FIS 201 – Exam 3 Study Guide
*Describe how one might tell if a firearm was accidentally discharged* - correct answer ✔✔
How does skin produce fingerprints? - correct answer ✔✔ sebum and sweat are secreted by
pores and spread along ridge surface; these secretions stick to substrate when pressed,
resulting in an impression of the print
Where are friction ridges found? - correct answer ✔✔ on the soles of feet, toes, fingertips, and
palms for grip
When do friction ridges appear? - correct answer ✔✔ volar pads begin forming at 4 months of
gestation
What are the secretions that allow fingerprints to be transferred onto a surface? - correct
answer ✔✔ sweat and sebum are secreted by pores and spread along the ridge surface, which
allows a fingerprint to be transferred onto a surface
How are exemplars created? - correct answer ✔✔ exemplar fingerprints are created using
Livescan - a laser is run across the hand on a surface;
rolled ink - inked finger rolled on paper from nail to nail, gives complete coverage of fingerprint
pattern
How are exemplars collected? - correct answer ✔✔ voluntary submission from children for anti-
kidnapping purposes; fingerprints collected when arrested and booked into system; individuals
who are teachers, pilots, etc. get their fingerprints recorded into the system
,Where should you use the dusting method? - correct answer ✔✔ On nonporous & semiporous
substrates - fats and sebums sitting on top of substrates; door frames and handles, windows,
furniture, appliances; used on objects that cannot be taken back to the lab
What component of fingerprints do powders adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔ fats & oils
What are the steps of dusting for latent fingerprint development? - correct answer ✔✔ a light
brush and a contrasting colored powder is lightly dusted over the print and powder will stick to
the fats and oils in the print;
Where should ninhydrin be used? - correct answer ✔✔ on porous substrates; paper, on faint
blood prints
What component of fingerprints does Ninhydrin adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔ amino acids -
form Ruhemann's Purple
Where should cyanoacrylate fuming be used? - correct answer ✔✔ on nonporous substrates;
on degraded or fragile prints; on prints on a brightly colored background
What component of fingerprints does Cyanoacrylate fumes adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔
fats in the presence of water
Where should you use Gentian Violet? - correct answer ✔✔ on clear tape; turns fats purple -
not good contrast for darker colored tape
Where should you use Sticky Side & wet wop? - correct answer ✔✔ on electrical tape; good for
darker colored tape; adheres to fats in fingerprint and in contrasting colors
How should textured surfaces be processed for fingerprints? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. dust -
fingerprints become visible
, 2. lift with a squashy material; mikrosil or diff lift
Where should you use Leucocrystal Violet? - correct answer ✔✔ on porous and nonporous
substrates for a blood print
What does Leucocrystal Violet react with? - correct answer ✔✔ hemoglobin
What should be used for protein reactive/nonporous substrates? - correct answer ✔✔ Amido
black, coomassie blue, or Hungarian Red; not specifically hemoglobin but general proteins;
which you use depends on the color for max contrast
What method would be appropriate for developing fingerprints on a piece of clear packing
tape? - correct answer ✔✔ sticky-side powder, Gentian Violet (particularly this one since it's
clear)
If you believe you have a bloody fingerprint on a Post-it, one appropriate development reagent
would be - correct answer ✔✔ leucocrystal violet
How would you process a water bottle found at a crime scene for prints? - correct answer ✔✔
collect and process it with cyanoacrylate fuming in the lab; nonporous, so ninhydrin wouldn't
work, small enough to take to lab
Who wrote that "experience shows that no two individuals have fingerprints exactly alike" and
observed that fingerprints are unique? - correct answer ✔✔ Rashid - al-Din Hamadani, 1300
Who begins fingerprinting Indian workers as a means of identification? - correct answer ✔✔
William Herschel, circa 1860
Who first published a paper on the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprints in Nature? -
correct answer ✔✔ Henry Faulds
*Describe how one might tell if a firearm was accidentally discharged* - correct answer ✔✔
How does skin produce fingerprints? - correct answer ✔✔ sebum and sweat are secreted by
pores and spread along ridge surface; these secretions stick to substrate when pressed,
resulting in an impression of the print
Where are friction ridges found? - correct answer ✔✔ on the soles of feet, toes, fingertips, and
palms for grip
When do friction ridges appear? - correct answer ✔✔ volar pads begin forming at 4 months of
gestation
What are the secretions that allow fingerprints to be transferred onto a surface? - correct
answer ✔✔ sweat and sebum are secreted by pores and spread along the ridge surface, which
allows a fingerprint to be transferred onto a surface
How are exemplars created? - correct answer ✔✔ exemplar fingerprints are created using
Livescan - a laser is run across the hand on a surface;
rolled ink - inked finger rolled on paper from nail to nail, gives complete coverage of fingerprint
pattern
How are exemplars collected? - correct answer ✔✔ voluntary submission from children for anti-
kidnapping purposes; fingerprints collected when arrested and booked into system; individuals
who are teachers, pilots, etc. get their fingerprints recorded into the system
,Where should you use the dusting method? - correct answer ✔✔ On nonporous & semiporous
substrates - fats and sebums sitting on top of substrates; door frames and handles, windows,
furniture, appliances; used on objects that cannot be taken back to the lab
What component of fingerprints do powders adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔ fats & oils
What are the steps of dusting for latent fingerprint development? - correct answer ✔✔ a light
brush and a contrasting colored powder is lightly dusted over the print and powder will stick to
the fats and oils in the print;
Where should ninhydrin be used? - correct answer ✔✔ on porous substrates; paper, on faint
blood prints
What component of fingerprints does Ninhydrin adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔ amino acids -
form Ruhemann's Purple
Where should cyanoacrylate fuming be used? - correct answer ✔✔ on nonporous substrates;
on degraded or fragile prints; on prints on a brightly colored background
What component of fingerprints does Cyanoacrylate fumes adhere to? - correct answer ✔✔
fats in the presence of water
Where should you use Gentian Violet? - correct answer ✔✔ on clear tape; turns fats purple -
not good contrast for darker colored tape
Where should you use Sticky Side & wet wop? - correct answer ✔✔ on electrical tape; good for
darker colored tape; adheres to fats in fingerprint and in contrasting colors
How should textured surfaces be processed for fingerprints? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. dust -
fingerprints become visible
, 2. lift with a squashy material; mikrosil or diff lift
Where should you use Leucocrystal Violet? - correct answer ✔✔ on porous and nonporous
substrates for a blood print
What does Leucocrystal Violet react with? - correct answer ✔✔ hemoglobin
What should be used for protein reactive/nonporous substrates? - correct answer ✔✔ Amido
black, coomassie blue, or Hungarian Red; not specifically hemoglobin but general proteins;
which you use depends on the color for max contrast
What method would be appropriate for developing fingerprints on a piece of clear packing
tape? - correct answer ✔✔ sticky-side powder, Gentian Violet (particularly this one since it's
clear)
If you believe you have a bloody fingerprint on a Post-it, one appropriate development reagent
would be - correct answer ✔✔ leucocrystal violet
How would you process a water bottle found at a crime scene for prints? - correct answer ✔✔
collect and process it with cyanoacrylate fuming in the lab; nonporous, so ninhydrin wouldn't
work, small enough to take to lab
Who wrote that "experience shows that no two individuals have fingerprints exactly alike" and
observed that fingerprints are unique? - correct answer ✔✔ Rashid - al-Din Hamadani, 1300
Who begins fingerprinting Indian workers as a means of identification? - correct answer ✔✔
William Herschel, circa 1860
Who first published a paper on the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprints in Nature? -
correct answer ✔✔ Henry Faulds
