Paper Topic:

Sir Francis Galton

SIR FRANCIS GALTON

And

THE SCIENCE OF FINGERPRINTS

A fingerprint is probably one of the most vital clues an investigator can hope to find in a crime scene . Anyone who has read a detective novel or has watched an episode of the popular television show CSI can attest to that . Since every set of fingerprints is individually unique , it is a reliable proof of identification . It is the case that the introduction of fingerprint identification (individualization ) has been pivotal in the field of forensic science . The availability of programs that can

br store fingerprint data , together with technologies that allow for friction ridge recognition and reconstruction has led to law enforcement agencies being able to more accurately and efficiently identify possible suspects in a crime

Although fingerprint identification is a basic practice among forensic scientists and law enforcers , not everyone is aware of the historical development of the said method . This essay aims to examine the contribution of Sir Francis Galton in developing the use of fingerprints as a form of identification in forensics

The study of fingerprints began in the early 1600s , however it was not until the late 1800s that the practical uses of fingerprints became evident . In 1870 , British surgeon Dr . Henry Faulds recognized the importance of fingerprints while working with samples of prehistoric pottery . Faulds theorized that these marks could be used to indentify one person from another . After a year of studying fingerprints on pottery , Faulds forwarded his samples to the famous naturalist Charles Darwin to seek assistance in his design for recording inked impressions however Darwin declined and instead recommended that Faulds seek the services of Sir Francis Galton

It may be noted that Galton , aside from his works in fingerprints as a crime-detection method he also made significant contributions in different areas of the natural sciences . He is recognized as the father of eugenics and one of the best innovators of the Victorian era . Despite his vast number of studies , we shall only be mentioning here , the ones that aided Galton in developing his work on Fingerprint analysis as a tool of individuation /identification

The work of Faulds stirred up the interest of Galton who was already working on various methods in acquiring the different measurements of Human being . The knowledge he gained from analyzing the similarities and differences in twins ultimately helped him in the study of finger marks His study of minutiae in prints ' refers to the individual markings of ridges on the finger , which are unique to even identical twins and can positively identify one individual from another . He was able to illustrate that the general pattern of fingerprints on twins were often similar

In furthering his study on the fingerprints of identical twins , Galton was able to discover that the arrangements of these ridges were not replicated in any two fingers , not even in twins . He noticed that the points of a fingerprint are not continuous across the fingertips in unbroken lines . According to Galton , ridges or points of fingerprints...

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