History of Fingerprints

What are fingerprints?
Fingerprints are unique features that everyone has. The reason why they're unique is because every person's fingerprint is different. While your body grows and your characteristics change, your fingerprints do not. That's the reason why they have been used to accurately identify criminals for over 100 years.

Important People:
Malpighi (1686): He discovered our fingers had loops, ridges, and spirals in them.
Faulds (1880): He started studying skin-furrows after noticing finger marks on prehistoric pottery. He recognized the means of identification and created a way to classify them.
Bertillion (1882): He developed a system called Anthropometry or the Bertillon System. It classified people using different parts of a person's body.
Vucetich & Galton (1892): Juan Vucetich made the first fingerprint investigation. He identified Francis Rojas as the woman who murdered her own 2 sons and tried to save herself by cutting her own throat. Unfortunately for her, a bloody print of her hand was left on a door. Sir Francis Galton wrote a book called, "Fingerprints", which talked about the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprints.

Types of Fingerprints

Direct: A direct fingerprint is when some kind of substance, ink or dust, for example, gets on your fingers and is imprinted on a clean surface.

Latent: Latent prints are formed when your hands and fingers perspire and form sweat and gets on a surface.

Plastic: A plastic fingerprint is when you put your hands into a material, such as putty, and the material retains the shape of your print.

Analysis of Hair/Fiber Lab

The shaft of a hair is made up of three parts. the cuticle, which is the outside, the cortex, which is the next layer in the hair, and then the medulla, which is the very center of the hair.
We discovered that every type of hair is different. Asian male hair has a spiny cuticle, a black medulla and a dark brown cortex. Black male hair is more curvy and has a brown cortex. White male has a yellowish cortex, a black and smooth cuticle, and a light colored medulla. Dog hair has a crizzled cuticle and lines in the medulla. Then the cat has a crizzled cuticle, a rough and edgy cortex and it was hard to actually see the medulla.

We also had an unknown hair sample that we had to identify using the information we gathered on different types of hair. My guess was the black male hair. The reason is because it had a darkish brown cortex, visible medulla, and a smooth cuticle. So this cancels out the Asian and cat hair, which are both brown.

Comments and Analysis on Blood Lab

In our blood lab, Mr. Kelly had us experiment and find the types of blood, A, B, AB, or O. Though it was not real blood, it had certain substances in it that gave the same effect as blood. We put 2 separate drops of 2-3 drops of blood onto a glass slide. Then we added a blue liquid to one, and a yellow to another and mixed them.
As you can see, in the picture above we tested type A blood. When we added the blue liquid to the left sample of blood, it formed a precipitate. However, when we added the yellow to the other A type sample, it remained clear. It further proves that the blood is Type A. The reason is because for O, the blood is to remain clear when you add the blue and yellow, the A is supposed to form a precipitate from the blue, but not from the yellow, the B is not supposed to form a precipitate from the blue, but is from the yellow, and finally the AB forms precipitates on both when the blue and yellows are added.

Crime Scene Investigation Story

Mike Kelly had been looking around for months trying to find the perfect ring for his fiance, Laurie Smith (made up last name). Mike and Laurie were very happy together, but Laurie did not know she had a stalker. The stalker was a black male, Ralph Johnson. Ralph knew they Mike and Laurie always work late, and planned to sneak into their house to steal the diamond ring to ruin Mike Kelly's proposal. Ralph did not know, however, that Mike came home early to surprise Laurie with the ring. It was rainy and muddy outside so Ralph Johnson came in the unlocked front door and looked around, no one in sight. Surprisingly, he saw the ring box right on the counter. As he was going to go get the ring, he felt something rub on his leg. He jumped and dropped the note he was going to leave behind. It had said, "I have your diamond ring." A cat was running away with the note in its mouth. He knew he couldn't do anything about it. So he just dashed for the ring box, took the ring out and left the box. He also noticed a wallet on a table and went to get it. He thought it was his lucky day because he had found $100 in it. So he took it out and left the wallet there. Then as he was leaving he bumped into a a glass cup. He tried to catch it as it was falling, but he didn't make it in time. He then cut his hand on the glass by accident. Alarmed by how loud the glass was, he quickly out of the house and escaped.

• Footprint was from the rain and mud outside.
• Blood was from glass cutting.
• Fingerprint was from the glass that Ralph broke.
  

