Latent Examinations

In the Electronic Communications course we are given the opportunity to devle deeper into one of our interests. I chose to do some legwork on latent examinations. With a working knowledge of fingerprint identification, I started to explore.

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Section I: Latent Examinations

Latent examinations are becoming one of the more talked about sections of law enforcement, although for years the visibility of the department has been buried typically for reasons of security. Often called fingerprint identification, the unique examination process deals with the minutia of an investigation, and it can legally place someone at the scene of a crime by pinpointing seven ridge events. A ridge event is a minutia point on a fingerprint and primarily includes bifurcations or ridge endings. These unique tracks help identify people, particularly when dealing with an unknown deceased individual or with a suspect. This facet of the investigations requires officers to be more precise in the collection of the prints at crime scenes, as each one could solve a case.
Fingerprints are an infallible way to determine the suspect of a crime. While everyday technicians are prone to make a mistake, latent examiners are under a different sort of pressure. One misidentification can lead to a person’s arrest and probably conviction, as juries are apt to trust the scientific explanation that accompanies an examiner’s testimony during a trial. For this reason, an oversight is grounds for termination.
That being said, I’m interested in researching the history of latent examinations, as well as the development of the field over the last decade. Who was it that realized all fingerprints are different? And since this discovery, which has led to more convictions, how is the courtroom handling it? Within that, I’m interested to find out if juries are willing to believe latent evidence to the point of detriment during a trial.
It’s a fascinating science, which intrigues law enforcement officials and frustrates suspects. It gives defense lawyers little with which to argue, although as I also intend to find out, there still is question about the legitimacy of admitting identifications in court proceedings. Alibis can be fabricated. People directly involved with a crime can be intimidated to cover another person’s tracks. However, idents don’t lie and are a foolproof way for pinning an individual to a crime scene, provided the proper steps are taken.

Section IB: Keywords Return to top

UNC Library Catalog
Fingerprint?
au Lee, Henry C.
Fingerprints – history

LexisNexis Academic
Fingerprint?
“fingerprint”
“Advances in fingerprint technology”

Search Engine on Web http://www.google.com/ ; http://www.yahoo.com/
Latent examinations
Fingerprint?
(fingerprint or latent) examination
“latent examinations” OR “fingerprinting”
Latent examination AND technology
Fingerprint w2 identification

Section II: Books, Videotapes and CD ROMS from UNC-CH Libraries
Print sources: Return to top

Cole, Simon A. Suspect Identities: A History of Criminal Identification and Fingerprinting. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001: Call number: HV6074.C557 2001 (LC).

Lambourne, Gerald. The Fingerprint Story. Great Britain: London: Harrap. 1984. Call number: NV6074.L27 1984 (LC).

Lee, Henry C. and R.E. Gaensslen, eds. Advances in Fingerprint Technology, 2nd Edition. Boca Raton, Fl.: CRC Press. C2001. Call number: HV6074.A43.2001 (LC).

Nonprint sources: Return to top

A rapist on trial: DNA takes the stand. 54 mins. New York. Courtroom Television Network, 1995. Videocassette. Call Number: Law Audio-Visual KF224.R433 R36 1995 (LC)

Frontline: The Case for Innocence. 90 mins. PBS Video c1999. Videocassette. Call number: Law Audio-Visual KF9666.5 .F76 1999 (LC).

Section III: Electronic Indexes and Databases: Return to top

Broder, John M (30 January 2003). After 45 Years, an Arrest in the Killing of 2 Officers [database online]. El Segundo, California: The New York Times. Late Edition Pg. 14. Available: ProQuest Information and Learning Company [1 February 2003].

Chin, Spencher [9 December 2002]. Use of fingerprint ID technology still spotty [database online]. EBN Issue 1342. Available: MasterFILE Premier [1 February 2003].

McArthur, Douglas [January 2003]. Fingerprint identification and authentication: new solid-state sensing devices provide cost-effective, reliable, and sophisticated physical access security for mobile devices, such as laptop computers, PDAs, and cell phones. (Putting Sensors to Work) [database online]. Sensors Magazine, Vol 20. 2003 Advanstar Communications, Inc. Available: InfoTrac [1 Febraury 2003].

McCutcheon, Chuck (28 October 2002). Sniper Case May Prod States to Upgrade Fingerprint Technology [database online]. Newshouse News Service. (923 words). Available LexisNexis Academic Search. Quick News Search. Previous six months [1 February 003].

Pankati, Sharath; Prabhakar, Salil; Jain, Anil K (August 2002): On the Individuality of Fingerprints [database online]. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis & Machine Intelligence, Vol. 24, Issue 8 p1010. Available: Academic Search Elite [1 February 2003].

Tofig, Dana (6 January 2003): 43 Million-print database puts the finger on suspects [database online]. Atlanta: Atlanta Journal Constitution, Monday Home Edition Pg. 1A, (1547 words). Available: EBSCO Publishing [1 February 2003].

