Sains Malaysiana 41(4)(2012): 499-504

Possibility of Using Fingerprint Powders for Development of Old Fingerprints

(Kemungkinan Mengguna Serbuk Cap Jari dalam Pembangunan Kesan Cap Jari Lama)

Muhammad Yusof Omar*

Forensic Science Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Laura Ellsworth

Forensic Science Department, The George Washington University Mount Vernon Campus, 2100 Foxhall Road N.W., Somers Hall, 20007 Washington D.C., United States of America

Received: 9 March 2011 / Accepted: 20 October 2011

ABSTRACT

The use of conventional fingerprint powder is the easiest and fastest method for fingerprint development. It is also the workhorse at the crime scene and an important method used in the laboratory. The objective of this study was to examine the difference in physical characteristics of the fingerprint after development using different fingerprint powders within a six-week period. The study compared the number of positives identifications of each ‘minutiae’ after application of black fingerprint powder and black magnetic fingerprint powder. The latent fingerprints from the donor were deposited on clean microscope slides. The following prints were applied after thirty minutes. Similar rules of pressure and length of deposition were made as much as possible. The slides were analyzed every week at similar intervals for six continuous weeks with black fingerprint powder and black magnetic fingerprint powder with specific indicator. The black finger print powder can be used for three weeks while black magnetic powder can up to fourth weeks. The results gave information on an effective time frame using both fingerprint powders for fingerprint development.

Keywords: Fingerprint development; fingerprint powders; forensic science; time estimation

ABSTRAK

Penggunaan serbuk cap jari adalah kaedah lama dan yang paling senang serta cepat dalam menimbulkan kesan cap jari.  Kaedah ini adalah tunjang kepada setiap lapangan tempat kejadian jenayah dan teknik yang paling penting digunakan di dalam makmal. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti perbezaan dalam ciri-ciri fizikal cap jari setelah mengaplikasi kaedah ini untuk menimbulkan kesan cap jari dalam tempoh enam minggu. Kajian ini membezakan jumlah jalur atau minutiae yang boleh dicamkan sebagai positif kepada pengenalan individu setelah mengaplikasi serbuk cap jari hitam dan serbuk magnetik cap jari hitam. Cap jari yang diambil dilekatkan pada permukaan slaid mikroskop yang bersih. Sampel slaid ini dianalisis menggunakan penunjuk yang sesuai setiap minggu pada selang masa yang sama selama enam minggu berturut-turut menggunakan serbuk cap jari hitam dan serbuk magnet cap jari hitam. Serbuk  cap jari hitam dapat digunakan selama tiga minggu manakala serbuk magnet cap jari hitam pula dapat digunakan selama sehingga empat minggu. Hasil keputusan ini dapat memberikan gambaran tempoh masa yang sesuai untuk menggunakan serbuk cap jari dalam menimbulkan kesan cap jari.

Kata kunci: Mengenal pasti masa; penimbulan cap jari; sains forensik; serbuk cap jari

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*Corresponding author; email: myoyusof@gmail.com