The Crime Scene Technician should have sufficient technical knowledge of fingerprint pattern interpretation in order better evaluate and compare fingerprints. Where as a fingerprint impression can be considered the complete or entire imprint, the pattern is that portion of the impression in which certain friction ridge details or minutiae are used in the determination and evaluation of the pattern type. By formation and location of these minutiae lend themselves to definition of the three most commonly used focal points in fingerprint identification:
TYPELINES, THE CORE, AND THE DELTA.
-- part contents for card part 7
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TYPELINES ARE THE TWO INNERMOST RIDGES WHICH START PARALLEL, DIVERGE, AND SURROUND THE PATTERN AREA IN FINGERPRINTS.
-- part contents for card part 8
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A DELTA IS THE POINT ON THE FIRST BIFUCATION, ABRUPTLY ENDING RIDGE, MEETING OF TWO RIDGES, DOT, FRAGMENTARY RIDGE OR ANY POINT UPON A RIDGE AT OR NEAREST TO THE CENTER OF DIVERGENCY OF TWO TYPELINES, LOCATED AT OR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR POINT OF DIVERGENCY.