Fingerprints: classification, identification, and forensic applications

Finger Prints

Corrections/Police Forensics

The Scene and Notes:

murder has left a woman lying dead in a bathtub full of her own blood. Strangled and stabbed, the woman shows heavy indications of a great struggle. The atmosphere surrounding her body consists of mainly, white tile. There are several decorative pieces adorning this bathroom. The mirror above the sink is shattered and the water is still running in the sink where it appears blood has been washed down the drain and streaked with blood prints as if there had been an attempt to clean away the blood. The woman is wearing nothing but a pair of ballet shoes and a pink ribbon in her hair. Her eyes are bulging from their sockets much more than should be expected - proving the harshness of strangulation. There is dried candle wax on the floor that has dripped from a tall red candle above the tub. The window is opened there is broken glass at its foothold.

Collecting Evidence:

The broken glass would indicate an intruder; most likely by the woman's killer. The blood in the sink may be that of the intruder since there was an obvious struggle that may have left them injured. The broken glass, window seal, and outlaying areas where the killer entered will be where the primary attempts to draw fingerprints will begin. Dusting and using ultraviolet black light, the glass and window pane will be thoroughly searched. The outer area will also be inspected. The knobs of the sink, where the intruder may have tried to wash away his blood, will also be investigated for prints. Dusting the flat and smooth surfaces will be best collected by dusting them and applying a negative lens to scoop the dust now fossilized with any fingerprints.