ABSTRACT
140There are several factors that need to be studied before earprints canbe considered to be one of the forensic tools in personal identification.Earprints that are discovered from the scene can be compared and matchedwith the earprints of suspect. An earprint is a two-dimensional reproduc-tion ofthe parts of the external ear that touch or make contact with differentsurfaces and produce print. It is typically found in the burglary case or atthe time of entering or breaking house or shop. Apart from it, earprints canbe used at least for the purpose of elimination. In order to obtain a goodprint for comparison in investigations, the enhancement methods shouldhave been established before this evidence is applied in investigation. Inthis study, five subjects were asked to provide their earprints by severaldifferent procedures and conditions to see which one is suitable to developthe earprint best. The results showed the influence of pressure distor-tion, sampling condition, and also grooming techniques toward earprints.Features that frequently appeared in earprints are helix, anti-helix, tragus,and anti-tragus.
