Search Topic Latent Prints or Fingerprints Powered by G o o g l e         Three new proposed Standards from SWGFAST    Draft for Comment Standards on the SWGFAST Website  Standard for Examination of Simultaneous Impressions  Standard for Friction Ridge Automation Training (Tenprint)  Standard for Friction Ridge Digital Imaging   Position Paper on Latent Fingerprint Identification from the IAI...  29 Nov 2007, from the International Association for Identification. Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Sciences Community  Interesting documents online at the National Academies of Science Committee on Science, Technology and Law      ACID YELLOW Development of Bloody Latent Prints on Dark Surfaces...  27 Jul 2007 IAI presentation, courtesy of the US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. Right-click here to download the large PowerPoint version of this presentation, then open on your computer. Right-click here to download the large PDF version of this presentation, then open on your computer. Ninhydrin Development without expensive or dangerous solvents.  Research from Korea... Major Case Prints DRAFT Card  A new card for recording all finger joints/tips and thenar (base of palm) areas was drafted by SWGFAST.  See images of the new card here.   The new card is intended to facilitate comprehensive record finger and palm prints (AKA Major Case Prints) when fully completed with existing FBI Fingerprint Card (Form FD-249 front and back ) and FBI Palmprint Card (Form FD-884 front and back ) records.   The new card form number is expected to be FD-884A.   MCP standardization will assist AFIS as more vendors design systems for handling all friction ridge areas of the hands.     The Madrid Error Prints, including Algerian Ouhnane Daoud's record print, are online here . The US Department of Justice's March 2006 documents related to the Madrid Error are online at http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0601/PDF_list.htm (Recommend downloading these files before opening from your computer). Among other findings, the 330 page report criticizes the FBI Laboratory's Examination SOP, and SWGFAST guidelines, as repetitive, vague and general.   The five-page conclusion from the report is available here (much smaller file) .       " The Myth of Goats : How many people have fingerprints that are hard to match?" by Austin Hicklin, Craig Watson and Brad Ulery Published as a NIST Interagency Report, NISTIR 7271   7 Sep 2005 Massachusetts Supreme Court Oral Arguments (swf file type) about Admissibility of Simultaneous Impressions RE: Commonwealth v. Patterson   Amicus Brief by Cole, Habers, et al. Additional details at clpex.com New Hampshire June 2005 Daubert Challenge   Another Simon Cole Article about Fingerprint Error Rates ...Cole begins by hinting that fingerprint testimony is similar to selling fake insurance policies (right-click to save and open this 94 page pdf document)         Processing Reagent Guide Alex Mankevich's Excellent Resource at CBDIAI    Is Fingerprinting a Science? What is a Daubert Hearing? What is the correct pronunciation of Daubert? Frequently Asked Questions Search this web site Expert topics area General Information area for Students and most non-experts Investigator topics area

New Books on AFIS and Biometrics

Dr. Henry Faulds Monument in Japan

Judge Pollak Reverses Himself
The Honorable Louis H. Pollak wrote:
Based on the foregoing considerations, I have concluded that arrangements which, subject to careful trial court oversight, are felt to be sufficiently reliable in England, ought likewise to be found sufficiently reliable in the federal courts of the United States, subject to similar measures of trial court oversight. In short, I have changed my mind. "Wisdom too often never comes, and so" - as Justice Frankfurter admonished himself and every judge - "one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late." (7 January 2002 Court Decision partially against fingerprints Court Decision )

PA v. Vikara, Convicted After Starrs' Testimony
Prof. James Starrs was called as an expert in the methodology of fingerprint comparison, but renounced much of his written report during cross-examination.  Hearing was October 22, 2001... Defendant convicted of 1st Degree Murder and Robbery... sentenced to death. Defendant died January 10, 2002 in the State Correctional Institute at Camp Hill, PA.

Critical Author's Opinion Ruled Junk Science
A New York state judge listened to testimony by Simon Cole about why he considers the science of fingerprint identification suspect... and ruled, ..."Even applying the Federal Court's Daubert Standard, what Dr. Cole has offered here is 'junk science"... 
( Court Decision ) ( Cole's Testimony )

Notorious Daubert Challenge - Bin Laden's Terrorist Tried It
After his April 6, 2001 conviction, Ahmed Ressam was known to most of us as just another criminal who failed in his bid to exclude incriminating fingerprint evidence. As Paul Harvey would say, we now know the rest of the story... 
 
 

A Statement Regarding Am eri can News Shows and Articles about Fingerprint Evidence Credibility in Court...

 

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