Fingerprint Sourcebook - Chapter 10: Documentation of Friction Ridge Impressions: From the Scene to the Conclusion

• NCJ Number: 225330
• Author(s): Alice V. Maceo
• Date Published: 2010
• Length: 20 pages
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Guideline

Annotation

This chapter from the Fingerprint Sourcebook examines the process used for documenting friction ridge impressions.

Abstract

Documentation in any area of science is intended to provide transparency of information. This chapter from the Fingerprint Sourcebook discusses the process of documentation necessary for friction ridge impressions. Section 10.1 examines the differences in documentation required for analytical and experimental laboratories. In forensic laboratories, the type of documentation used depends on the point from which the evidence enters the chain of custody: primary custody, secondary custody, and tertiary custody. Sections 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4 discuss the process of documentation that should be followed for dealing with evidence entered into the chain of custody through these three ways: Primary Custody Documentation, Secondary Custody Documentation, and Tertiary Custody Documentation, respectively. Figures and references