NCJ Number
58130
Journal
FINGERPRINTS AND IDENTIFICATION MAGAZINE Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 3-10
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE CAUSE FOR LINEAR DOTS APPEARING ON MORE THAN HALF OF THE FINGERPRINTS KEPT IN THE FILES OF THE HOKKAIDO PREFECTUAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN JAPAN, RESEARCHERS EXAMINED THE PRINTS OF 2,852 MEN.
Abstract
THE MAJOR LINES OF INQUIRY WERE EXPLORED: (1) WHETHER THE APPEARANCE OF LINEAR DOTS IN FINGERPRINTS WAS DUE TO IRREGULARITIES AND ABERRATIONS IN THE FINGERPRINTING PROCESS; AND (2) WHETHER THE APPEARANCE OF LINEAR DOTS WAS DUE TO FAULTY TECHNIQUES AND, IF SO WHETHER OTHER OCCURRENCES OF LINEAR DOTS IN FINGERPRINTS EXIST IN THE FILES. OF THE 2,852 MEN EXAMINED AND CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO HAND, FINGER, AND AGE OF SUBJECT, 1,510 OR 52.9 PERCENT HAD FINGERPRINTS WITH LINEAR DOTS. OF 28,520 FINGERS EXAMINED, 6,587 OR 23 PERCENT EXHIBITED LINEAR DOTS. THE RIGHT HAND HAD SLIGHTLY MORE LINEAR DOTS THAN THE LEFT HAND. IN BOTH HANDS, THE THUMBS SHOWED THE GREATEST INCIDENCE OF LINEAR DOTS. LINEAR DOTS TENDED TO DEVELOP WITH ADVANCING YEARS, AS OLDER MEN SHOWED A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF LINEAR DOT DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR FINGERPRINTS. WHEN LINEAR DOTS WERE FOUND WITH OTHER DOTS AND SHORT LINES, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN DOTS AND SHORT LINES. ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE OF LINEAR DOTS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, LINEAR DOTS ARE POTENTIALLY PRESENT IN FINGERPRINTS AND DEVELOP NATURALLY. WEAR AND TEAR ON FINGERTIPS CAUSES PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE SKIN AND CAN MAKE LINEAR DOTS VISIBLE. PROBLEMS IN THE RECOGNITION OF LINEAR DOTS ARE NOTED. PHOTOGRAPHS OF FINGERPRINTS AND A BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)