The Science of Fingerprints Part 21

The identification officer will understand the problems of accurately cla.s.sifying and filing fingerprint cards. He knows there is little value in placing a fingerprint card in the FBI's files with only an approximate or an inaccurate cla.s.sification.

Every fingerprint card filed in the FBI's file is of value to the particular law enforcement agency which forwarded it, as well as to all other law enforcement agencies which rely on its being correctly cla.s.sified and filed.

_Temporary disabilities_

There are temporary disabilities affecting an individual's hand which are sometimes beyond the control of the identification officer. These can be fresh cuts, or wounds, bandaged fingers or finger, occupational (carpenters, bricklayers, etc.) blisters, and excessive perspiration.

Children, whose ridges are small and fine, would also come under this heading. Extreme care should be exercised in fingerprinting the aforementioned.

An indication on the fingerprint card to the effect "fresh cut, bandaged" is not sufficient to file the fingerprint card. It is obvious that a fingerprint card bearing these notations cannot be properly cla.s.sified and filed. The same situation would occur if there were a blister on an individual's finger. The blister temporarily disfigures the ridge detail. When an injury is temporary, the prints, if at all possible, should not be taken until after the injury has healed.

Occupational problems (bricklayers, carpenters, etc.) are definitely a challenge to the identification officer. In some instances, by means of softening agents (oils and creams), it is possible to obtain legible inked impressions. It is further suggested that in these cases a very small amount of ink should be used on the inking plate.

Excessive perspiration can be controlled to some extent by the identification officer. Excessive perspiration causes the inked impressions to be indistinct. It is suggested in these cases to wipe the finger with a cloth and then immediately ink the finger and roll it on the fingerprint card. This process should be followed with each finger. It is also suggested that possibly the fingers could be wiped with alcohol, benzine, or similar fluid which would act as a drying agent.

In all the above situations, if it is not possible to accurately cla.s.sify and file the fingerprint card, the name appearing on the card will be searched in the alphabetical files and then returned to the law-enforcement agency.

_Permanent disabilities_

Another phase involves permanent disabilities which can in most cases be controlled by the identification officer. These can be lack of fingers (born without), amputations, crippled fingers (bent, broken), deformities (webbed, extra fingers), and old age.

With respect to lack of fingers, it should be noted that some individuals are born without certain fingers. The notation "missing"

is not satisfactory because it does not sufficiently explain the correct situation. It is suggested that "missing at birth" or some similar notation be made in the individual fingerprint block on the card. A proper notation concerning this situation will prevent the fingerprint card from being returned. Figures 378 and 379 ill.u.s.trate temporary and permanent disabilities.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 378. Temporary disability.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 379. Permanent disability.]

Concerning amputations, it is suggested that a proper notation to this effect appear in the individual fingerprint block or blocks. It is suggested that if a portion of the first joint of a finger is amputated, the finger should be inked and printed. A notation concerning this fact should be made on the fingerprint card in the individual fingerprint block.

In those cases where all of the fingers are amputated, the inked footprints should be obtained.

The handling of crippled fingers and certain deformities can be discussed in a group because they generally present the same problems.

It is not sufficient in all cases to indicate "broken," "bent,"

"crippled." If the fingers are bent or crippled so that they are touching the palm and cannot be moved, a notation to this effect should be on the fingerprint card in the proper individual fingerprint block. However, it is believed that these extreme cases are rare. It is suggested that the special inking devices used for taking the prints of deceased individuals be used in taking inked impressions of bent or crippled fingers.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 380. The spatula, roller, and curved holder used for taking the inked prints of bent or crippled fingers.]

This equipment, which will be discussed more fully in the section on printing deceased persons, consists of spatula, small roller, and a curved holder for the individual finger block. Figure 380 shows the spatula, roller, and curved holder. It should be further noted in figure 380 that there are a strip of the entire hand of the fingerprint card and also individual finger blocks cut from the fingerprint card. Each of these types can be used in connection with the curved holder.

Each crippled finger is taken as a separate unit and then the finger block pasted on a fingerprint card. In figure 381, note the use of the spatula for applying the ink to a bent or crippled finger; and in figure 382, observe the use of the curved holder for taking the "rolled" impression of a bent or crippled finger.

Old age has been placed under permanent disability only for discussion purposes. The problem is not encountered frequently in taking the fingerprints of individuals who are arrested. The situation of crippled fingers due to old age may be met, and it can be handled as previously suggested. In most cases the problems arise because of the very faint ridges of the individual. It is believed that in the majority of cases, legibly inked prints can be taken by using a very small amount of ink on the inking plate and by using little pressure in the rolling of the fingers.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 381. The use of the spatula in the application of ink to the finger.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 382. The use of the curved holder for taking the "rolled" impression.]

