ABSTRACT

The classification of prints of fingers, palms, and soles is very simply the process of putting them into groupings, the members of which all have some recognizable overall similarity. The most common type of file is that based on a classification derived from the class characteristics of all of the 10 fingers of individuals. Classification schemes designed for the orderly filing of palm and sole prints exist primarily for the same reason as the classification systems for single fingerprints-the identification of those responsible for crimes. Classifications systems rely on a limited number of descriptors. Each defined class of fingerprint pattern, commonly called a pattern type, contains patterns that can vary considerably in general appearance. The plain arch pattern is the simplest and, perhaps, the least distinctive pattern. The tented arch pattern is, in its simplest form, only slightly more complex than the plain arch.