Correspondence
| Published date | 01 July 1938 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X3801100313 |
| Date | 01 July 1938 |
| Subject Matter | Correspondence |
Bathurst,
Gambia,
March 30th, 1938.
CORRESPONDENCE
To the Editor
of
THE
POLICE JOURNAL.
SIR,
I was surprised to read an article in a recent Sunday newspaper
concerning afinger-print case at the Croydon Quarter Sessions, which
was dismissed when the accused demonstrated a system of transferring
afinger-print.
For
the purpose of the demonstration the finger of an attendant
warder was first impressed upon a pad of some plastic substance and
the resultant impression transferred to a mirror.
The
demonstrator then claimed that as the warder had not touched
the mirror, it was possible that the same method could, and was sus-
pected to have been used, by some other person to incriminate him.
If
the method adopted by the demonstrator was accurately reported,
Icannot see how the case was allowed to be dismissed as it is obvious
that the impression would have been in reverse.
Should such a method, or defence, be again adopted, I would like
to make a few suggestions that would easily make such evidence
worthless.
Agenuine print of the finger previously transferred should have
been impressed in the orthodox manner, side by side with the transferred
print, so that the reversed print could have easily been seen by the court.
This
would have been a simple matter, as without doubt the selection of
amirror was for no other reason
than
to show up the print to a high
degree, hence the second demonstration would be equally in favour of
the prosecution.
The
enlargements already in court should then be compared with
these marks, and the court informed that all finger-prints are read in
negative form, and as the transferred mark was a positive,
it
would not
only be impossible to present a case against the accused,
but
that an
identical print could not be found were those of the whole population
of the world compared.
It
may be thought that an explanation such as this would enable
criminals to further a system of transfer which would escape detection,
but
can that be
done?
It
is known that all things that can be photo-
graphed can be reproduced,
but
this does not make a system worthless.
Why do we continue to use Bank notes, when they have been forged
380
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