LATENT PRINTS

 Latent Fingerprints (Invisible)

Latent is derived from the Latin “letere”
which means ‘to be hidden’ which comes turn from
the Greek verb “to escape notice”.

 LATENT PRINT DEVELOPMENT

It involves either a chemical or physical
process using alternate light sources, fingerprint
powders, or in this case, chemical reagents.
 CHANCE IMPRESSIONS
 These are fingerprints which are imprinted by mere chance
or without any intent to produce the print.
1. Plastic Impression
 Impressions made by chance on cellophane tapes or
plaster materials.
2. Visible Prints
 Impressions made by chance and visible without
chemical treatment.
3. Latent Prints
 Impressions which are visible grossly but made visible by
the addition of some substances. These fingerprints are
 Classes of Latent Prints
 1.Visible/Patent
Prints – these are
prints made by the
fingers smeared with
colored substances
such as blood, ink,
grease, dirt, or paint.
These prints are seen in
the naked eye without
being developed. (can
be photograph already)
 Classes of Latent Prints
 2.Semi-visible latent
prints – these are
molded or plastic
impressions. They are
prints made in plastic
materials, such as soap,
melted candles, wax,
paraffin, the adhesive
gums of the envelope
and postage stamps
and the like. (no need
 Classes of Latent Prints
 3. Invisible latent
prints – these are the
common types of
chance impression.
Prints that cannot be
seen by the naked eye,
especially on papers,
card boards, boxes, and
can be developed by
the use of the right
kind of powder and
 Things that must not be done at the crime
scene
1. Do not lift developed latent prints without photographing.
2. Do not lift latent prints on small movable objects.
3. Do not remove objects without photographing.
4. Do not powder the entire crime scene.
5. Do not develop visible latent prints.

THREE (3) METHODS OF DEVELOPING LATENT

PRINTS
I. Physical or Mechanical (Powder Method)
II. Liquid or Chemical Method
III. GAS METHOD
 Physical or Mechanical (Powder Method)
The suitable materials for this technique are glass,
porcelain, ceramic, pottery, metallic items, plastic, and bamboo. The
principle involved in this technique is that the developing reagent
adheres to the sweat present in the latent print.
KINDS OF FINGERPRINT POWDER:

1. BLACK POWDER – Most common in the

Philippines (weak adhesive) this is applied
on white and smooth surface.

2. WHITE OR ALUMINUM POWDER - This is applied

on black and smooth surface. (strong adhesive)
gray color
3. LYCOPODIUM POWDER- this is
applied on leather bags. It is directly
placed on the surface using a blower
to spread the powder instead of a
brush. It is also used to develop latent
prints on human skin with the use of
gelatin paper. (yellowish powder)

4. SP Black powder - mix oxidizing

iron into aluminum powder with weak
adhesive powder. When subjected
evidence surface is white color, this
powder is used more frequently
 Dusting latent fingerprint
Spraggs (2007) cautions, “The number one mistake
officers make is over-processing the latent fingerprints.

 First rule: use less powder than you think you need.” To dust for
fingerprints, follow these steps:
1. Make sure the brush is clean. Roll the handle of the brush between
your palms to separate the bristles.
2. Shake the powder-can to loosen the powder. Apply the powder lightly
to the print, following the contour lines of the ridges to bring out details
3. Remove all excess powder.
4. Photograph.
 Lifting Prints
To lift fingerprints, use a commercially prepared lifter that
has both a black-and-white background and a wide transparent lift tape.
Use black lifters for light powders and light lifters for black powders. To
lift on doorknobs and rounded surfaces, use transparent tape so you
can see any spots where the tape is so you can see any spots where the
tape is not sticking. Put the tape over the dusted print. Do not use too
much pressure. Work out any bubbles that appear under the tape by
applying extra pressure. When you have lifted the print, transfer it to a
fingerprint card.
Common errors in lifting prints
1. Removing too much or too little powder from the ridges.
2. Allowing bubbles under the tape and failing to make two lifts when a
second lift would be better than the first.
 II. Chemical or Liquid Method
 Apply reagent on the suspected area and
expose the fingerprint marked there.

 Take the photo of the exposed fingerprint

as the fingerprint sampling is acted.
 LIQUID METHOD
 Ninhydrin Solution - It is used to
detect latent prints on absorbent
materials, white wood, blood-
stained fingerprints, paper
wrapping of cigarette sticks, etc.

