Fingerprints and human identification 83Victim Identification (DVI) team has responded to more than 225 disasters
since its inception in 1940, identifying over half of the recovered remains the
team has examined through fingerprint analysis.6.3 Fingerprint FundamentalsThe term fingerprint is used to describe a reproduction of the friction ridge
arrangement present on the tips of the fingers when an impression is depos-
ited on a touched surface (Figure 6.1). This arrangement of the friction ridge
skin is permanent due to the underlying structure of the skin and unique
because of complex physiological events, both genetic and environmental,
that occur during fetal development. Friction ridge skin is present on the
palmar and plantar surfaces of the hands and feet. As such, impressions from
the fingers and palms of the hands as well as the toes and soles of the feet can
all be used for personal identification purposes.
The friction ridge skin found on the hands and feet differs from the rela-
tively smooth skin that covers the rest of the human body. This corrugated
skin, consisting of raised ridges and recessed furrows, assists individuals
with grasping objects and gaining traction. Friction skin is composed of
two main layers, an outer layer called the epidermis and an inner layer ca lled
the dermis. The epidermis has five different cell layers, whereas the dermis
is one large layer consisting mainly of connective tissue and blood vessels.
The epidermal ridges are supported by double rows of papillae pegs on the
dermis, which can play an instrumental role in the recovery of fingerprints
from deteriorating bodies.
A B- R. Index
Figure 6.1 Friction ridge skin on the end joint of a finger (a) and its corresponding
reproduction, called a fingerprint (B).