Data of Crime Scene Investigation

On our table my group found the following pieces of evidence:

Exh. 1A: Piece of hair
Exh. 2A: Second piece of hair
Exh. 3A: Ripped up note
Exh. 4A: Blood
Exh. 5A: Fingerprint on glass surface
Exh. 6A: Mike Kelly's wallet

We then proceeded to use the techniques we learned to analyze the data. This is what we discovered:

• 1A: Piece of hair: This hair we identified as black male using microscopy.
• 2A: Second piece of hair: We identified this sample as cat hair using the same method as above.
• 3A: Ripped up note: There was some pieces of a ripped up note. Once we put them together, we found out that it said, "I have your diamond ring." We then compared the handwriting to the suspects' handwriting and found that it matched up to Ralph Johnson.
• 4A: Blood: We used a blood typing kit to identify the blood we found. It turned out to be Type A, which suspects' Jenny Cho and Ralph Johnson had.
• 
• 5A: Fingerprint on glass surface: We identified this to be an ulnar loop, which Mike Kelly had.
• 6A: Mike Kelly's Wallet: Had no money, but had an ID.
• 

Crime Scene Investigation

In class, we used forensic techniques we learned to profile a scrime scene investigation. As we walked into our classroom, we were assigned a group letter, and each letter had a different crime scene. I was assigned to group A.

Positive and Negative Blood

Blood is categorized by a letter and either a positive or negative. Blood uses the ABO grouping system for the letter and the Rh factor grouping system for the positive and negative. Positive blood has the Rh antigen present in it's blood plasma, but negative doesn't. People with negative blood can obtain the Rh antigen by receiving it through a tranfusion with another person and people with positive blood can receive blood from people with negative blood because they already have the Rh antigen.

Blood Mixing and Transfusions

Blood mixing and tranfusions has been studied for a long time, but many have led to fatal accidents. The reason is because mixing blood can cause blood clumping or agglutination. Karl Landsteiner discovered that blood clumping was a result of the antibodies of the blood tranfusion receiver was fighting against donar blood cells. Since then, blood mixing and tranfusions have become much safer.

Here is a chart of all the possible blood transfusions:

Major Types of Blood

There are 4 types of blood. Blood types A, B, AB and O. Your blood type is inherited from your parents and is determined when you are born.

Blood Type A: "A antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and B antibodies in your blood plasma."

Blood Type B: "B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and A antibodies in your blood plasma."

Blood Type AB: "Both A and B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells and no A or B antibodies in your blood plasma. "

Blood Type O: "Neither A or B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells, but both A and B antibodies in your blood plasma."

Techniques Used to ID Hair/Fiber

One of the most basic ways to identify hair and fiber is to use microscopy. Microscopy, in this case, is using a microscope to look at individual hair or fiber samples. The reason why microscopy is so commonly used is because of its efficiency. One single hair left by a person at a crime scene can be used to identify what race they are, whether it be white, black, or Asian. Also, fibers can be used to help identify criminals and people at the crime scene. Fibers are certain materials that come from textiles like cotton or wool. Forensic scientists can identify what kind of clothing the criminal or other person involved in a crime were wearing.

History of Hair/Fiber Analysis

Over the years scientists have developed new ways to catch criminals. One way that has been discovered is the use of hair and fiber analysis. In 1899 a forensics scientist, Francois Goron, led to an important discovery. He told the court that the victim of the murderer had dyed his hair before he was murdered. This helped investigators get closer to finding the criminal.

Inaccuracy in Handwriting

Notes handwritten by criminals can be very useful for crime investigators, but they don't always work. Some of the few reasons why the don't work are:

1. Criminals can change their handwriting.
2. Criminals may type their note.
3. The criminal may have forced someone else to write their note.
4. The criminal have have used something else to write with rather than a pen or pencil.

Different Shapes/Patterns of Fingerprints

The basic shapes of fingerprints are arches, loops, and whorls. Though, there are many different types of them.

There's more information on these different types here: http://onin.com/fp/fmiru/fppatterns.gif-

Techniques/Chemicals used to Develop Fingerprints

Fingerprints can be left on many different kinds of surfaces and objects. So that means there must be different techniques and chemicals used to develop them.

