Technology developed for roadside fingerprints using hand-held devices...has also been pioneered in identifying the dead
The researchers made use of a handheld mobile wireless unit used in conjunction with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device for the capture of fingerprints from the dead. They also used a handheld single digit fingerprint scanner which utilises a USB laptop connection for the electronic capture of cadaveric fingerprints.
The researchers also tested the technique on ‘live’ candidates and found some interesting results.
Professor Rutty (of the East Midlands Forensic Pathology Unit at the University of Leicester) said: “Although prints were acquired in all cases we observed a number of difficulties with the use of the unit which affected its operation and print quality. The quality of the prints depended on the gender and age of the individual with females worse than males; elderly female pads showed more cracking and loss of ridge details than males in the series captured. Greasy fingers or the use of hand creams decreased the ability to capture images. Grease, creams or sweaty fingers lead to the persistence of fingerprints on the scanner pad which caused smudged images or multiple images of later fingers. This was overcome by drying of the fingers with a cloth prior to capture.”
~I don't understand the purpose of 'roadside fingerprints'. Are there that many Brit criminals running around free with fake picture IDs to justify the expense, bother and humiliation of routine roadside fingerprinting?
The Queen's subjects must be the most fingerprinted people on earth. Because fingerprinting cadavers in cases of mass fatalities for rapid identification only makes sense if you have significant numbers of fingerprints already on file.
For some perverse reason I take heart that greasy fingers from, for example, fish and chips can decrease the ability of the scanner pad to capture images. So that officers using these devices will need to carry plenty of handi-wipes and have access to suitable disposal containers.
Posted by Stubbornson at November 27, 2006 02:54 PM