Development of Next-Generation Fingermark Lifters and On-the-Spot Visualization Devices, Australia and United States, 2017-2021 (ICPSR 38316)

Version Date: Feb 13, 2023 View help for published

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Oliver Hofstetter, Northern Illinois University

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38316.v1

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Fingermark identification remains one of the most important and unambiguous approaches to place perpetrators at crime scenes. While a great number of forensic techniques for the visualization of latent marks already exist, they all suffer from one or more shortcomings such as: limited applicability with regard to the age of a mark or the nature of the surface it was deposited on ("substrate"); the requirement of expensive laboratory equipment and special training; and the potential to alter or even destroy evidence, or at least leave a visible record of their application.

The goal of this project was to develop and validate novel fingermark lifters, which allow instantaneous, on-the-spot visualization of marks. The underlying detection principle used with these lifters is based on the reaction of either pH-sensitive or amine-reactive substances - immobilized on suitable solid supports such as membranes - with chemicals contained in fingermark residues (e.g., lactic acid, amino acids, proteins, and amino sugars). The exposure of appropriate reagents to such an environment causes a change in their spectroscopic properties, which can be seen, depending on the type of reagent, either under ambient or luminescent light conditions.

Hofstetter, Oliver. Development of Next-Generation Fingermark Lifters and On-the-Spot Visualization Devices, Australia and United States, 2017-2021. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2023-02-13. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38316.v1

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United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2017-DN-BX-0167)

None.

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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2017 -- 2021
2017 -- 2021
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The purpose of this study was to develop and validate novel fingermark lifters, which allow instantaneous, on-the-spot visualization of marks.

The design of this study includes research experiments to develop and validate novel fingermark lifters, which allow instantaneous, on-the-spot visualization of marks. The underlying detection principle used with these lifters is based on the reaction of either pH-sensitive or amine-reactive substances - immobilized on suitable solid supports such as membranes - with chemicals contained in fingermark residues (e.g., lactic acid, amino acids, proteins, and amino sugars).

The study design also includes comparative and pseudo-operational studies that were performed to investigate the effect of factors such as the age of fingermarks, the pressure with which they are deposited, and depletion series on the quality of lifted marks. Furthermore, it was assessed as to whether sequencing is possible, i.e., if the membrane lifters can be combined with subsequently applied fingerprint methods, such as powder dusting and cyanoacrylate fuming, or DNA-detection techniques.

Fingermark Lifters

Object

This study contains variables comparing and validating novel fingermark lifters and also the results of investigating the effect of multiple factors during the process of fingermark lifting.

Not Applicable.

None.

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2023-02-13

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Notes

  • These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.