Police Functions: Forensic Science and Fingerprinting Essay

Introduction

The history of the role of police strongly indicates that as societies increased in diversity and complexity, policing systems based on self policing and individual responsibility deteriorated. Generally the public has gradually abdicated its role in peacekeeping and law enforcement and increasingly expected the police to take on these responsibilities which were once a citizen’s civic duty. There has also been increasing pressure on police to intervene in civil matters. The emerging role of police in the 1990s is one characterized by expansion and change.

Nonetheless, while there has been an expansion of the police role, the activities of police forces are still discussed in terms of three major categories, namely; Crime control, Order Maintenance and Wide Range of Services. (Griffiths & Jones, 1994, pp.70-71). Even though the police perform an increasingly wide range of functions, it is crime control which remains uppermost in the perceptions of the police role in the minds of both the police and the public. (Role of the police, 1997).

Role of Forensic Science

The evolution of law enforcement has benefited greatly from the many extraordinary advances in the field of forensic science- the application of scientific processes to solve legal problems most notably within the context of the criminal justice system. Be it the long established use of fingerprint analysis, the examination of tool or bullet marking, chemical analysis or the most recent, extraordinary advances that have been made in DNA technology, forensic science has been and continues to be one of the most valued and productive resources available to law enforcement and indeed to the justice system as a whole. (Fantino, 2007).

As a thumb rule investigators should immediately any and all types of physical evidences. In every criminal investigation process, interviewing and interrogation are the most important means to obtain needed information about a crime. (Swanson., Chamelin., & Torrito, 2002)

Fingerprinting – Background

An early account of the use of forensic science can be tracked back to the second century BCE; however in the United States, the first systematic and official use of fingerprint for personal identification was adopted by the New York City Civil service Commission in 1901. The method was used for classification of civil service applications. In 1924, the fingerprint records of the Bureau of Investigation and Leavenworth Prison were merged to form the nucleus of the identification record of the new Federal Bureau of Investigation. Presently, the FBI has the largest collection of fingerprints in the world. (Salter).

The validity of forensic fingerprint evidence has recently been challenged by academics, judges and media. While fingerprint identification was an improvement over earlier anthropometric system, the subjective nature of matching, along with the relatively high error rate of matches when compared to DNA, has made this forensic practice controversial.

Fingerprinting – an Emerging Technology

Over the past few years, as the society has grown, the crime rate has also increased. Politicians, law enforcement personnel, criminal justice experts, and numerous other people have not only tried to explain the cause for this increase but also have tried to find ways to combat this problem. One way that experts have begun to combat this problem is through automated fingerprint identification technology. Fingerprints as an analogy of uniqueness has been widely scientifically accepted. Fingerprint identification effects far more positive identifications of persons worldwide daily than any other human identification procedure. Fingerprint identification is based on three key principles:

1. Fingerprint is an individual characteristic.
2. Fingerprints remain unchanged during an individual’s lifetime.
3. Fingerprints have general ridge patterns that permit them to be systematically classified.

In forensic work the use of fingerprints is important for several reasons. First, prints have a wide variation since no two people have identical prints. Second, there is high degree of consistency. A person’s fingerprints may change in scale but not in relative appearance.

There are three main groups of fingerprints

1. Plastic fingerprints- These occur when the finger touches or presses against a plastic material in such a way that a negative impression of the friction ridge is produced. These types of prints are generally found in places like a newly painted object, wax from candles or sealants, in the gum on envelope and stamps, on substances that melt easily or soften when they are held in the hand. An example of this would be chocolate.
2. Prints which are contaminated with foreign matter usually containing dust- These prints occur when fingers are pressed in a thin layer of dust and some dust sticks on the friction ridge. When the finger touches something else, a print is identifiable. Plastic prints and prints that are impacted on an object are easily detected as they are visible through the naked eye.
3. Latent fingerprints- These result from the small amount of grease, sweat and dirt being deposited on the object touched from every detail in the friction ridge pattern at the tip of the finger. Latent prints are developed using a variety of methods. One is the dusting of powder over the prints. Another method is using iodine since this discolors the print. Lasers may also be used to detect latent prints.

Conclusion

As with other areas of the law enforcement mandate, the expectation that forensic science contributes to the integrity of the entire justice system in critical, relevant ways puts more and more pressure on scientists, laboratories and law enforcement professionals. The process of connecting the forensic science dots to achieve simply the absolute best results possible for the police and for law enforcement in a way that embraces science has a unique opportunity for growth with no ultimate ending, serving in the best interest for the greater good. The way of the future is continued, sustained progress in the development and application of innovations in forensic science and technology, which represents a valuable asset for the law enforcement profession in the fight against crime and terrorism.

Reference

Swanson, Charles R., Neil C, Chamelin., & Leonard, Torrito. (2002).Criminal Investigation, Mc Graw Hill Online learning Center. Web.

Role of the Police: The Role of Police, (1997). John Howard Society of Alberta. Web.

Fantino, Julian. (2007). Forensic Science: A Fundamental Perspective, The Police Chief. Vol.74. No.11. Web.

Salter, Debbie. Fingerprinting- an Emerging Technology, New Mexico State University. Web.

Griffiths & Jones, Verdun. (1994). pp.70-71.