ABSTRACT
Latent print and tenprint comparisons are conducted in order to determine whether two prints may have originated from the same source. There are three possible conclusions to a fingerprint comparison: an exclusion, identification, or inconclusive. Conclusions are based on a preponderance of qualitative and quantitative data. Three levels of detail are used to describe the features of fingerprints: level one, level two, and level three. Level one detail describes the ridge flow of the print; level two detail refers to minutiae; and third level detail refers to the shapes and positions of pores along the friction ridges and the friction ridge topography. ACE-V is a standardized methodology fingerprint examiners use to analyze, compare, evaluate, and verify fingerprints during the comparison process. Blind verification is recommended to limit the influence of cognitive biases in the peer review stage of ACE-V.
