Criminology

In the world today, there is a need for identification of every person in a way that it will not be confused or rather identical to another person. This can only be offered by the use of fingerprints.  The use of fingerprints can also be termed as the essential explanation or reason as to why we have supplanted other methods of determining the identities of criminals reluctant to acknowledge previous arrests. By definition, a fingerprint happens to be an impression of what is referred to as the friction ridges which are found on all or on some parts of the fingers. This happens to be a raised part of the epidermis on the palm and it consists of one of more connected lines or ridges.
 (fosterfreeman.com, 2010)

The science of identification using fingerprints is known to stand out among all the other forms of forensic science that are in use for a number of reasons. First is that it has served practically all the governments in the world for the past one century through provision of accurate criminal identifications. Over this period of time, at no time have there been two identical fingerprints.
 (Gaensslen, 2007)

Other than this, the science of fingerprints is responsible for establishment of the first forensic professional organization in 1915 and the first professional certification program in the field of forensic science in 1977. It is also the most commonly used method of providing forensic evidence in the world and it is also expanding as the premier method of person identification.
 (Gaensslen, 2007)

Having considered the importance of fingerprints, in the world today, it can therefore be said that the most basic step in the use of fingerprints and perhaps the most critical step is collecting or rather acquiring fingerprint image. The reason is that the methods that are used in collecting this image are the ones which will determine the quality of the final image of the fingerprint. Incase this was being captured for a fingerprint authentication system this may have a very serious effect on the overall performance of the system. It is therefore necessary to use a good device in collecting or rather acquiring this image.
 (Jones, 2000)

In the market today, there are a number of different devices that are used for fingerprint acquisition. The main idea or rather the basic principle in all these machines and which is known to determine the difference in performance among them is their ability to measure in whatever way the physical difference between these valleys and ridges in a fingerprint. It is under this basic principle that fingerprints collection devices can be classified under two broad categories which are optical fingerprint readers and solid state fingerprint readers.
 (Jones, 2000)

The procedure that is used in capturing fingerprints through the use of a sensor involves touching or rolling the finger onto a sensing area. This sensing area is the one that captures the difference that exists between ridges and valleys on a finger. This is according to the physical principle which is in use such as thermal, capacitive, optical or acoustic. The elastic skin is known to deform when a finger rolls or touches any service. The direction and quantity of the pressure that is applied the user, the projection of irregular three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional flat plane which creates distortion, the condition of skin, inconsistencies and noise in the fingerprint image that is captured are some of the problems that are encountered which are known to distort the final image that is produced.
(Gaensslen, 2007)

In addition, it happens that the effects of these problems on the same fingerprint are different and at the same time uncontrollable. This means that if the same finger is place on the capture machine, it produces a different image every time it is placed. This reduces the chances of fingerprints matching and hence limits the use of this important and crucial biometric technology.

These problems had been in existence for quite some time but finally there was a solution that was aimed at overcoming them and this is the use of a non-contact three-dimensional fingerprint scanner. This type of scanner is known to provide a digital-analogue image to this cumbersome and erroneous process of rolling or pressing the finger. This is done through controlling the distance that exists between the finger and the scanner which is known to have a resolution of up to 5001000 PPI.
 (Gaensslen, 2007)

After fingerprint examination, they are classified under four major categories based on the general ridge and valley formation. This classification was done way before the process was computerized and it was done manually. This classification or examination was done based on the presence or absence of circular patterns on fingers and this would help in retrieving records based on these patterns. These three classifications are arch, loop and Whorl. However, arch can also be subdivided to come up with tented arch.
 (Jones, 2000)

Other than these, there are a number of commonly used and very popular classification system but the most common are the Juan Vucetich, system, Roscher System and the Henry Classification System. The Henry system is the one that is commonly used and it consist of Loop which has 60-70 percent of all fingerprints, Whorl which has 25-35 percent of all fingerprints and Arch which has 5 percent of all fingerprints.
(Gaensslen, 2007)

In conclusion, in this new generation of computer technology, there are more classifications where examination and comparison is now done by computers. It has turned out to be more accurate and the use of fingerprints is known to bring to service drug dealers and other forms of criminal activities in the world.