• Question: how it take you long to find the person from the figerprints

    Asked by anon-345127 on 24 Jan 2023.
    • Photo: David Bryson

      David Bryson answered on 24 Jan 2023:

      Fingerprints are analysed by fingermark specialists who are experts in their field look at https://www.csofs.org/about-us/faqs/ for more general information about forensic specialists

    • Photo: Katy Bruce

      Katy Bruce answered on 24 Jan 2023:

      I think Richard might be a good person to answer this one for you!

    • Photo: Richard Case

      Richard Case answered on 26 Jan 2023:

      This can differ on a variety of factors:

      For Crime Scene:

      If the quality of fingerprints found at the scene is excellent and has an unusual or rare pattern… if you are comparing that with someone, you can almost ‘get a feeling’ straight away that it could be them…. BUT it is still very important to follow the scientific process and analyse and compare the prints fully and make notes. This would then need to be verified independently by another expert before the results can be provided.

      On the opposite side of the scale, if the evidence is poor then it can take hours of carefully looking through a magnifying glass before you can make a decision.

      If the suspect does not have their fingerprints ‘on record’ then it can take years before the fingerprints are matched…. if ever!

      From Custody:

      When people are arrested they have their fingerprints taken on special equipment.

      Computers are now able to make a decision on their identity in seconds!

      I now work a lot with this kind of equipment

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