When it comes to police work and movies that depict
police work, fingerprints are probably the second most inaccurately
depicted realm of police work.
According to many TV shows all that is needed
to solve a crime is a fingerprint which is then "run through the
computer" (you know that computer that will answer any police question
you can think of). If only it were that easy. Although many states are now
running AFIS systems (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) which do make it possible to "run a print" by and
large you just about need a suspect to compare the prints to. To run every
single print obtained from every single crime scene through an AFIS system
would be a monumental task.
This section covers various aspects
related to fingerprint development, classification and identification, but
please bear in mind, this subject is far from what you may have imagined. The
people who are classified as experts in this field, have spent many years
learning their craft, years of study at University's both here and overseas, and
who hold Degrees in this field.
The following pages in this section are very basic due to the complex nature of
the subject, but I hope that after you read them, you will have a better
understanding of just how much is involved in the art of fingerprints and the
science involved with it.
Each section contains some graphical references for a better understanding
of some of
the requirements for classification.
