Pre-Trial ProceduresThe Criminal Investigation

ExpectationsBy the end of this lesson students will be able to:

• 1. Explain pre-trial procedures, including processing evidence (fingerprints)

• 2. Explain the processes of police investigation (as it relates to fingerprint evidence)

• 3. Create and classify your own fingerprints

Catholic Graduate Expectations1. A repsonsible citizen who respects the environment and uses resources

wisely2. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who thinks reflectively and creatively to evaluate situations and solve problems

The Crime Scene

• Police have the right to section off the crime scene to make sure no evidence is lost or tampered with.

• Police can refuse entry to a crime scene.

• HOWEVER, if the incident involves a death, the coroner has jurisdiction over the area.

The Crime Scene Continued

• The area will be photographed and searched for items such as hair or fiber samples, blood, forced entry, physical struggle, fingerprints, footprints, or weapons

• This is called forensic evidence.

• Police will also question witnesses about their knowledge of the crime or the persons involved.

When did the use of Fingerprints start in Law?

• There is evidence of fingerprints in ancient times i.e. in 2000 BCE in the building of pyramids

• In the 3rd century BCE the Chinese used fingerprints to authorize legal documents which could be used in litigation

William James Herschel

• William James Herschel was an English Administrator who was the first to implement the practical application of fingerprinting

• In 1858 he used fingerprints (or an entire handprint in this case) to solidify a legal contract in order to prevent the other party from denying his signature at a later date.

Dr. Henry Faulds

• However a Scottish doctor in 1874 by the name of Henry Faulds is arguably the more common person known as the “Father of Fingerprinting”.

• He kept extensive records of various fingerprints and concluded that fingerprints were unchangeable and immutable .

• Was also the first person who was able to lift a print off a whiskey bottle and identify it.

(Source: http://www.fingerprinting.com/history-of-fingerprinting.php)

Processing Physical Evidence: Fingerprints

• Forensic scientists analyze the information collected.

• Fingerprints are compared with those on file at the RCMP central repository in Ottawa.– The patterns of ridges on our finger pads are

unique: no two individuals—even identical twins—have fingerprints that are exactly alike.

(Like a snowflake!)

Fingerprints continued…

• Injuries such as burns or scrapes will not change the ridge structure: when new skin grows in, the same pattern will come back.

• Dactyloscopy the practice of using fingerprints to identify someone.

Dusting for Fingerprints

• It is extremely important that specialists are able to properly dust and lift fingerprints at a crime scene to be able to classify and match them to those in the database.

• Dusting is a method that is used to lift prints from hard surfaces

• Chemicals are needed to lift prints off smooth surfaces

Problems with Fingerprint Evidence

• Mistakes can be made in fingerprint identification usually only a portion of a print is available and can be distorted and hard to read, especially in a messy crime scene situation (i.e., BLOOD!)

• It is extremely important that specialists are able to properly dust and lift fingerprints at a crime scene to be able to classify and match them to those in the database.

How are Fingerprints Classified?

Are we able to classify our own fingerprints in class?

YES!

Classifying Fingerprints

• All fingerprints can be identified as one of three types: Arches, Loops, Whorls– Arches: forming ridges that run from one side of

the print to the other and curve up the middle

Loops

• Loops: showing stronger curves than arches with ends that start on one side of the finger, loop around and end up in the same place

• Don’t get these confused with full circles or ovals.

Whorls

• Whorls: forming complete ovals, often in a spiral pattern around a central point.

Your turn! Directions:

• Print your name on the fingerprint card.• I will bring each group an ink pad, classification handout and

comparison organizer.• Roll each finger on the ink pad so the entire fingerprint pattern

area is evenly covered with ink. • Generally, the weight of the finger is the maximum pressure

needed to clearly record a fingerprint. • Roll each finger from nail to nail in the appropriate space,

taking care to lift each finger up after rolling to avoid smudging.• Label the fingerprint to identify which finger you have printed

(i.e., Index or I) and classify your print

Classification: Compare Yours

Most Common Fingerprints

• Ulnar loop = a loop that comes from the pinky side of the hand– So common, it is quite rare NOT to have one!

• Whorl = a spiral pattern– Very common, especially on the thumb, index and ring fingers

• Radial loop = a loop that comes from the thumb side of the hand– Commonly found on index finger, uncommon on middle finger, rare on other fingers

Uncommon Fingerprints

• Arch = most simple fingerprint, no loop patterns– Uncommon pattern on: all fingers, rare on little finger

• Double loop = two loops going in two directions, but is actually a type of whorl– Uncommon pattern on: all fingers except thumb, rare on ring and little fingers

• Peacock’s eye = a tiny whorl inside a loop– Uncommon pattern on: all fingers, most common on ring finger, rare on thumb.

Rare Fingerprints

• Tented arch = arch pattern but horizontal ridges rising up high in the middle, creating a tent-like pattern. Note: the tented arch is often confused with a loop that looks like a tented arch. Look for any signs of a loop to check if it is a ‘real’ tented arch.– Rare on all fingers, extremely rare on thumb and little finger

• Accidental = anything else, such as horizontal rather than vertical loops– Rare on index finger, extremely rare on all other fingers

What do your Fingerprints say about You?

Hand readers have associated fingerprints with certain character traits.

• Loops*: flexible, adaptable, easy going, highly receptive, impressionable, unfocussed, team players.

• Arches: down to earth, pragmatic, responsible, reserved, consistent.• Tented arches: hyperactive, impulsive, intense, fiery.• Whorls*: independent, inflexible, individualistic, highly focussed.• Double loop (a.k.a. composite): indecisive, uncertain, diplomatic. Some double loops

look more like whorls, others are more clearly two intertwined loops. Depending on which one it is, see also the associated loop or whorl characteristics.

• Peacock’s eye (a.k.a. central pocket loop): perfectionistic, good eye for detail. It is more of a whorl than a loop, so see also whorl characteristics.

• *Note that loops and whorls are quite common – so it would take about 4+ whorls to make you a ‘whorly’ person and 7+ loops to make you a ‘loopy’ person.

Character Traits Continued…• Hand readers also give specific meaning to the fingers. To interpret the meaning, you need to

combine all the characteristics, and this takes experience (say, getting people’s feedback from reading at least 1000 hands). But it can be fun linking the fingerprints characteristics to the individual fingers:

• Thumb: Willpower/control• Index: Public image, self-expression• Middle finger: Values, morals• Ring finger: Aesthetics, creativity• Pinky: Communication

• The meaning also depends on the hand you look at – this is if you have different fingerprints on your left hand compared to your right hand:

• Dominant hand (right if right handed): Public self• Passive hand: Private self

• Source: Meaning of fingerprints. | we must know. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://wemustknow.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/meaning-of-fingerprints/