Using Salt & Sugar Powder to Development Hidden Fingerprint Impressions at the Crime Scene

Authors: Mia R*, Panchal V and Gokhale C

DOI: 10.23880/ijfsc-16000232

Volume 6, Issue 2

Abstract

In the Indian criminal justice system fingerprint is one of the most common and criminal evidence at the crime scene. At the crime scene, various types of print or impressions are found i.e., palm print, footprint, ear print and fingerprint. The fingerprint is unique in every human being, human fingerprint impressions are such unique characteristics of human identity that differ from person to a person, also identical twins don’t have an identical fingerprint. The important part of the fingerprint is its friction ridges impression at the crime scene. In a forensic investigation, latent fingerprint search is an important process. Thus, for the latent or invisible fingerprint impression development, we used salt and sugar powder. The fine particles of salt and sugar powder adhere to the impression and the print is visible to our naked eyes. This method is simple and easily preparable and it’s characterized by being in powder form which is available in different colours, so it can be apply any surfaces to visualization the fingerprint impressions at any crime scene. In this study, we used different surfaces such as plastic, paper, door, glass, CPU, plywood, motorbike painted area, stainless steel, floor background for developing latent or invisible fingerprints impressions. Excellence both type of powders attached to the different surfaces where the fingerprint impression is present. By using these non-destructive techniques to easily develop the hidden fingerprint impression at the scene of a crime.

Keywords: Latent Fingerprint; Salt; Sugar; Powder; Non-Destructive

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