NCJ Number
196833
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 52 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 2002 Pages: 573-578
Date Published
September 2002
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This research investigated latent fingerprint visualization by the vacuum metal deposition (VMD) method on ferromagnetic-coated and styrofoam surfaces.
Abstract
Almost all of the tickets used in Japan's railway system are of a ferromagnetic-coated material. The sample tickets used for this research ranged in age from 1-5 years. The polyethylene film used in the experiment was a low-density type. Fingerprints were deposited by pressing the fingers with light pressure onto the film. Foam styrol packing material used in this experiment was obtained from the researchers' laboratory. An Edwards Identicoat Model 750 coating chamber and the necessary supply of metals (small quantities of pure gold and zinc) were purchased, and the exhibits were subjected to the VMD process. The detection of latent fingerprints on a ferromagnetic-coated surface was difficult when the traditional cyanoacrylate fuming method was used; however, the VMD method produced fingerprints that were clear to the naked eye for all the tickets. In addition, the VMD method produced visible prints on tickets known to be 4 years old. Foam styrol is often used for illicit drug packaging in Japan, thus making it a common material for fingerprint processing. By any common latent-fingerprint detection method, fingerprints are impossible to detect on this surface because the material is sensitive to organic solvents. Because the VMD method used no solvents, it produced clearly observable latent fingerprints. VMD also produced clear fingerprints left on the reverse surface of low-density polyethylene film. 3 figures