For nonabsorbent and hard surfaces, such as glass or tiles, you use powder. When choosing a powder to use for developing fingerprints, you’ll get a better result if you use a color that contrasts with your surface. For example, when you’re trying to develop a fingerprint on a window, you use a dark powder. Charcoal or black carbon would work in this situation. Likewise, when developing a print on a dark surface you use a light powder such as baby powder. After applying the powder, very gently blow and brush off the powder. Then you just stick a piece of tape on the print and slowly take it off. There should be an imprint on the tape.

For porous and smooth surfaces, like paper or cardboard, you use certain chemicals. One method is using iodine crystals. The reason why iodine is used is because it sublimes, meaning it can go from solid to vapor without turning into liquid. You put the item with the fingerprint on it in a closed space with the iodine crystals. Then you heat the crystals until it vaporizes. The vapor will stick onto the outlines and ridges of the fingerprint. The print will disappear after a few moments so you can either take a picture of it or spray it with a 1% solution of starch in water, which will turn it blue and make it last much longer. Another chemical that can be used is silver nitrate. After applying the silver nitrate on an object, you put it under an ultraviolet light and a reddish-brown or black outline of the fingerprint should appear. Ninhydrin is another chemical that can be used. It is found in acetone and ethyl alcohol. You use a spray can and spray the suspect material and a print should appear after a few hours. The time can be shortened if you heat it since heating something will increase the rate of its reaction. The last chemical that can be used is super glue. Heating the super glue will make the cyanoacrylate ester found in it stick to the fingerprint.

Citations

Fingerprints:

http://www.bxscience.edu/publications/forensics/articles/fingerprinting/f-fing03.htm

http://hubpages.com/hub/fingerprinting

http://www.onin.com/fp/fphistory.html
http://www.aladdinusa.com/documentationservices/fingerhistory.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint#Plastic_prints

Hair/Fiber:
http://www.policensw.com/info/forensic/forensic7a.html
Blood:
http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/landsteiner/readmore.html

History of Handwriting

Have you ever tried to forge your parents' signature on your progress report or report card? If you have before, or have at least tried, then you know that its not easy. The reason is because every person's style of writing is different. For example, some people put more space in between their letters, some put more pressure on their writing, some slant their letters, and some connect their letters or lift their pencil in between letters.

Important People who contributed to Forensics:

Camillo Baldo (1622): He wrote the first known book on graphology. It was titled, How To Judge the Nature and the Character of a Person from His Letter. He said that all writers write differently and no one has the same handwriting as another.
Gordon Allport (1930): Had 3 assumptions on handwriting: 1. personality is consistent; 2. movement is expressive of personality; and 3. the gestures and other expressive movements of an individual are consistent with one another.

Techniques or Indicators Scientists Use to Identify Handwriting or Forgeries

There are 12 techniques that scientists use to identify and analyze handwriting:

1. Line quality: Do the letters flow or are they written with very intent strokes?

2. Spacing of words and letters: What is the average space between words and letters?

3. Ratio of height, width, and size of letters: Are the letters consistent in height, width, and size?

4. Lifting pen: Does the author lift his or her pen to stop writing a word and start a new word?

5. Connecting strokes: How are the capital letters connected to lower-case letters?

6. Strokes to begin and end: Where does the letter begin and end on a page?

7. Unusual letter formation: Are there any letters written with unusual slants or angles? Are some letters printed rather than written in cursive?

8. Pen pressure: How much pen pressure is applied on upward and downward strokes?

9. Slant: Do letters slant to the left or right? If slant is pronounced, a protractor may be used to determine the degree.

10. Baseline habits: Does the author write on the line or does the writing go above or below the line?

11. Fancy writing habits: Are there any unusual curls or loops or unique styles?

12. Placement of diacritics: How does the author cross the t’s or dot the i’s?

In-Class Handwriting Forgery Practice

In class we did several activities where we forged each others' handwriting. First we wrote the original sample which was to be forged by others.

Then we had another person freehand draw it.
Then finally someone traced it.
After that activity, we moved onto another. Mr. Kelly had us write our own fake checks with the name, "Joseph John Doe." Then we tore them up to pieces and put them into envelopes. Mr. Kelly then came around and picked them up. He then gave us a different envelope. We had to put the check back together and find out whose check it belonged to using the 12 techniques of handwriting that we had learned earlier.

Citations for Handwriting

http://www.llewellynencyclopedia.com/article/307
http://hubpages.com/hub/6-Common-Concerns-About-Handwriting-Analysis-The-Truth-Revealed
http://www.vletter.com/handwriting.htm