface of the
paper. Any other coloring materials may be used but less visible and indelible.

Methods of Producing Real Impressions

1. Plain Method.
2. Rolled Method