| Author | Message | ||
     Renee Luna (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 198.214.211.105 |
I am currently working a case where we are trying to identify a child obtained through the Moses law. The only prints available for comparison are those from the hospital birth and they do not have level II or level III information. I have read two articles where identification has been made in infants under the age of one completely on creases. I am really uncomfortable with this and am currently at the stage of "not ruling out the possibility" that they are the same child. I would love to hear from any others that have faced this. | ||
| mioara ungureanu |
I Represent a group of Romanian forensic. We want to do a reserch on lip print and we want to know what it is known in order not to repet ourselves.we will be verry greateful if you could send us the knowledges you have in thid field my e-mail is mio_ungureanu@yahoo.com.au I'm looking forward to hearing from you | ||
| augustine jeyaseelan |
To Mr. Garry Jones, I'm a postgraduate student in India doing a research project on lip prints. I have the references you have mentioned in your letter to Mr. Robert Knapp. Please let me know if you have any more information regarding the same. I will be very grateful to you. My email ID: augustinejeya@gmail.com. My POstal address is given below: Dr. J. Augustine, C/o Dr. B. V. Agte, 92, Samarth Nagar, Aurangabad-1 Maharashtra, India, PIN-431 001. | ||
| Webmaster |
I concur with Mr. Schultz’s position regarding major flexion creases. Per David R. Ashbaugh (see the article referenced below): Permanent flexion creases are formed intrauterine. Heredity may influence the path followed by major flexion creases and minor finger creases through genetic programming of the volar pads. The path of these creases are therefore class characteristics and are not variable enough to individualize.However, I concur with David R. Ashbaugh’s overall conclusions that other flexion creases are suitable for positive identification: The configuration of the accessory major creases, the short segmented sections of the minor finger creases, other minor creases, and secondary creases are not affected by heredity and form at random, mostly due to the flexing of the palm and the anatomical shape of the part. These creases are unique in the aggregate and may be used to individualize. The clarity of the print and the uniqueness of the flexion crease network present, dictate the area of friction skin required to individualize…Please see Ashbaugh’s full article: “Palmar Flexion Crease Identification”, Journal of Forensic Identification, Vol. 41, No.4, July / August 1991, pages 255-273. Independent research in the UK supports Ashbaugh’s research using flexion creases. As Mr. Jones pointed out, an identification today based solely on flexion creases would certainly entail Daubert/Kumho hearing challenges in the U.S. That said, I would not be surprised to learn that it may have already occurred and gone unchallenged (i.e., guilty plea). | ||
| David C Schultz, CLPE |
Flexion creases are for orientation only, and not to be used without the support of friction ridge identification. | ||
| Gary W. Jones |
Mr. Knapp: Re your question, " Has anyone ever made an identification using creases only, and if so how was the testimony presented in court?" I am not aware of an identification based solely on creases of the finger, palm or foot, which is not to say that there never has been one. However, in my opinion, creases can be taken into account in certain isolated circumstances when used in conjunction with friction ridge detail. For instance, I believe that creases can be used to identify an infant's footprint if used in conjunction with friction ridge detail, ridge flow and ridge structure. This is a dicey area and not everyone will agree with me. This relies heavily on the experience of the examiner. I would occassionally be faced with this when attempting to identify infants at the scene of an airline crash. I repeat though, the creases were never used alone, only in conjunction with ridge detail, ridge flow and ridge structure. If a "latent" identification were to be made based upon creases alone, I believe the examiner would face some serious problems in court. ID by creases alone would more than likely fall outside what is considered normal fingeprint analysis, which is based upon Level I (ridge flow), II (ridge detail) and III (ridge structure)information. I am not an attorney so take this for what it's worth, but I suspect, especially considering Daubert, anyone attempting to present such testimony would have to undergo a voir dire hearing to ascertain their competence to do so and I don't know what they would base it upon. Under Daubert, federal judges are ruled to be "gatekeepers" to keep junk science out of the courtroom. Most state judges would probably use these guidelines in their courts also. But, as I said, I'm not a lawyer. One area that might be of interest to you is lip print comparison and identification, which relies on what are generally considered crease-like striation marks. I have compared and identified lip prints. References to lip prints can be found in the Journal of Forensic Medicine, Vol. 17, No.2, April-June 1970, pp 52-57 and also in an article in Fingerprint Whorld by R. Burns, entitled "A Kiss for the Prosecution," Vol. 7, No 26, October 1981, pg. 29. I have some additional printed information concerning lip prints and if you will furnish me with your address, I will be happy to forward it to you. It's a good question and I'll be very interested in reading other responses. Gary W. Jones Fingerprint Services Summerfield,Florida | ||
| Robert Knapp |
Has anyone ever made an identification using creases only, and if so how was the testimony presented in court? |
