AbstractHere, non‐toxic luminescent carbon nanoparticles, namely carbon dots (C‐dots), were facilely synthesized via a one‐pot hydrothermal route. Raman, Fourier transform infrared, fluorescence, carbon NMR and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopies revealed that the C‐dots possessed a graphitic‐like core with an oxidized surface. The oxidized surface of the C‐dots allowed for functionalization of the C‐dots with a 2‐methyl‐2‐[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl]propanoic acid chain transfer agent. Poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (p(DMA)) was then grafted from the C‐dot surface via surface initiated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The resulting luminescent C‐dot/polymer nanocomposite, C‐dot/p(DMA), was analyzed using UV−visible and fluorescence spectrometry verifying that the functionalized surface was responsible for the C‐dots' luminescence. This C‐dot/p(DMA) nanocomposite was water soluble and was used as a solution for the luminescent detection of latent fingermarks deposited on non‐porous aluminium foil substrates. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry