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Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints Course Outline V3 11/2019 Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints Description and Syllabus This three-day workshop focuses on the Analysis phase of the ACE-V (Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, Verification) process. During the Analysis of a latent print, the analyst is gathering information. The analyst is detecting the features they may use during the comparison, setting tolerances for variation in appearance, and determining the utility of the print. The ability to detect these features in the latent print and the establishment of tolerances for variation in appearance are inextricably linked to the distortion present in the latent print. Biological Distortion Any discussion of friction ridge impressions starts with the friction ridge skin. What features does it have? What is the structure of these features? Which features are variable in the population and which features are common? How and why do these features vary in appearance from impression to impression? What does normal versus abnormal friction ridge skin look like? What happens during wound healing that causes a scar? Participants will study images of the skin displaying various developmental issues (e.g. congenital ridge hypoplasia and dysplasia) and alterations of the friction ridge skin (e.g. aging and scarring). Contact Distortion The skin is a flexible medium that distorts when it touches a surface and displaces residue when it moves across a surface. The movement of the skin on the surface causes predictable effects on the ridges and furrows that are easily recognizable. Attendees will analyze the distortion effects of latent prints placed on glass under controlled conditions. After analyzing the latent print, the attendees will observe the actual video of the latent print being deposited onto the surface. Attendees will be provided a different paradigm with which to consider distortion: how the skin leaves an impression. For many, this is a shift from trying to decipher a latent print based on what is expected in the known print. Residue Distortion Residue distortion refers to how the following affect the appearance of the ridges and furrows in a latent print: 1) type of residue, 2) placement of residue on the surface of the skin, and 3) transfer of residue to a surface. This section of the course focuses on the most difficult of visual distortion effects: tonally transitioning ridges. Examples of tonally transitioning ridges and the causal affects are demonstrated and discussed. Attendees are provided alternative strategies for following ridges through tonal transitions. Surface Distortion Textured surfaces can introduce problematic background noise or create false edge shapes and pore structure. The shape of the object and the natural handling can cause unexpected finger height distributions in simultaneous impressions. Additionally, any impression where the hand and fingers are grasping an object will have clusters of minutiae in unusually close proximity when the clusters are separated by a primary flexion crease. Examples of the distortion effects of different types of surfaces will be demonstrated and discussed with attendees. Analysis Process The analysis of a friction ridge impression answers two questions: 1) is there sufficient information to warrant a comparison and 2) what search parameters will be assigned to the print (where and how to look in the exemplar prints). The information in friction ridge impressions used to answer these questions will be explored. Evolve Forensics www.EvolveForensics.com [email protected] Mobile 702.769.9469

Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints - Evolve Forensics · The analysis of a friction ridge impression answers two questions: 1) is there sufficient information to warrant a comparison

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Page 1: Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints - Evolve Forensics · The analysis of a friction ridge impression answers two questions: 1) is there sufficient information to warrant a comparison

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AnalysisofDistortioninLatentPrintsCourseOutlineV311/2019

Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints Description and Syllabus

Thisthree-dayworkshopfocusesontheAnalysisphaseoftheACE-V(Analysis,Comparison,Evaluation,Verification)process.DuringtheAnalysisofalatentprint,theanalystisgatheringinformation.Theanalystisdetectingthefeaturestheymayuseduringthecomparison,settingtolerancesforvariationinappearance,anddeterminingtheutilityoftheprint. The ability to detect these features in the latent print and the establishment of tolerances for variation inappearanceareinextricablylinkedtothedistortionpresentinthelatentprint.BiologicalDistortionAnydiscussionoffrictionridgeimpressionsstartswiththefrictionridgeskin.Whatfeaturesdoesithave?Whatisthestructureofthesefeatures?Whichfeaturesarevariableinthepopulationandwhichfeaturesarecommon?Howandwhydothesefeaturesvaryinappearancefromimpressiontoimpression?Whatdoesnormalversusabnormalfrictionridgeskinlooklike?Whathappensduringwoundhealingthatcausesascar?Participantswillstudyimagesoftheskindisplayingvariousdevelopmentalissues(e.g.congenitalridgehypoplasiaanddysplasia)andalterationsofthefrictionridgeskin(e.g.agingandscarring).ContactDistortionTheskinisaflexiblemediumthatdistortswhenittouchesasurfaceanddisplacesresiduewhenitmovesacrossasurface.Themovementoftheskinonthesurfacecausespredictableeffectsontheridgesandfurrowsthatareeasilyrecognizable.Attendeeswillanalyzethedistortioneffectsoflatentprintsplacedonglassundercontrolledconditions.Afteranalyzingthelatentprint,theattendeeswillobservetheactualvideoofthelatentprintbeingdepositedontothesurface.Attendeeswillbeprovidedadifferentparadigmwithwhichtoconsiderdistortion:howtheskinleavesanimpression.Formany,thisisashiftfromtryingtodecipheralatentprintbasedonwhatisexpectedintheknownprint.ResidueDistortionResiduedistortionreferstohowthefollowingaffecttheappearanceoftheridgesandfurrowsinalatentprint:1)typeofresidue,2)placementofresidueonthesurfaceoftheskin,and3)transferofresiduetoasurface.Thissectionofthecourse focuses on themost difficult of visual distortion effects: tonally transitioning ridges. Examples of tonallytransitioning ridges and the causal affects are demonstrated and discussed. Attendees are provided alternativestrategiesforfollowingridgesthroughtonaltransitions.SurfaceDistortionTexturedsurfacescanintroduceproblematicbackgroundnoiseorcreatefalseedgeshapesandporestructure.Theshape of the object and the natural handling can cause unexpected finger height distributions in simultaneousimpressions.Additionally,any impressionwhere thehandand fingersaregraspinganobjectwillhaveclustersofminutiaeinunusuallycloseproximitywhentheclustersareseparatedbyaprimaryflexioncrease.Examplesofthedistortioneffectsofdifferenttypesofsurfaceswillbedemonstratedanddiscussedwithattendees.AnalysisProcessTheanalysis of a friction ridge impressionanswers twoquestions:1) is there sufficient information towarrant acomparisonand2)whatsearchparameterswillbeassignedto theprint (whereandhowto look in theexemplarprints).Theinformationinfrictionridgeimpressionsusedtoanswerthesequestionswillbeexplored.

EvolveForensicswww.EvolveForensics.comAlice@EvolveForensics.comMobile702.769.9469

Page 2: Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints - Evolve Forensics · The analysis of a friction ridge impression answers two questions: 1) is there sufficient information to warrant a comparison

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AnalysisofDistortioninLatentPrintsCourseOutlineV311/2019

DailySyllabusDay10800–0900 CourseOverviewandIntroduction0900-1000 IntroductiontotheFrictionRidgeSkin1000-1100 EmbryologicalDevelopmentoftheHandsandFeet1100–1200 EmbryologicalDevelopmentoftheFrictionSkin1200–1300 Lunch1300–1400 PhysiologyoftheFrictionRidgeSkin1400–1500 AgingintheFrictionRidgeSkin1500–1600 DamageandDiseaseintheFrictionRidgeSkin1600-1700 MaskingoftheFrictionRidgeSkinDay20800–0900 IntroductiontotheMechanicsofTouch0900-1000 DepositionPressure,Wobble,DoubleTapsandDoubleTouches1000-1100 SheeringStress:SkinDeformationandResidueRe-Distribution1100–1200 Torque:SkinDeformationandResidueRe-Distribution1200–1300 Lunch1300–1400 SequentialMovements:SkinDeformation1400–1500 ChangesinDeformationPressure:MisalignedRidges1500-1600 GroupDistortionProject1600-1700 IndependentDistortionExercisesDay30800–0900 PresentationofGroupDistortionProjects0900-1000 ReviewofIndependentDistortionExercises1000-1100 ResidueDistributionontheSkin1100–1200 DistributionofResidueinLatentPrints1200–1300 Lunch1300–1400 SurfaceDistortion1400–1500 ResidueandSurfaceDistortionExercises1500–1600 AnalysisPhaseofACE-V1600-1700 CapstoneGroupProject

AbouttheInstructor:

AliceWhitehasaBachelorofScienceinBiologyfromtheUniversityofAlaska,Anchorage.Shebeganhercareer in latentprints in1997andhasbeencertifiedin latentprintsbytheInternationalAssociationforIdentificationsince2001.Aliceserved/servesontheScientificWorkingGroupforFrictionRidgeAnalysis,Study,andTechnology;NISTExpertWorkingGrouponHumanFactors inLatentPrints;AAFSStandardsBoard Friction Ridge Consensus Body; RTI's Human Factors SourcebookWorking Group; OSAC FrictionRidge Subcommittee; and the JFI Editorial Board. Alice has published numerous articles and lecturedthroughout theUnited States, Canada, and Europe. This course has original research published by Alice(Maceo)White.