Fingerprint Analysis

History of Use of Fingerprints as Evidence

In 1911, the first criminal conviction involving the use of fingerprint evidence was recorded. During a failed home invasion, a man named Thomas Jennings shot and killed homeowner Clarence Hiller in South-Side Chicago. Jennings was apprehended later that night and, crucially, had left behind a fingerprint on a freshly painted railing at the Hiller residence. Police then photographed and removed the railing for use as evidence in his trial, which led to the successful identification of Jennings as the assailant by the court. Since this landmark case, fingerprints have been used as forensic evidence in cases around the world for more than 100 years.

Using a fingerprint to identify an individual

Fingerprint identification is known officially as dactyloscopy, which is the process of examining and comparing separate ridge skin impressions to determine whether they came from the same person. This process of identification relies on matching the patterns of certain characteristics of a print and carefully comparing them to the patterns on another print. There are a number of key details that fingerprint analysts look out for, including 'islands', 'dots', and 'ridge-endings.' Forensic technicians will usually go through a rigorous procedure of analysis, comparison, evaluation and verification to arrive at a conclusion. The process can become quite complex – check out sources like the Australian Federal Police website for more information. https://www.australianpolice.com.au/dactyloscopy/fingerprint-identification/

Human fingerprints are very useful pieces of forensic evidence for a number of reasons. Chief among these reasons is that, insofar as the forensic community is aware, every human fingerprint is unique and prints are durable over a person's entire life. They are also highly detailed and difficult to alter. This makes them excellent long-term identifiers for police, investigators and other authorities to utilise in their work.

Fingerprint evidence is very common in Australian court cases; in 2016, more than 10,000 fingerprint matches were made in Victoria alone. Generally, police will take a person's fingerprint for identification and record-keeping purposes once they are taken into custody. Most agencies have an automated system which they then use to compare a fingerprint to all the samples that have been entered into the system. For this reason, it is common for repeat-offenders to be implicated in criminal activities by the fingerprint impressions they leave at the scene.

Why Choose Lyonswood for Fingerprint Forensics?

Unmatched Expertise: Our seasoned professionals have a wealth of experience in the latest fingerprint analysis techniques, ensuring that every detail is captured and analysed.

Diverse Application: From assisting you in investigating a cheating spouse to providing critical insights in complex forensic cases, our skills are broad-ranging.

State-of-the-Art Technology: In conjunction with traditional methods, we leverage advanced tools in areas like forensic audio and mobile device forensics, ensuring a holistic approach.