Types of fingermarks, their detection and enhancement
The next set of videos present information about the detection and enhancement of fingermarks.
We will discuss the difference between visible fingerprints and fingermarks and latent, or invisible, prints and marks. The latter need to be enhanced in some way so that they can be visualized. Such enhancement makes use of the various secretions left in fingermark/print deposits and the nature of the surface that the marks are deposited upon.
There are a wide range of chemical enhancement techniques used by mark enhancement laboratories. Once enhanced, the marks are photographed and the photographs are then looked at by a fingerprint examiner. Chemical enhancement techniques have been used for many years, either on their own or in some cases sequentially, one after the other.
The UK fingerprint source book in the ‘see also’ resource section below provides a lot of detailed information about these techniques if you wish to read more about enhancement. There is a lot of material and it might be interesting for you to browse through some of it at your own pace.
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