The study of fingerprints is one of the most salient aspects of criminal investigations and forensic detections.

This is
because fingerprint identification is far too unique, its success rate outperforms even DNA identifications. Many
people

would

associate

fingerprints

searches

with

the

famous

fictional

detective

(and

yes,

forensic

scientist) Sherlock Holmes skulking around in his deerstalkers hat, whipping out a large magnifying glass on the
hunt for fingerprints that would provide him the vital clue to solve the case (The Norwood Builder was Sherlock
Holmes case that involved fingerprints for the first time). Most avid modern TV viewers today would often recall many
episodes of CSI, involving the characters discussing about their fingerprint findings at crime scenes and searching for
a possible match on the AFIS system in their big shiny lab.
But what many people dont realize is that the importance of the fingerprints dated way back to the ancient times.
There were even subtle references alluding to fingerprints in the Quran and the Bible. The ancient Chinese were
among the earliest people to use fingerprints to establish identities in official records. Marcello Malphigi, an
anatomy professor in 1886 Bologna, made notes and described the distinctive patterns that he had noticed on the
fingers, formed by ridges. Later, a physiology professor, Johannes Purkinje, would write a thesis in 1823 about the
nine principle types of fingerprint patterns he had studied, vaguely identifying a classification method. This particular
research went by unnoticed by his peers.
It wasnt until 1877 in India when a British administrative officer, Sir William Herschel, would inadvertently discover
the practical application of fingerprints. He was looking for a way to prevent impersonations and forgeries, and
discovered that the fingerprints greatly helped in the identification of a person. This was done by rubbing the palm of
the hand with ink and stamping the print onto paper. These prints then were used as means of identifications to halt
forgeries. After some careful experimentations and observations, Sir Herschel realized that no two prints are the
same. Each persons prints are distinguishable with high persistence and cannot be altered at all, not even by injuries
or aging. His discovery became a major stepping stone for fingerprint applications in crime science.
Soon more scientific works began to be published on the fingerprint studies. Among the pioneers who would greatly
contribute to the world of forensic science was Francis Galton, who was responsible for introducing the Galtons
Details noted for its importance in calculating the distinctiveness of fingerprint details, and also for sketching out
the basics for fingerprint classification system in 1892. This work would soon be followed up and evolved by Juan
Vucetich, which soon lead to the establishment of the worlds first fingerprint bureau in Argentina. Not long after this
bureau was set up, the very first criminal conviction through the means of fingerprint evidence was achieved in a
murder trial. This bureau is still operating today in South America.
Sir Edward Henry published a critical written work Classifications and Uses of Fingerprints in 1900. His
research further proved its importance when Sir Henry helped solved a murder crime in India, by examining the
blood-stained fingerprints found at the scene of the crime based on the classification system he had devised in his
research work. Sir Henrys system was the very basis for the establishment of Scotland Yards own fingerprint bureau.
Henrys classification system was soon utilized in a criminal prosecution in 1902. Based on the evidence, the
defendant was found guilty for burglary.
Henrys classification rose to prominence again in 1905 when it was used for the first time in a major murder trial in
England. The evidence was, of course, damning. Since then, Henrys classification was widely used by the law
enforcement agencies nationwide.

The application of fingerprint science continues to evolve throughout the years. The study of fingerprints is known
as dactyloscopy. Many more inventions were made to enhance the forensic aspect of fingerprints. Aluminium
powder was introduced as means to process fingerprints at a crime scene. With the evolution of technology, today the
Federal Bureau of Investigations and many other law agencies around the world have been relying on AFIS
(Automated Fingerprint Identification System) for a speedy fingerprint search database, replacing the old card search
system, which was painstakingly slow and would take days.
Fingerprints will always remain as the fundamental of forensic science and crime-solving (which is why the fingerprint
image above is prominently displayed as an emblem for this site). Not even the ever-growing evolution of DNA testing
and identification could agitate the fingerprints prominence. And in its own extraordinary manner, fingerprints
importance in crime science will never fade, very much like how an individual would attempt to remove his prints, only
to have them persistently growing back again. Their presence is tenacious and eternally unique. As mentioned
previously, a pair of twins may share the same genetic code, but not fingerprint patterns.