NCJ Number
168421
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: (July/August 1996) Pages: 412-417
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Cyanoacrylate (CA) ester fuming has become one of the main techniques for developing latent fingerprints on nonporous surfaces.
Abstract
If the developed fingerprint is not adequate for identification purposes, a dye or a stain that can adhere to faint or not readily visible parts of the polymerization may be applied in attempt to further enhance ridge details using fluorescence. When viewed with an appropriate light source and filter, the latent fingerprint may reveal additional detail. In addition, fluorescence may alleviate problems caused by colored backgrounds that can sometimes obscure the impression. CA fuming has also been used to reveal or enhance footwear impressions. Experiments using CA fuming and dye application were conducted to improve footwear impression images. In no case did CA fuming have a negative effect on impression quality. In some instances, pretreatment of the item in a controlled humidity chamber resulted in a much clearer and detailed image of the impression after CA processing. Combining the CA development with the Basic Yellow 40 wash provided further enhancement, particularly for impressions on white or colored backgrounds. 1 reference and 6 figures