_Deformities_

If a subject has more than 10 fingers, as occasionally happens, the thumbs and the next 4 fingers to them should be printed, and any fingers left over should be printed on the other side of the card with a notation made to the effect that they are extra fingers. When a person with more than 10 fingers has an intentional amputation performed, it is invariably the extra finger on the little finger side which is amputated.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 383]

It also happens, not infrequently, that a subject will have two or more fingers webbed or grown together, as in figures 383 and 384, making it impossible to roll such fingers on the inside. Such fingers should be rolled, however, as completely as possible, and a notation made to the effect that they are joined.

Split thumbs, i.e., thumbs having two nail joints, as in figure 385, are cla.s.sified as if the joint toward the outside of the hand were not present. In other words the inner joint is used, and no consideration whatever is given to the outer joint.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 384]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 385]

_General_

These problems have dealt with the mechanical or operational processes. However, there are other problems dealing with the completing of the descriptive information. The fingerprint card may be returned because of the lack of information in the s.p.a.ces provided, such as name, s.e.x, race, height, weight, etc. Any discrepancies in this information may necessitate the return of the fingerprint card.

The success and value of the FBI's fingerprint files to all law enforcement agencies are dependent, in a large measure, on the legibly inked fingerprints taken by law enforcement agencies.

Figure 386 shows an enlarged portion of the bulb of a finger revealing the microscopic structure of the friction skin. The epidermis consists of two main layers, namely, the stratum corneum, which covers the surface, and the stratum mucosum, which is just beneath the covering surface. The stratum mucosum is folded under the surface so as to form ridges which will run lengthwise and correspond to the surface ridges. However, these are twice as numerous since the deeper ridges which correspond to the middle of the surface ridges alternate with smaller ones which correspond to the furrows. The sweat pores run in single rows along the ridges and communicate through the sweat ducts with the coil sweat glands which are below the entire epidermis. The friction ridges result from the fusion in rows of separate epidermic elements, such as the dot shown on the left. Generally speaking, when an individual bruises or slightly cuts the outer layer or stratum corneum of the bulb of the finger, the ridges will not be permanently defaced. However, if a more serious injury is inflicted on the bulb of the finger, thereby damaging the stratum mucosum, the friction skin will heal, but not in its original formation. The serious injury will result in a permanent scar appearing on the bulb of the finger.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 386]

CHAPTER X

_Problems and Practices in Fingerprinting the Dead_

Each year new graves are opened in potter's fields all over the United States. Into many of them are placed the unknown dead--those who have lived anonymously or who, through accident or otherwise, lose their lives under such circ.u.mstances that identification seems impossible.

In a majority of such cases, after the burial of the body, no single item or clue remains to effect subsequent identification. As a result, active investigation usually ceases and the cases are forgotten, unless, of course, it is definitely established that a murder has been committed.

Reliance is too often placed on visual inspection in establishing the ident.i.ty of the deceased. This includes having the remains viewed by individuals seeking to locate a lost friend or relative. The body is often decomposed. If death was caused by burning, the victim may be unrecognizable. As a result of many fatal accidents the deceased is often mutilated, particularly about the face, so that visual identification is impossible. Yet, in many cases, the only attempt at identification is by having persons view the remains and the personal effects.

The recorded instances of erroneous visual identifications are numerous. In one case a body, burned beyond recognition, was identified by relatives as that of a 21-year-old man; yet fingerprints later proved that the corpse was that of a 55-year-old man.

Fingerprints have frequently been instrumental in establishing the correct ident.i.ty of persons killed in airplane crashes and incorrectly "identified" by close relatives.

In one instance a woman found dead in a hotel room was "positively"

identified by several close friends. The body was shipped to the father of the alleged deceased in another state where again it was "identified" by close friends. Burial followed. Approximately one month later the persons who had first identified the body as that of their friend were sitting in a tavern when the "dead" woman walked into the room. Authorities were immediately advised of the error; they in turn advised the authorities in the neighboring state of the erroneous identification and steps were taken immediately to rectify the mistake. After permission had been granted by the State Health Board to exhume the body of the dead woman, fingerprints were taken and copies were forwarded to the FBI Identification Division. The finger impressions were searched through the fingerprint files and the true ident.i.ty of the deceased was established.

During a 12-month period, the FBI Identification Division received the fingerprints of 1,708 unknown dead. Of these, 1,298, or almost 76 percent, were identified. The remaining 410 were not identified simply because fingerprints of these individuals were not in the FBI files.

It should be noted that in these 1,708 cases, it was possible to secure legible fingerprints of the deceased in the usual manner by inking the fingers in those instances in which decomposition had not injured the ridge detail.