Section IV: Five Web Sources:

Title: FBI Laboratory: Latent Print Unit
Web address: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/org/lpu.htm
Brief description: This site explains in detail the unit’s responsibilities for latent examinations and how the FBI can ascertain suspects involved in crimes that vary in nature. The site also indicates the amount of technology that is becoming available.
Source of Web site: The Federal Bureau of Investigations

Title of Web page: Crime Scene Investigation
Web address: www.crime-scene-investigator.net.
Brief Description: This is a site geared toward potential and current investigators with a special emphasis on those interested in evidence and forensic science. The site also contains articles targeting developments within the business of fingerprinting.
Source of Web site: the Crime-Scene-Investigator.net. There was no other listing for an alternate source; both were the same.

Title of Web page: Latent Print Examination: Fingerprints, Palmprints and Footprints
Web address: http://onin.com/fp/.
Brief Description: The site, which is maintained by Special Agent Ed German (CIOP-IN), offers a wide variety of visitors a range of topics all dealing with fingerprinting, but also operating on the person’s individual comfort level with latents. That is to say Agent German has something for the average reader to a highly trained latent examiner, offering everything from the latest legal news to sources on rideology.
Source of Web site: German maintains the site, while working for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command in Virginia.

Title of Web page: North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation: The Latent Evidence
Section
Web address: http://sbi.jus.state.nc.us/sbimain/latent.htm.
Brief Description: The site details the Latent Evidence Section, which is involved in the development and identification of latent fingerprints, palmprints and foot prints, although oftentimes to a lesser degree. This site is important because it explains North Carolina’s accessibility and involvement with latent examinations.
Source of Web site: North Carolina Department of Justice, State Bureau of Investigations

Title of Web page: Daubert Revisited
Web address: www.vtbar.org/ezstatic/data/vtbar/ journal/june_2002/Besser.pdf.
Brief Description: This site provides legal information regarding the admissibility of testimony given by a latent examiner. The site calls upon a former court case to discuss the technique, accuracy and reliability of latent examinations.
Source of Web site: The Vermont Bar Journal (June 2002)

Section V: A Highly Fractured Digital Divide Return to top

As children continue to spend more of their youth in front of a computer, getting acclimated with technological advances is crucial piece of the process. While opportunities abound for all different types of children, stretching across most social classes and breaking most racial barriers, a Digital Divide does exist. Oftentimes this gap makes technology appear to be financially and/or racially insensitive, but what some parents and guardians don’t realize is that some of these advances can have an almost inherently oppressive role when framing the way young people, particularly little girls, view the world. According to the PBS Web site, the Digital Divide continues to widen these gaps, especially as computers become an important part of life and seemingly become more centered around male thought (1).
The divide starts at the most basic level. Gender stereotypes exist in the classroom setting so at a young age, girls are taught, whether intentionally or not, that they most likely will not find as much success with the Internet as their male counterparts. The bias is forged with pre-existing notions of gender roles already in place, giving young women another barrier to strike down. Typically, teachers have a great deal to do with the success of their students in terms of how they approach each student’s confidence level. Young boys are more likely to exude confidence, while girls, who are more critical of their own performances, tend to grow more silent with each wrong answer (2).
From there, the children emerge into the technological world with their personalities partially molded around certain gender stereotypes. Boys have a more carefree approach, while girls are more shy, cautious. More sites become geared toward males, giving girls less of a chance to participate. These sites typically include role-playing games, which require precision in executing an enemy, something young girls aren’t generally excited about.
Peggy Orenstein, in an interview with PBS, said the gap in classroom performance also has to do with the girl’s confidence level, particularly with regard to mathematics or science. Orenstein said girls typically lack the necessary assurance to forge ahead and struggle to stay on par with their male peers. “And they feel that they are less able to go on and pursue work that is math, science, technology related. And that, obviously, is a huge problem since that is going to be where the jobs are and the economy that they grow up in” (3).
For this reason, organizations like Girls, Inc., a national nonprofit youth group, are reaching out to young girls to keep them from succumbing to gender bias within the Digital Divide. With an increasing number of educational and recreational opportunities geared toward male tastes, the sites are attempting to provide young women with the ability to cultivate their own personalities within the technological world. (4).
Confronting this divide should be as much of a priority as balancing racial and socioeconomic inequities. Education and the technological advancement that is involved should not be a compromised feature for any group in society.

Sources for mini-essay

1. Digital Divide. PBS 1999, 2000 Studio Miramar. http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide/ (1 February 2003).

2. Chapman, Amanda. Gender Bias In Education. Multicultural Pavilion: EdChange Research Room. http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html (1 February 2003).

3. Orenstein, Peggy. SchoolGirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem and the Confidence Gap. http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide/gender-voices.html#jo-int. (1 February 2003).

4. Girls Inc., Information Central. 2002. www.girlsinc.org. (1 February 2003).