ABSTRACT
Throughout the twentieth century, fingerprints have become widely used in the identification of individuals. This is particularly so in forensic investigation and the compilation of criminal records. When a crime is committed, there is much in the way of physical evidence that may be left at the scene by the offender. For nearly 100 years, through the application of powders, the impression of an individual’s fingerprint has proven an easily collected example of this physical evidence. In recent years, many improvements have been made in the methods of visualising fingerprint impressions with the use of chemical reagents and a variety of high intensity light sources, such as lasers and other available alternatives.
