Fingerprint Evidence Research Articles

Innovation Research on Fingerprint and DNA Identifications

In this study, two models for fingerprint and DNA identifications are constructed based on modern technologies, while offering significant advances over prior models. Our models have high credibility, obtaining relatively accurate results under different circumstances. Under different assumptions, this model tests the probability of the validity in the statement that human fingerprints are unique to be 93.94%. In other words, the percentage of misidentification is 6.06%. This model is a robust fingerprint identification method that can tolerate highly nonlinear deformations. The model is tested on the basis of a self-built database, proving that the model has high credibility, and convincing results are obtained from sensitivity analysis. In order to estimate the odds of misidentification by DNA evidence, we emphasized on two factors that might contribute to misidentification: random match probability and the probability arising from laboratory errors. Then, a model is developed using Bayes’ theorem to reveal the inherent relationship between them, which carries some reference value. The probability of matching by DNA evidence is estimated based on the changes in the significant level. Finally, the probabilities of misidentification by both fingerprint evidence and DNA evidence are compared using numerous data. We found that the probability of the former is 6.06% and that of the latter is smaller than 4.0 x 10?10. Therefore, it can be concluded that DNA identification is far better than that of fingerprint identification.

The strange persistence of (source) “identification” claims in forensic literature through descriptivism, diagnosticism and machinism

Many forensic scientists consider that identification (individualisation) – in the sense of statements of the kind “the questioned item and the known item come from the same source” – is a concept that is central to their discipline. This is so despite decade-long, fundamental critiques levelled by both practitioners and academics against the conceptual and practical feasibility of forensic identification. Oddly, there is a constant stream of publications in (peer-reviewed) forensic science journals that treat forensic identification axiomatically as a valid object of study, sidestepping the fundamental critiques. This paper reviews and discusses three exemplary strands of publications that exemplify this persistent trend. These strands are called descriptivism, diagnosticism and machinism. The latter term refers to methods borrowed from the now increasingly popular approaches used in the field of machine learning. In turn, descriptivism and diagnosticism refer to general design aspects of mainstream research methods, illustrated here through a critical review of two recent papers on, respectively, forensic odontology and a framework for interpreting fingerprint evidence. The critique of the use of ‘identification’ in these strands of publication includes, but goes beyond, semantic details and the reiteration of long-known shortcomings of obsolete technical language such as ‘match’ and ‘matching’. Specifically, this paper exposes deeper problems such as the subtle and argumentatively unfounded carrying-over of source conclusions to ultimate issues and the use probability concepts for questions that require more than the mere quantification of uncertainty. This paper submits that in order to foster trust in an era of continually expanding publishing activities, it should be a vital interest to forensic science journals to better examine what identification-related research can and cannot legitimately purport to achieve.

Collection of evidence from the reverse side of self-adhesive stamps: A combined approach to obtain dactyloscopic and DNA evidence

The commonly applied method for the examination of self-adhesive stamps mainly focuses on DNA-profiling while neglecting potential fingerprint evidence. In our preliminary study it was shown that in an uncontrolled environment, fingerprints are transferred from the adhesive side of stamps onto the envelope within the first two days after application. Fingerprints can therefore be examined independently after the separation of the stamp from the envelope. The aim of this study was to develop a novel approach, which enables the combination of fingerprint development and the analysis of DNA traces originating from the same evidence, and to implement this into routine processes. Furthermore, this approach was compared with the edge fragment approach, the commonly applied standard method in our laboratory. The results showed that the novel approach is very beneficial for forensic examination of self-adhesive postage stamps on letters. Moreover, it enables parallel evaluation of dactyloscopic and DNA evidence without having an increased risk of contamination, PCR interference or altering of the fingerprint. The chance of obtaining useful forensic evidence for downstream database searching was increased from 50.0% to 83.3%. This novel method was shown to be valuable for the parallel evaluation of dactyloscopic and DNA trace material originating from the same evidence.

Myths about fingerprint evidence: Basic facts countering miscarriage of justice. Part 2

This is the second part of the study that aims at highlighting twenty-four myths about fingerprint evidence. In this paper, the authors are going to explicate and clarify the difference between the scientific facts and the wrongful concepts that negatively affect the justice system and the effective usage of fingerprint evidence starting from the initial investigation at the crime scene until the final trial at the courtroom.

