How Do You Fingerprint In Forensic Science?
Fingerprinting a subject is a basic skill for law enforcement officers and forensic specialists. A person training to work in law enforcement should practice fingerprinting before he attempts it on a real subject. Fingerprinting may be tricky; you need to cover the finger with just the right amount of ink or the impression may be too faint or too smudged. You’ll also need to practice evenly rolling the finger on the fingerprint card. Don’t feel discouraged if the impressions appear smudged on your first attempt. With practice, you’ll get the hang of it. Check the fingers. They need to be dry and clean. If perspiration is a problem, wipe the fingers with an alcohol swab and dry them. If the fingers have rough surfaces (which can occur with manual labor occupations), wipe a lotion on them, then wipe the lotion off. This should soften the rough patches. Place the ink and the fingerprint card on a flat surface. The FBI recommends that the surface be high enough so that the subject’s forear
