Can't Touch This: A Study of Latent Fingerprint Detection

Overview

Objectives/Goals My objective was to determine how the latent fingerprint revealing technique of dusting would be altered by the powder applied to the print, and whether these prints revealed through the dusting technique would be more or less legible than when revealed through the vacuum metal deposition method. I also tested whether these methods would work better on porous or non-porous surfaces. Methods/Materials Six subjects each applied their fingerprints four times to six different surfaces ranging from porous to non-porous. The prints were revealed through one version of the metal deposition technique and three versions of the dusting technique, the latter method using three different types of powder. Once visible, the prints were compared to the subject's ink prints, the control, and were then rated according to how many ridge characteristics were visible and whether the print could be correctly matched to the subject's ink one. Results The vacuum metal deposition technique was less effective than all three versions of the dusting method. As I predicted, porous surfaces were hard to find prints on, but it was relatively easy to reveal and retrieve prints from non-porous surfaces, such as glass and aluminum foil. Conclusions/Discussion I realized that dusting, an older method of latent fingerprint detection, was more effective than the new, more expensive method of vacuum metal deposition. This information is beneficial to those who work in the crime scene industry, as many are on a tight budget and will now know not to invest in the newer method of vacuum metal deposition when the older method, dusting, still works much better.

Awards (1)

• Third Place

Competition history

• CSEF 2012 Materials Science (Junior Division Only) · Entry J1308

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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