The skin on the fingertips and palmar and plantar surfaces of man is not smooth. It is grooved by curious ridges, which form a variety of configurations. These ridge configurations have attracted the at tention of laymen for millenia. They have also evoked the serious interest of scientists for more than three centuries. The anatomist Bidloo provided a description of ridge detail in the seventeenth cen tury. Since then, additional information has been added by anthro pologists, biologists, and geneticists. For the last century, the fact that each individual's ridge configurations are unique has been uti lized as a means of personal identification especially by law enforce ment officials. Widespread medical interest in epidermal ridges de veloped only in the last several decades when it became apparent that many patients with chromosomal aberrations had unusual ridge formations. Inspection of skin ridges, therefore, promised to provide a simple, inexpensive means for determining whether a given patient had a particular chromosomal defect. However, the promise was only partially fulfilled because of the inherent variability of skin ridge configurations. It was possible to draw conclusions about ridge ab normalities in groups of patients but not always in a given individual. Patients and clinicians became somewhat disenchanted with the clinical value of studying ridges.

The idea of The Fingerprint Sourcebook originated during a meeting in April 2002. Individuals representing the fingerprint, academic, and scientific communities met in Chicago, Illinois, for a day and a half to discuss the state of fingerprint identification with a view toward the challenges raised by Daubert issues. The meeting was a joint project between the International Association for Identification (IAI) and West Virginia University (WVU). One recommendation that came out of that meeting was a suggestion to create a sourcebook for friction ridge examiners, that is, a single source of researched information regarding the subject. This sourcebook would provide educational, training, and research information for the international scientific community.

The preparation of a volume of worldwide research contributions can be a time consuming task which is frequently more difficult than many other types of book. This particular venture was made easier by the assistance of many people. Therefore, we wish to acknowledge: the suggestions, academic support and direction of Dr. Kenneth M. Weiss, our American editor; the assistance of the staff of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Northern Iowa, particularly the generous and congenial efforts of Ms. Rosemarie Skaine and Mrs. Heidi Anderegg whose computer and deciphering skills may be legendary; the kind responses to our long-distance questions from Mr. Martin Scrivener of Kluwer Publications are much appreciated; finally, the efforts of Dr. Paul T. Baker and Dr. Ralph M. Garruto for their help in rounding out the final contents. NMD CCP FOREWORD Among the many techniques developed by nineteenth century anatomists for the study of human morphological structures the analysis of dermatoglyphics has proven to be one of the most useful and durable. The series of reports presented herein reflect the dynamism of the topic. Such analyses provide a valuable tool for measuring the genetic relatedness of human populations and an inexpensive technique for alerting us to the degree of genetic involvement in the causes of many diseases.

Fingerprints: Analysis and Understanding the Science, Second Edition is a thorough update of Mark Hawthorne’s classic written by two professionals with combined experience not only in crime scene investigations but also as court-recognized experts in latent print examination. Designed as a concise text to cover the fundamental techniques and principles of obtaining and analyzing latent fingerprint evidence, the book is laid out and written in an easy to understand format for those front-line professionals collecting and analyzing fingerprint evidence. Over time, the degree of sophistication and education on fingerprints and friction ridge analysis has increased. Ultimately, through scientific study by pioneers in the field, the composition of friction skin soon became evident: that it could be used as a unique identifier of individuals. Now, fingerprints and footprints as unique identifiers—and their use in criminal cases—have become commonplace and an essential component of criminal investigation with most cases involving some component of fingerprint evidence. Divided into two parts, the book begins with the basics of analysis, providing a brief history, systematic methods of identification, fingerprint pattern types and their associated terminologies and current classifications. The second part of the book discusses the identification and presentation of evidence in the courtroom, demonstrating both the traditional, manual method of lifting prints and the newer techniques for automated and live scans. Coverage provides instruction on searching and developing latent prints, storage, and comparison of prints. New to this edition are updated techniques on collecting and preserving fingerprint evidence—including packaging and maintaining chain of custody. More detailed documentation processes, and additional chemical and lifting techniques, are described including use of light sources, latent backing cards and lifting material, casting material, ten print cards, and the enhancement of prints in blood. A discussion of laboratory equipment and comparison tools, the addition of photography techniques, and recent courtroom challenges to fingerprint evidence is also presented. Fingerprints, Second Edition will provide a hands-on, fresh look at the most commonly utilized evidence found at crime scenes: fingerprints. The book will provide law enforcement, crime scene personnel and students just such an opportunity to easily understand and grasp the concepts, and relevant issues, associated with friction skin and fingerprint evidence.