 Ninhydrin Petroleum Benzine

Solution - This is applied on
printed materials. The advantage
of this method is the non-
destruction of written letters made
by ballpen and other ink.
 TMB (Tetramethyl
Benzedrine) Method - With
this method, the invisible
amount of blood strained
fingerprints can be detected.
Fingerprint on kitchen knife
and other blades used as
weapon, effectively detected.
(developing bloody fingerprint)
 GAS METHOD
SUPER GLUE OR CYANOACRYLATE.
The cyano bond’s brand name in
the Philippines is mighty bond.
APPLICABLE FOR;
1. METAL
2. PRINTED WOOD/METAL
3. GLOSSY PAPER
4. SKIN OF THE HUMAN BODY
5. LEADER PRODUCTS
6. PLYWOOD
 ACE-V METHODOLOGY
A structured and systematic manner in which
quantitative and qualitative analysis of friction ridges are
carried out. It is the established method for perceiving
detail two prints and making decisions.
 A – Analysis ACE – V was introduced by Roy A. Huber, a
document examiner in Canada on 1959.
 C – Comparison
 E – Evaluation In 1980s it was adopted in fingerprint
identification community thru the
 V- Verification Ridgeology of David Ashbaugh.
 Analysis
 This the’ Observation and Description’ stage of Scientific
Method. It involves collecting a series of observations to gain
an understanding about an observable group of events.
 Analysis is the process of assessing a print to determine its
used in the stage of comparison for the purpose od identifying
whether the print is suitable or not suitable for comparison.
 When do we say that the print is suitable?
 If the analysis indicates the feature to be used in the
comparison.
 When do we say that the print is not suitable?
 If it is inadequate as to the quality and quantity of features.
 This consists of the objective qualitative and
quantitative assessment of level 1. Level 2 and level 3 details to
determine their proportion, interrelationship, and value to
individualize.  LEVEL 2: Ridge Path
 LEVEL 1: Ridge Flow  Ridge Characteristic/Galton’s Details (ER,
Bifurcation, Dot)
 Core, Delta and classification  Location type, Absence of characteristic
LEVEL 3: Ridge Attributes:
 Edge shape
 Pores structures

Factors that influence the appearance, clarity of the

friction ridge impression
a. The materials upon which the friction ridge impression has been
deposited.
b. Pressure distortion.
c. External elements.
d. The development process (es)
e. The quantity and quality of the latent print ridges.
f. Standard fingerprint quality images.
 Terms to Remember:
 Poroscopy – study of pores, its size, shape etc.
 Edgeoscopy – study of friction ridge edges for the
alignment and shapes.
 Ridgeology – study of the uniqueness of all fiction
ridge skin formation
 Substrate – the surface on which the unknown
mark was discovered.
 Matrix – the substance that the unknown mark
was made. (sweat, blood oil, etc.)
 COMPARISON
Comparison of the unknown to the known is done once
the fingerprint officer has analyzed the unknown mark and
accumulated all the information possible it is then compared to a
print in the fingerprint form.
Guidelines in the comparison
For each of the following parts, examine the friction ridge
features for agreement of the known print which already established
in the analysis phase.
1. Choose a target of friction ridge:
1. Scars 2.
Crease
 Evaluation
After comparing the unknown mark to the known print, the examiner will
make their evaluation. They will weigh up all the information available as a
result oft the comparison process.
In this stage the examiner has to decide whether the prints are from the
same source. The result of the analysis and comparison is for the evaluation
process, it is this process where findings and conclusion are formulated.
The conclusion is limited to the following findings which are consummated with this
methodology:
a. Identification- is the determination by a competent examiner that two friction ridge
impressions originated from the same source.
b. Non-Identification- is the determination by a competent examiner that two friction
ridge impressions originated from two different sources.
c. Inconclusive- determination is the result of a competent examiner unable to
individualize or exclude the source of a friction ridge impression. This is due to a poor-
quality samples.
 Verification
The most crucial part of the identification process is the
verification element. Consultation with another expert to verify the
opinion of the original examiner is undertaken at this point. Should
there be disagreement regarding the identification, a third person may
be used for verification purposes.

Verification must be performed by the Senior Fingerprint

Examiner. All identification must be verified, this verification by a
Senior Fingerprint Examiner is an independent examination of the two
fingerprint impressions applying the scientific methodology of
analysis, comparison and evaluation described.