ABSTRACT
A €ngermark constitutes one of the most powerful traces that can be exploited as evidence of identity of source, since it constitutes a partial representation of the ridge skin pattern of an individual’s €nger. Three kinds of €ngermarks may be found during an investigation (being at a crime scene or on a related item): visible, plastic, and latent (invisible). The €rst two kinds are directly visible to the investigators and require only a camera and optical skills to record them. The last kind is the most common form encountered and corresponds to invisible marks, which require the application of detection techniques to allow their visualization. Their detection constitutes a major and continuous challenge for forensic scientists and investigators. As a consequence, numerous ef€cient techniques have been developed over several years to detect latent €ngermarks on various substrates [3,4]. The books by Champod et al. and by Lee and Gaensslen offer two thorough and complete summaries about €ngerprints, the composition of the secretion residue, and the existing €ngermark detection techniques [2,5]. It should also be noted that most of the techniques able to detect €ngermarks are also suitable to detect marks that emerge from the contact of a surface with other parts of the body presenting papillary ridges (e.g., palms and foot).