Myths about fingerprint evidence: Basic facts countering miscarriage of justice. Part 1

The long practice of fingerprint science is accompanied by confusing thoughts affecting the interpretation of the fingerprint evidence recovered from a crime scene, and, consequently, prosecutors and judges’ decisions as well. However, despite the tremendous scientific and technological developments relating to fingerprint enhancement, processing, and usage, which clarify precise facts regarding the influence of deposition circumstances, substrate, light, air, temperature, and time factors on fingerprint secretions, misconceptions about fingerprints are still widespread within the law enforcement and judicial system. This problem prevents the proper usage of fingerprints in fighting crimes and supporting the justice system by strong physical evidence. This study aims to highlight some scientific facts about fingerprints as well as a new approach and reconceptualization of fingermarks as a tool for crime scene investigation and training. The article discusses twenty-four myths about fingerprints – part 1 covers ten of them and part 2 discusses the other fourteen.

The effect of evidence order on jurors' verdicts: Primacy and recency effects with strongly and weakly probative evidence

AbstractIn a series of studies, the effect of evidence order with strongly and weakly probative evidence was examined. In studies 1a, 1b, and 2, participants read a homicide trial containing four pieces of evidence (two strongly probative, two weakly) presented in differing orders and reported their verdicts. In Study 1a and 1b, fingerprint evidence and a video confession were strongly probative, while DNA evidence and eyewitness testimony were not. In Study 2, DNA and video confession evidence were strongly probative, but fingerprint evidence and eyewitness testimony were not. Across studies, results indicated recency effects when the last piece of evidence was strongly probative, with more guilty verdicts compared to when the last piece of evidence was weakly probative. Study 3 utilized a different trial scenario and six pieces of evidence to further test for a primacy effect. Results again indicated support for a recency effect, with no primacy effects found.

More on Normic Support and the Criminal Standard of Proof

Abstract In this paper I respond to Marcello Di Bello’s criticisms of the ‘normic account’ of the criminal standard of proof (Di Bello 2019). In so doing, I further elaborate on what the normic account predicts about certain significant legal categories of evidence, including DNA and fingerprint evidence and eyewitness identifications.

Battling to a draw: Defense expert rebuttal can neutralize prosecution fingerprint evidence

SummaryThe present study examined whether a defense rebuttal expert can effectively educate jurors on the risk that the prosecution's fingerprint expert made an error. Using a sample of 1716 jury‐eligible adults, we examined the impact of three types of rebuttal testimony in a mock trial: (a) a methodological rebuttal explaining the general risk of error in the fingerprint‐comparison process; (b) a new‐evidence rebuttal concluding the latent fingerprint recovered in this case was not suitable for use in a comparison; and (c) a new‐evidence rebuttal excluding the defendant as the source of the latent fingerprint. All three rebuttals significantly altered perceptions of the prosecution's fingerprint evidence, but new‐evidence rebuttals proved most effective. The effectiveness of the rebuttals depended, however, on whether jurors were more concerned about false acquittals or false convictions.

A method for measuring the quality of friction skin impression evidence: Method development and validation

The forensic fingerprint community has faced increasing criticism by scientific and legal commentators, challenging the validity and reliability of fingerprint evidence due to the lack of an empirical basis to assess the quality of the friction ridge impressions. This paper presents a method, developed as a stand-alone software application, DFIQI (“Defense Fingerprint Image Quality Index”), which measures the clarity of friction ridge features (locally) and evaluates the quality of impressions (globally) across three different scales: value, complexity, and difficulty. Performance was evaluated using a variety of datasets, including datasets designed to simulate casework and a dataset derived directly from casework under operational conditions. The results show performance characteristics that are consistent with experts’ subjective determinations. This method provides fingerprint experts: (1) a more rigorous approach by providing an empirical foundation to support their subjective determinations from the Analysis phase of the examination methodology, (2) a framework for organizations to establish transparent, measurable, and demonstrable criteria for Value determinations, (3) and a means of flagging impressions that are vulnerable to erroneous outcomes or inconsistency between experts (e.g., higher complexity and difficulty), and (4) a method for quantitatively summarizing the overall quality of impressions for ensuring representative distributions for samples used in research designs, proficiency testing and error rate testing, and other applications by forensic science stakeholders.

