The Value of Fingerprint Evidence in Detecting Crime
| Date | 01 March 2009 |
| DOI | 10.1350/ijps.2009.11.1.111 |
| Published date | 01 March 2009 |
| Author | John W. Bond |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The value of fingerprint evidence in
detecting crime
John W. Bond
Scientific Support Unit, Northamptonshire Police, Wootton Hall, Northampton NN4 0JQ,
UK. Tel: 08453 700700 (ext. 2200); email: john.bond@northants.police.uk
Received 20 November 2007; accepted 9 May 2008
Keywords: fingerprints, crime detection, crime scene investigation, crime
scene examiners
John W. Bond is Head of Forensic Science for
Crime Scene Examiner recovering the finger-
Northamptonshire Police. His research interests
prints and whether DNA material from the
centre on the use of forensic science to enhance
crime scene was also identified were found not to
the detection of crime, principally through the
be significant. Consideration is given to where
analysis of forensic data and the development of
further emphasis is needed by the UK police
new techniques for the enhancement of finger-
service to maximise the opportunities to detect
prints. He has research affiliations with a number
volume crime with fingerprints.
of UK universities and is an Honorary Fellow of
the University of Leicester.
INTRODUCTION
Despite recent advances in the use of DNA
to detect crime, fingerprints continue to
ABSTRACT
play an integral part in the investigation of a
Fingerprints are collected routinely from crime
wide range of criminal offences from vol-
scenes for a wide range of offences and their timely
ume crime, such as burglary and vehicle
identification is now seen as key to their success
crime, to serious and major crime. In the
in the investigation and detection of crime. In this
UK, evidence from fingerprint identifica-
study, a logistical regression analysis of fingerprint
tions detects1 one-and-a-half times more
identifications for the volume crime offences of
residential burglary offences than DNA
residential burglary, commercial burglary and
identifications and over twice as many theft
theft of motor vehicle in Northamptonshire, UK
of motor vehicle offences (Police Standards
over a three-year period has revealed a number of
Unit, 2005).
predictors, other than timeliness, that influence
In the UK, fingerprints recovered from a
greatly whether fingerprint identifications result
crime scene2 are searched against finger-
in the detection of crime. The results indicate that
prints of known offenders and, if a match
a number of these predictors are of statistical
(known as a fingerprint identification) is
significance and may be just as relevant in
made, then that information is passed to
determining whether a fingerprint identification
investigating police officers. This usually
successfully detects the crime as the timeliness of
leads to the arrest of the individual (who
the fingerprint identification. The most significant
would be considered a suspect for the
predictor was found to be investigating police
crime) and a police interview follows in
International Journal of Police
Science and Management,
officer accreditation, with fingerprint location and
which the suspect is expected to account
Vol. 11 No. 1, 2009, pp. 77–84.
DOI: 10.1350/ijps.2009.11.1.111
mobility also being relevant. Accreditation of the
for how his or her fingerprints came to be
Page 77
The value of fingerprint evidence in detecting crime
at the crime scene. If the police do not
representatives prior to interviews may
accept the explanation offered or if the
afford suspects sufficient information
suspect confesses to the crime, then the
with which to formulate spurious expla-
suspect will be charged with the offence
nations for the presence of marks . . . and
and that fingerprint identification counted
thus avoid prosecution.
towards the detection of the crime.
To date, discussions on maximising the
In this paper, we consider a number of
opportunities to link offenders to crime
predictors that might influence whether a
scenes through fingerprint identifications
successful outcome (ie a crime detection)
have focused on the timely processing of
can be accomplished when timely finger-
fingerprints. The reviews Under the Micro-
print evidence (ie a fingerprint identifica-
scope (Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constab-
tion) is presented to investigating police
ulary, 2000) and Under the Microscope,
officers. A similar study has been under-
Refocused (Her Majesty’s Inspector of Con-
taken recently in respect of timely DNA
stabulary, 2002) concluded that fingerprints
evidence (Bond, 2007).
were likely to remain a substantial source of
identification evidence for the foreseeable
future, and the review recommendations of
FINGERPRINT SOURCE DATA
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary
For this analysis, we have taken data for
(2002) highlighted the importance of time-
Northamptonshire, UK for the three-year
liness in the processing of fingerprints:
period from January 2004 to December
2006 and have considered the offences of
Timeliness is a matter of concern and
residential burglary, commercial burglary
there are significant delays in most of the
(from a shop, office, etc) and theft of a
forces assessed in commencing an invest-
motor vehicle. These three offence types
igation following receipt of an identifica-
were chosen for a number of reasons, as
tion. (p. viii)
they:
This view was echoed by Morgan,
●
Ponikiewski, and Dunstan (2004) who
offer potential to examine a large num-
examined the processing of fingerprint
ber of crime scenes for fingerprint
evidence in five UK Fingerprint Bureaux
material;
●
following the introduction of a national
are key offences for most police forces
automated fingerprint storage and searching
and also the UK Home Office (Home
system.3 Morgan et al. found that bureaux
Office, 2004);
●
were able...
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