In the modern world, technology has unlocked a realm of possibilities and led to a world of fascinating processes, fingerprints are no exception. You might have seen crime scenes on television programs, where detectives try to find fingerprints while criminals try to wipe them away before leaving the scene. If your fingerprints have been found on the crime scene, or the cops suspect your fingerprints might match the ones on the crime scene, it’s indispensable for you to reach out to a bail bondsman in Raleigh, NC to post bail. Wondering how fingerprints are obtained and used? Here’s what you need to know!
Basics about Fingerprints
We know that every person is born with a unique set of fingerprints, but what we don’t know is fingerprints form as a form of pressure on a baby’s developing fingers in the womb. Although the purpose of fingerprints is uncertain, one theory is they improve our sense of touch and provide traction when we grip items. Typically, there are three main fingerprint patterns: whorl, arch, and loop, and different patterns exist within each category. Also, the loop pattern accounts for about 70% of all fingerprints. The ridges of the fingerprint contain pores attached to sweat glands, so natural oils and salts from the human body leave a residue on every item we touch.
Obtaining Fingerprints
The process of obtaining fingerprints is known as fingerprinting and involves several steps. For one, the inked impressions on a fingerprint card or digitally through modern biometric scanners are collected. Law enforcement agencies use this technique to help criminal investigations, identify suspects, and maintain criminal databases for more accuracy and reliability in forensic science.
Forensic Science and Criminal Identification
In criminal identification, fingerprints have proven to be an indispensable tool. Automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) are employed by law enforcement agencies to efficiently search through vast databases of fingerprints and match them to potential suspects to expedite the investigative process and solve countless cases.
How are Fingerprints used?
When someone is arrested, fingerprinting of the defendant takes place. The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System overseen by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division can retrieve fingerprints nationwide. The system serves a wide range of purposes beyond recording individuals with arrest records, encompassing employment, licensing, and social services. This implies that approximately one in every six individuals within the nation possesses a fingerprint record stored within this database.
Investigators, based on the circumstances and the surface where fingerprints are left, either capture photographic images of the prints or employ dusting techniques on surfaces to locate and subsequently photograph the prints. Subsequently, digital technology facilitates the comparison of crime scene prints with historical records of individuals’ fingerprints. Want to post your bail after your fingerprints are found on the crime scene? Searching for a licensed bondsman in Raleigh, NC, or looking for a reputed agency for bail bonds in Raleigh, NC? Contact the experts at Case Closed Bail Bonds now!
