Technology in the criminal justice

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
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(June 27, 2012)
The History of Fingerprinting
In the real sense, fingerprints provide a very infallible means of individual identification. This answers the question as to why it has substituted other methods of determining the identities of criminals unwilling to accept previous arrests. From the late 19th Century, methods of fingerprint identification have been utilized by various police agencies in the world in the identification of both suspected criminals and crime victims. Since historical times, the foundation for ancient fingerprinting technique was very simple. For instance, the skin on the palm surface of the feet and hands make up ridges known as papillary ridges. This occurred in patterns which were unique to each person and did not change over time. Surprisingly, even identical twins fail to possess identical fingerprints. Actually, fingerprints have been utilized as a means of identifying criminals positively for many years. For example, in 1858, Sir William Herschel who was a British administrator called for fingerprints and signatures on all civil servants. In addition, in 1882, Alphonse Bertillion who was an anthropologist from France designed a body measuring method to generate a formula for classifying individuals (Jones & Johnston, 2011).
Development of fingerprint analysis
Using assistance from forensic analysis, law enforcement personnel solve crimes with fingerprints as evidence. In addition, basing on the assumption that there are no two similar fingerprints, various techniques of fingerprint identification are used during criminal investigations. If 10 to 50 matching points are cited, this shows a positive identification. In the real sense, samples of fingerprints may be extracted in various ways including with the help of a crime scene dusting kit, a photograph and biometric device. Fingerprint dusting usually depends on powder made from titanium, aluminum or charcoal (Hawthorne, 2008).
The powder normally sticks to oil found within fingerprints. This paves the way for investigators get a print for utilization during forensic analysis. Then, biometric devices capture fingerprints with the help of advanced technology usually utilized by agents of law enforcement to process criminals into the criminal justice system. Photographs of high clarity have been utilized as tools of fingerprint identification in circumstances in which evidence from a crime scene has been destroyed or corrupted. Additionally, ridge configurations in a fingerprint pattern make each fingerprint identifiable and unique via the analysis of experts. Actually, the main characteristics within a print that assist experts make a posit...