Identification Canada, Volume 31, No. 1, March 2008

• NCJ Number: 233777
• Journal: Identification Canada Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2008 Pages: 1-40
• Author(s): Fons Chafe; Randy Hooker
• Date Published: March 2008
• Length: 40 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: French; English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This issue's two featured articles present a historical perspective on forensic identification in Canada and describe a method for photographing fingerprints on silver Mylar.

Abstract

The historical perspective on forensic identification in Canada notes that at the beginning of the 20th century, many of Canada's police departments were in their infancy; and many had no established bureaus concerned with the identification of criminals. In the early 1900s, Constable Thomas Foster began a crusade for fingerprinting as a means of identifying criminals and for the creation of a central bureau for the entire country. The first documented case of fingerprint evidence being presented in Canada was in Alberta in 1921. On December 10, 1998, the DNA Identification Act was passed in the Canadian Parliament. This legislation established the National DNA Data Bank of Canada and provided for the collection of DNA typing profiles from convicted offenders. The article on photographing fingerprints left on silver Mylar notes that this shiny, metal-like material is often used to cover walls and as a canopy. The highly reflective surface means that the photographing of fingerprints on Mylar requires the correct choice of lighting and/or position of the flash. In the procedure described in this article, a light table as used to backlight the Mylar and enhance the available detail of the latent fingerprints. No physical development techniques were used to enhance the impressions. The Mylar was placed silver-side facing up onto a GEPE model G204 light panel. A Nikon D-200 camera was mounted on a camera stand above the light table. Photography produced a clear image of the fingerprints with greater friction ridge detail present than observed using flash photography. This issue describes forensic identification training programs and presents recent information on the activities of the Canadian Identification Society.