HPTLC-Densitometry Screening and Mass Identification of Fluorescent Whitening Agents Contamination in Cereal Flour

In recent years, there was increasing concerns on food safety issues associated with fluorescent whitening agents from package materials. Here, we reported the development of a facile and reliable method suitable for high-throughput quantification and identification of two common fluorescent whitening agents (FWA 184 and FWA 367) in cereal products (wheat and rice flour), platformed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. First, the sample preparation and cleanup were rapidly accomplished via an optimized solid–liquid extraction. The extracts and reference standard were simultaneously separated on silica gel plates, using the mixture of toluene and ethyl acetate (10/0.3, v/v) as the mobile phase. Then, rapid quantification was performed with densitometry in fluorescent mode (365 </ 400 nm, mercury lamp), reaching limit of detection 18–21 μg/kg; meanwhile, good linearity (R2 = 0.9999) of quantification can be achieved within a broad range (100–2000 pg/band). With real cereal samples, the quantitative measurement was validated, showing good spike-recovery rates (88.0–108.4%). Furthermore, the conclusive identification of the targeted band was directly realized by in situ mass detection, providing compound-specific signals (m/z 363.09 and 431.18, for FWA 184 and FWA 369, respectively) as the fingerprint evidence. The proof-of-concept result of this work demonstrated that HPTLC as a versatile analytical platform can achieve an ideal balance among throughput, simplicity, and detectability, therefore, particularly suitable for screen-oriented food analysis.

Quantification of the weight of fingerprint evidence using a ROC-based Approximate Bayesian Computation algorithm for model selection

For more than a century, fingerprints have been used with considerable success to identify criminals or verify the identity of individuals. The categorical conclusion scheme used by fingerprint examiners, and more generally the inference process followed by forensic scientists, have been heavily criticised in the scientific and legal literature. Instead, scholars have proposed to characterise the weight of forensic evidence using the Bayes factor as the key element of the inference process. In forensic science, quantifying the magnitude of support is equally as important as determining which model is supported. Unfortunately, the complexity of fingerprint patterns render likelihood-based inference impossible. In this paper, we use an Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) model selection algorithm to quantify the weight of fingerprint evidence. We supplement the original ABC model selection algorithm using a Receiver Operating Characteristic curve to mitigate its known shortcomings with respect to the choice of a suitable threshold and the curse of dimensionality. In a sense, we offer an alternative to other methods that have tried to address the same issues. Our method is straightforward to implement, computationally efficient, and visually intuitive for lay individuals (i.e., jurors). We apply our method to quantify the weight of fingerprint evidence in forensic science, but we note that it can be applied to any other forensic pattern evidence.

Corrigendum to “Quantification of the weight of fingerprint evidence using a ROC-based Approximate Bayesian Computation algorithm for model selection”

In this correction, we provide an acknowledgment for the source of several images in the paper: J. Hendricks, C. Neumann, C.P. Saunders (2021) “Quantification of the weight of fingerprint evidence using a ROC-based Approximate Bayesian Computation algorithm for model selection”, Electronic Journal of Statistics (15)1, pp. 1228–1262.

Law Enforcement against Criminal Action with Fingerprint Evidence

The objectives of this study are 1) To study and analyze law enforcement against the perpetrator of the crime of theft using fingerprint evidence. 2) To analyze the factors that influence law enforcement against the perpetrators of criminal acts of theft. 3) To formulate should be obstacles and solutions in law enforcement against perpetrators of criminal acts of theft with fingerprint evidence in the future. This research method uses empirical juridical research. The results of the study concluded that: 1) Law enforcement against perpetrators of criminal acts of theft with fingerprint evidence uses 2 (two) means, namely: a) Non-penal means are law enforcement against criminal acts using the means non penal includes the use of social facilities to improve certain social conditions, but indirectly affects efforts to prevent crime. b) Penal facility Penal facility is the prevention of crime by using criminal law and for studying fingerprints or often referred to as evidence which is one part of assistive science used by the police in taking and studying fingerprints. 2) The factors that influence law enforcement on the eradication of criminal acts of theft consist of internal and external factors. Internal factors consist of social inequality, economic inequality, injustice. 3) Constraints and solutions in law enforcement against perpetrators of criminal acts of theft with fingerprint evidence a) the obstacles faced are legal aspects and aspects of investigators b) Solutions in law enforcement against perpetrators of criminal acts of theft with fingerprint evidence require a role/action Indonesian Police in law enforcement, especially in handling criminal acts of theft with fingerprint evidence (dactyloscopy), it can be seen that the police action in dealing with criminal acts of theft in the future is besides maintaining its procedures (Permanent Program), namely chain patrols, early detection, handling of TKP that were attacked by the Police, Polwiltabes and Central Java Regional Police/as well as case titles until the case is revealed.

