Identifying a Print
When we touch something we leave behind some of our sweat and this in turn can leave behind an impression of the ridge detail on your fingerprint, thus leaving a fingerprint impression.
A fingerprint can be left on many types of surfaces. It can be made visible by brushing it with a powder or treating it with chemicals in a lab. Similarly, if the fingers are coated with ink or another substance such as paint, oil or blood, than a permanent impression may be left on a particular item.
Crime Scene
When a fingerprint is found at a scene of crime, the impression left by the owner is referred to as a ‘mark'.
A ‘print' is taken by the police from a person they suspect of committing the crime. This is normally referred to as ‘tenprints'. Tenprints are the rolled impressions made on a fingerprint form taken under controlled conditions, normally at a Police Office.
A fingerprint examiner will compare and evaluate the crime scene ‘mark' against the ‘print' to determine if they came from the same person.
ACE-V
The identification of a fingerprint is based upon the unique agreement of details between the unknown crime scene mark and the known print on a fingerprint form by careful Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation and Verification (ACE-V) of the information held within both.