Fingerprint Evidence: How to Spot Forged and Fabricated Fingerprints

Fingerprint evidence is essential in forensic science. It’s used to identify individuals, verify identities, and solve crimes. However, forgeries and fabrications can mislead investigations, making it critical for forensic investigators and fingerprint analysts to distinguish real from fake prints. The first documented fingerprint forgery occurred in 1903 in Punjab, India, and since then, over 40 cases of fraudulent latent prints have been recorded. Yet, many cases likely go undetected. Understanding forged and fabricated fingerprint evidence is essential for examiners in order to uphold justice and avoid wrongful convictions.

What Is a Forged Fingerprint?

A forged fingerprint is a fake impression placed on an object the individual hasn’t touched. Criminals often use templates or molds of friction ridge skin. The goal is to falsely implicate someone in a crime. Forged prints might use various techniques, each with unique traits:

• Stamping: This technique engraves an inked fingerprint into rubber or wood, creating a mirror image.
• Molding and Casting: Here, the actual fingerprint is pressed into clay or putty, creating an inverted copy.
• Etching: Acid engraves the fingerprint onto metal, often copper.
• Lifting and Redeposition: Prints are lifted from one object and deposited on another, which leaves telltale manipulation marks.

Detecting Forged Fingerprints

Fingerprint Evidence Examiners can often spot forgeries through distortion indicators:

• Unusual Shape and Size: Real fingerprints match natural handling angles and pressure points. Forgeries may not.
• Ridge Gaps: Missing sections or variations in clarity may indicate forgery.
• Strange Smears: Uneven smears suggest manipulation.
• Halo Effects: Background noise around the print may indicate artificial placement.

The latent print examiner must be vigilant, as technology has advanced with 3D printing making forgery even easier. Studies show that 3D-printed fingerprints have bypassed certain biometric security systems at an 80% success rate.

What Is a Fabricated Fingerprint?

Fabricated fingerprints occur when an impression is intentionally mislabeled to suggest it came from a specific surface. Often, dishonest investigators use this tactic to mislead an investigation. Unlike forgery, fabrication doesn’t change the print itself; it alters the documentation.

Fabrication Techniques

Some of the most common methods include:

1. Misleading Documentation: This mislabels a print as coming from one object instead of the correct source.
2. Lift Tape Transplants: Prints are taken from one surface, placed onto another, and documented falsely.
3. Exemplar Lifts: Examiners may manipulate prints from known exemplars, falsely documenting them as crime scene evidence.

Spotting Fabricated Prints

Fabrication indicators include:

• Unexpected Background Noise: Paper fibers on a print labeled as glass-originated may suggest fabrication.
• Material Variation: Different lift tapes or powders than typically used by the investigator.
• Inconsistent Writing and Ink: Differences in handwriting and ink color on lift cards are potential red flags.

Why It Matters

Forensic experts, particularly latent print examiners, must have the skill to recognize forged and fabricated prints. Failing to spot fake prints can lead to wrongful convictions. To stay current, forensic professionals should receive regular training on advanced forgery techniques, from 3D printing to chemical etching. With the increasing accessibility of technology, fingerprint forgeries may become more common. As a result, fingerprint analysis standards must evolve accordingly.

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between forged and fabricated fingerprints is essential. Training forensic experts to detect fraudulent fingerprint evidence ensures ethical practices and the integrity of forensic investigations. As technology progresses, latent fingerprint examiners must remain vigilant. Research and education on forgeries and fabrications are critical to preventing these fraudulent practices in real cases.

Sources

1. Iowa I.A.I. – Latent Fingerprint Fabrication
2. Scholarly Commons – Finger-Prints Can Be Forged
3. Forum CLPEX – Survey-Test Recognition of Fabricated Latent Prints
4. SpringerOpen – Novel C stain-based chemical method for differentiating real and fraudulent latent prints
5. Forum CLPEX – Evidence Fabrication

by Kourosh Nikoui | Nov 20, 2024 | Fingerprints

Forensic Practitioner and Specialist Kourosh Nikoui, Principal Consultant and CEO of Nikoui & Associates, Forensic Identification Services & Consulting, Inc., has over 38 years of full-time experience in forensic science and criminal justice with various law enforcement agencies, government and private entities. Mr. Nikoui, a court-qualified expert, is a Certified Latent Print Examiner, Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst, and Certified Forensic Photographer by the International Association for Identification. He has testified as an expert witness over 150 times in California Superior and U.S. Federal Courts, processed evidence in over 30,000 criminal and civilian cases, and served as a consultant to numerous law enforcement agencies. Mr. Nikoui holds a BFA degree from USD and is an active member of multiple forensic science organizations. He can be reached directly by calling (866)439-6753 or by email at [email protected]. Please visit Mr. Nikoui’s website at www.nikouiandassociates.com