Fingerprint error rate on close non-matches.

The accuracy of fingerprint identifications is critically important to the administration of criminal justice. Accuracy is challenging when two prints from different sources have many common features and few dissimilar features. Such print pairs, known as close non-matches (CNMs), are increasingly likely to arise as ever-growing databases are searched with greater frequency. In this study, 125 fingerprint agencies completed a mandatory proficiency test that included two pairs of CNMs. The false-positive error rates on the two CNMs were 15.9% (17 out of 107, 95% C.I.: 9.5%, 24.2%) and 28.1% (27 out of 96, 95% C.I.: 19.4%, 38.2%), respectively. These CNM error rates are (a) inconsistent with the popular notion that fingerprint evidence is nearly infallible, and (b) larger than error rates reported in leading fingerprint studies. We conclude that, when the risk of CNMs is high, the probative value of a reported fingerprint identification may be severely diminished due to an elevated false-positive error risk. We call for additional CNM research, including a replication and expansion of the present study using a representative selection of CNMs from database searches.

Fingerprint Error Rate on Close Non-Matches

The accuracy of fingerprint identifications is critically important to the administration of criminal justice. Accuracy is challenging when two prints from different sources have many common features and few dissimilar features. Such print pairs, known as close non-matches (CNMs), are increasingly likely to arise as ever-growing databases are searched with greater frequency. In this study, 125 fingerprint agencies completed a mandatory proficiency test that included two pairs of CNMs. The false-positive error rates on the two CNMs were 15.9% (17 out of 107, 95% C.I.: 9.5%, 24.2%) and 28.1% (27 out of 96, 95% C.I.: 19.4%, 38.2%), respectively. These CNM error rates are (a) inconsistent with the popular notion that fingerprint evidence is nearly infallible, and (b) larger than error rates reported in leading fingerprint studies. We conclude that, when the risk of CNMs is high, the probative value of a reported fingerprint identification may be severely diminished due to an elevated false positive error risk.

The Admissibility in Seychelles of Improperly Obtained Fingerprint Evidence: A Comment on Jean François Adrienne &amp; Another v. R (Criminal Appeal SCA25 &amp; 26/2015) [2017] SCCA 25 (11 AUGUST 2017)

In Seychelles, the taking of fingerprints is governed by sections 30A, 30B and 30C of the Criminal Procedure Code. Section 30B provides, inter alia, that a police officer may take a sample from a person in custody after seeking his consent and informing him of the right to refuse to give the sample (fingerprint). In Jean François Adrienne &amp; Another v. R the Seychellois Court of Appeal for the first time dealt with the question of the admissibility of fingerprint evidence obtained in violation of the Criminal Procedure Code. The purpose of this article is to assess this judgment and highlight ways in which it is likely to affect the manner in which courts will deal with fingerprint evidence in the future.

Fingerprint Comparison and Adversarialism: The Scientific and Historical Evidence

AbstractThis article suggests that lawyers and courts are largely oblivious to scientific insights regarding the value and limitations of latent fingerprint evidence. It proceeds through a detailed historical analysis of the way fingerprint evidence has been reported and challenged. It compares legal responses with mainstream scientific research. Our analysis shows that fingerprint evidence is routinely equated with categorical proof of identity notwithstanding scientific warnings that such an approach is ‘indefensible’. We find that legal challenges to latent fingerprint evidence have been uniformly focused on adjectival issues (e.g. compliance with enabling legislation), leaving the validity and accuracy of this subjective comparison technique virtually unexamined since its first reception at the very beginning of the twentieth century. Lack of legal engagement with validity, error and scientific research suggest that adversarial procedures have not worked effectively to secure scientifically reliable expert evidence and that legal personnel struggle with elementary scientific reasoning.

