Latent Fingermark Aging Patterns (Part III): Discontinuity Index as One Indicator of Degradation

Josep De Alcaraz-Fossoul, Carme Barrot Feixat, Clara Carreras-Marin, Jack Tasker, Sara C. Zapico, Manel Gené Badia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article is the third in a series of reports exploring quantifiable visual parameters of the aging process of latent fingermarks. On this occasion, research is focused on the occurrence of ridge discontinuities (i.e. breakages) as a function of time. Experiment variables included type of secretion (eccrine and sebaceous), substrate (glass and plastic), and exposure to natural light (dark, shade, and direct light) over a 6 months period. Fingermarks were sequentially visualized with titanium dioxide powder, photographed, and the number of naturally occurring ridge discontinuities subsequently evaluated. A semi-quantitative value, named Discontinuity Index, was used to better characterize this aging parameter. Results indicated that ridges of sebaceous depositions on glass were generally less affected by the environmental conditions compared with those on plastic surface. In addition, aging in darkness was not always the best condition for preservation, and the direct exposure to light seemed not to affect the degradation under certain conditions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1180-1187
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Forensic Sciences
Volume62
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2017
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Genetics

Keywords

  • aging
  • dating
  • discontinuities
  • forensic science
  • latent fingerprint
  • morphometrics
  • parameters
  • titanium dioxide

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