ABSTRACT

The most common types of scenes are residential scenes, commercial scenes, and vehicle scenes. Vehicles can be used as a weapon in a hit-and-run, transport for criminals, transport for contraband, or the target of theft. Fingerprints on the exterior of a vehicle are insufficient to prove an individual was either the driver or passenger in that vehicle. Most surfaces inside a vehicle are textured or frequently handled and are thus poor surfaces for recovering fingerprints. The most successful areas for fingerprint recovery are windows, doorframes, rearview mirrors, and personal items inside a vehicle.