Assessing the frequency of general fingerprint patterns by fingerprint examiners and novices

The rarity of general fingerprint patterns should be taken into account in the assessment of fingerprint evidence to provide a more complete assessment of fingerprint evidence than when only considering the minutiae. This should be done because, the rarer the corresponding pattern, the stronger the support for the hypothesis that the fingermark stems from the same source as the reference fingerprint. Fingerprint examiners’ experience should enable them to provide meaningful assessments of the frequencies of these general patterns according to the theories of perceptual learning, exemplar theory of categorization and visual statistical learning. In this study we examined the accuracy of fingerprint examiners’ and novices’ judgments on the rarity of general fingerprint patterns.We found that fingerprint examiners seem to have acquired some knowledge about the rarity of general patterns, but had difficulty expressing this knowledge quantitatively using a novel sub-classification of general patterns. As a consequence, their judgments were not accurate and they did not perform better on this task than novices. For both participant groups judgments of more common patterns were more accurate. However, examiners did outperform novices in rank ordering general patterns from common to rare. We conclude that our study does not show that fingerprint examiners have expertise in explicitly judging frequencies of novel sub-classifications of general fingerprint patterns, but our results do indicate that the examiners have acquired knowledge about the rarity of patterns that novices do not possess.

Error Rates, Likelihood Ratios, and Jury Evaluation of Forensic Evidence.

Forensic examiners regularly testify in criminal cases, informing the jurors whether crime scene evidence likely came from a source. In this study, we examine the impact of providing jurors with testimony further qualified by error rates and likelihood ratios, for expert testimony concerning two forensic disciplines: commonly used fingerprint comparison evidence and a novel technique involving voice comparison. Our method involved surveying mock jurors in Amazon Mechanical Turk (N=897 laypeople) using written testimony and judicial instructions. Participants were more skeptical of voice analysis and generated fewer "guilty" decisions than for fingerprint analysis (B=2.00, OR=7.06, p=<0.000). We found that error rate information most strongly decreased "guilty" votes relative to no qualifying information for participants who heard fingerprint evidence (but not those that heard voice analysis evidence; B=-1.16, OR=0.32, p=0.007). We also found that error rates and conclusion types led to a greater decrease on "guilty" votes for fingerprint evidence than voice evidence (B=1.44, OR=4.23, p=0.021). We conclude that these results suggest jurors adjust the weight placed on forensic evidence depending on their prior views about its reliability. Future research should develop testimony and judicial instructions that can better inform jurors of the strengths and limitations of forensic evidence.

Fingerprint evidence for the division of labour and learning pottery-making at Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel.

The organization of craft production has long been a marker for broader social, economic and political changes that accompanied urbanism. The identity of producers who comprised production groups, communities, or workshops is out of reach using conventional archaeological data. There has been some success using epidermal prints on artefacts to identify the age and sex of producers. However, forensic research indicates that a combination of ridge breadth and ridge density would best identify the age and sex of individuals. To this end, we combine mean ridge breadth (MRB) and mean ridge density (MRD) to distinguish the age and sex of 112 fingerprints on Early Bronze Age (EB) III pottery from the early urban neighbourhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, dating to a 100 year time span. Our analysis accounts for the shrinkage of calcareous fabrics used to make six type of vessels, applies a modified version of the Kamp et al. regression equation to the MRB for each individual print, and infers sex by correlating MRD data to appropriate modern reference populations. When the results are combined, our analyses indicate that most fingerprints were made by adult and young males and the remainder by adult and young females. Children’s prints are in evidence but only occur on handles. Multiple prints of different age and sex on the same vessels suggest they were impressed during the training of young potters. Production appears dominated by adult and young males working alone, together, and in cooperation with adult and/or young females. Vessels with prints exclusively by females of any age are rare. This male dominant cooperative labour pattern contrasts recent studies showing that adult women primarily made Neolithic figurines in Anatolia, and more females than males were making pottery prior to the rise of city-states in northern Mesopotamia.