Physical characteristic analysis of latent fingerprints in crime scene for personal identification

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the physical characteristics of latent fingerprints collected from crime scenes, and to statistically compare the width and length of latent fingerprints impressed by the thumb and other fingers. Analyze and compare the latent fingerprints deposited by the thumbs of male and female individuals at a 95% confidence level. A total of 597 verified latent fingerprint impressions from 155 forensic cases (2020–2023) by the officers in area of Police Forensic Science Center 7, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. The study found that latent fingerprints were deposited on porous, semi-porous, and non-porous surfaces of evidence on crime scenes, and at least 10 minutiae points were required to identify a person. Latent fingerprints of every finger could be found and possibility of nine fingerprint patterns could be seen on crime scene. Latent fingerprints were mostly incomplete, with whorl pattern being more common than loop and arch pattern. The depositing latent fingerprints by thumbs differed significantly in width and length from other fingers. The width of thumbprints of male and female were statistically different significantly, while the length did not differ. Findings support improved accuracy in forensic identification and fingerprint classification.