NCJ Number
43082
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 306 Dated: (MARCH 1977) Pages: 89-95
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE 'ONE-DISSIMILARITY' DOCTRINE IN FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION IS DISCUSSED & THE QUESTION ASKED, 'GIVEN ONE OR TWO UNEXPLAINED DISSIMILARITIES HOW MANY MATCHING CHARACTERISTICS ARE NEEDED FOR IDENTIFICATION?'
Abstract
THE ONE-DISSIMILARITY DOCTRINE WAS FIRST ENUNCIATED BY A COURT IN INDIA IN 1904 WHICH MAINTAINED THAT IF JUST ONE DISSIMILARITY WAS NOTED IN A COMPARISON OF FINGERPRINTS IT WOULD BE ASSUMED THE PRINTS WERE MADE BY DIFFERENT FINGERS. THIS DOCTRINE HAS NOT BEEN STRICTLY FOLLOWED THROUGH THE YEARS BUT IS BEGINNING TO BE PRONOUNCED ONCE AGAIN BY COURTS. REASONS FOR A SINGLE DISSIMILARITY INCLUDE DUST OR DIRT ON THE FINGER AT THE TIME THE PRINT WAS MADE, UNEVEN INKING WHEN TAKING PRINTS, SLIPPAGE DURING PRINT-TAKING, AND SCARRING. IN ONE CONTROLLED CASE, A SINGLE DISSIMILARITY WAS NOTED IN THE PRINTS OF A BOY AND PRINTS TAKEN FROM THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WHEN HE BECAME A MAN. THE NUMBER OF POINTS OF SIMILARITY NEEDED FOR IDENTIFICATION IN CASES OF SINGLE DISSIMILARITY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.