Fingerprint Age Determination: Is There Any Hope?

• NCJ Number: 198540
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2003 Pages: 42-49
• Author(s): Kasey Wertheim
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the approaches to fingerprint age determination.

Abstract

There are three ways to determine fingerprint age. The first determination is the physical appearance of the latent print, either before or after development. The second determination is the use of experiments that help to establish the effects of environmental factors over a given period of time. The third determination is the measurement of chemical changes in the constituents of latent print residue. The third method seems to hold the most promise in the quest for a reliable, universally accepted method. One of the problems in determining fingerprint age is the fact that there are instances of relatively old latent prints developing in a manner previously thought unlikely. Latent prints are affected by many different factors. Subject factors include stress, metabolism, diet, health, age, sex, occupation, and quantity and quality of finger contamination. Transfer conditions include the surface texture, physio-chemical structure, curvature, temperature, temperature difference, pressure, and contact time. Some environmental factors include temperature, humidity, ultraviolet and other radiation, dust, precipitation, condensation, friction, air circulation, and atmospheric contamination. If an accurate method of latent print age determination is to be developed, accepted, and put into widespread use, one of two methods must be used. Either the method must account for all relevant factors affecting the latent print, including its initial quality, or it must hinge on a constituent in the print that is not significantly affected by such factors. If a compound in latent print residue can be identified that deteriorates with time, and is not significantly affected by environmental factors, it might be possible to establish the age of the deposit with relative accuracy. 23 references