ABSTRACT
Friction ridge identification specialists are purported to have considerable knowledge about the friction skin. This knowledge is considered so great that they are permitted to offer expert opinion in court as to the clarity, uniqueness, and individuality of friction ridge prints. It is not possible to develop such an ability without first having extensive knowledge of the donor medium. The current identification system, which is based on a quantitativequalitative analysis of friction ridge print formations, is only as genuine as the knowledge, experience, and ability of the identification specialist carrying out the comparison.
