FIS 201 – Exam 3 Study Guide (Mohr, WVU)
When is trace evidence formed? - ANS✔✔ generated when objects touch each other and
remains of material are left behind
What is a latent print processor? - ANS✔✔ -they locate and develop fingerprints and may
handle database entry
-chemistry and lab training needed
What is a latent fingerprint examiner? - ANS✔✔ -they classify prints, determine if fingerprints
are a match or not, and testify in court
How do fingerprints form? - ANS✔✔ -they start forming at 4 months and are consistent
throughout life. They are friction ridges
Where does the fingerprint impression come from? - ANS✔✔ -sweat
-sebum
-lipids
-foreign material
How do fingerprints stick? - ANS✔✔ sebum and sweat are secreted by your pores and it sticks
to the substrate when pressed
What foreign material could help a fingerprint stick? - ANS✔✔ -and sufficiently viscous material
-blood
-ink
-motor oil
,-pizza grease
What are the three types of prints? - ANS✔✔ -patent
-latent
-impression/plastic
What are 10 prints used for? - ANS✔✔ used for comparison with unknowns
What are latent prints? - ANS✔✔ -invisible to the naked eye
-must be developed with chemicals or light
-porous, nonporous, and semi-porous substrates
What is dusting? - ANS✔✔ when powder is used to find fingerprints and it sticks to fats and oils
During dusting, different colored powders are used for what? - ANS✔✔ different substrates
What is dusting applied with and cleaned up with? - ANS✔✔ applied with a fiberglass brush and
cleaned up with camel hair
What kind of substrates is dusting used for? - ANS✔✔ nonporous and semi porous substrates
What are the steps to lifting a print? - ANS✔✔ 1. photograph
2. press the lifting tape across the print
3.smooth tape flat
4. lift off the print
5. press it over the lift card
, What kind of substrates is ninhydrin used on? - ANS✔✔ porous substrates (paper)
What is Ninhydrin? - ANS✔✔ It is a way to find fingerprints. It reacts with the amino acids in a
print to form "Ruhemann's Purple" and also works with faint prints in blood
What kind of substrate is Cyanoacrylate Fuming used on? - ANS✔✔ nonporous substrates
What is Cyanoacrylate Fuming? - ANS✔✔ When fumes bind to fats in the presence of water and
binds to very small fingerprints. It forms a protective layer on the print
Superglue + Dye + ALS - ANS✔✔ These fingerprints can only be "lifted" through photographs
What can you use to enhance blood prints? - ANS✔✔ -Leucocrystal Violet (reacts with the
hemoglobin)
-amido black (reacts with the proteins)
-Coomassie Blue
-Hungarian Red
What was fingerprinting in ancient times? - ANS✔✔ The Chinese used fingerprinting in seals by
264 BCE
Who is sir William Herschel? - ANS✔✔ -he showed that fingerprint patterns were permanent
-he initiated fingerprinting in India as a form of signature verification
Who is Alphonse Bertillion? - ANS✔✔ -noticed that criminals were often jailed multiple times
under different aliases
-he developed an anthropometric method for personal identification (bertillionage)
When is trace evidence formed? - ANS✔✔ generated when objects touch each other and
remains of material are left behind
What is a latent print processor? - ANS✔✔ -they locate and develop fingerprints and may
handle database entry
-chemistry and lab training needed
What is a latent fingerprint examiner? - ANS✔✔ -they classify prints, determine if fingerprints
are a match or not, and testify in court
How do fingerprints form? - ANS✔✔ -they start forming at 4 months and are consistent
throughout life. They are friction ridges
Where does the fingerprint impression come from? - ANS✔✔ -sweat
-sebum
-lipids
-foreign material
How do fingerprints stick? - ANS✔✔ sebum and sweat are secreted by your pores and it sticks
to the substrate when pressed
What foreign material could help a fingerprint stick? - ANS✔✔ -and sufficiently viscous material
-blood
-ink
-motor oil
,-pizza grease
What are the three types of prints? - ANS✔✔ -patent
-latent
-impression/plastic
What are 10 prints used for? - ANS✔✔ used for comparison with unknowns
What are latent prints? - ANS✔✔ -invisible to the naked eye
-must be developed with chemicals or light
-porous, nonporous, and semi-porous substrates
What is dusting? - ANS✔✔ when powder is used to find fingerprints and it sticks to fats and oils
During dusting, different colored powders are used for what? - ANS✔✔ different substrates
What is dusting applied with and cleaned up with? - ANS✔✔ applied with a fiberglass brush and
cleaned up with camel hair
What kind of substrates is dusting used for? - ANS✔✔ nonporous and semi porous substrates
What are the steps to lifting a print? - ANS✔✔ 1. photograph
2. press the lifting tape across the print
3.smooth tape flat
4. lift off the print
5. press it over the lift card
, What kind of substrates is ninhydrin used on? - ANS✔✔ porous substrates (paper)
What is Ninhydrin? - ANS✔✔ It is a way to find fingerprints. It reacts with the amino acids in a
print to form "Ruhemann's Purple" and also works with faint prints in blood
What kind of substrate is Cyanoacrylate Fuming used on? - ANS✔✔ nonporous substrates
What is Cyanoacrylate Fuming? - ANS✔✔ When fumes bind to fats in the presence of water and
binds to very small fingerprints. It forms a protective layer on the print
Superglue + Dye + ALS - ANS✔✔ These fingerprints can only be "lifted" through photographs
What can you use to enhance blood prints? - ANS✔✔ -Leucocrystal Violet (reacts with the
hemoglobin)
-amido black (reacts with the proteins)
-Coomassie Blue
-Hungarian Red
What was fingerprinting in ancient times? - ANS✔✔ The Chinese used fingerprinting in seals by
264 BCE
Who is sir William Herschel? - ANS✔✔ -he showed that fingerprint patterns were permanent
-he initiated fingerprinting in India as a form of signature verification
Who is Alphonse Bertillion? - ANS✔✔ -noticed that criminals were often jailed multiple times
under different aliases
-he developed an anthropometric method for personal identification (bertillionage)
