Forensics Journal - Stevenson University 2012 | Page 53

FORENSICS JOURNAL

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN #1

MEDIUMS FOR DEPOSITION

The processing method consisted of an initial experimental design,
followed by two additional smaller-scaled designs. Design #1
included: 12 test groups (A-L); group contained three bottles, i.e.,
one bottle with deposited fingerprints for each donor; not packaged, controlled; packaged, controlled; not packaged, uncontrolled;
packaged uncontrolled; time scale (8-21 days); and print grooming
medium (hand lotion).

Owing to the large quantity of prints being deposited, a variety of
techniques were used to maintain consistency among deposits. All of
the experimental setups involved “grooming prints” by various means
thus ensuring the print quality remained consistent at the time of
their initial deposit. “Grooming prints” refers to the preparation of
the donor’s fingerprints prior to the prints’ being deposited. Donor
prints were groomed using three different mediums: hand lotion,
Evident® Ridge Builder, and natural sebaceous residue.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN #2

PACKAGING

A second experimental design was created in order to introduce differential data. Differences between design #2 and design #1 include:
fewer test groups (6 instead of 12); elimination of packaged, controlled and unpackaged, uncontrolled groups; abbreviated time scale
(4-12 days); and print grooming medium (ridge builder and sebaceous residue instead of hand lotion).

Bottle packaging procedures conformed with the Maryland State
Police Forensic Services Division, Crime Scene Unit Standard Operating Procedures4 and the Maryland State Police – Forensic Services
Division, Guidelines for Submitting Physical Evidence5 manuals.
Paper bags used were the same as those used by the Maryland State
Police for actual evidence collection. According to Maryland State
Police Crime Scene Unit Supervisor, Kris Amspacker, these bags
are purchased in bulk from various paper product manufacturers.
The only requirement for the paper bags is that they be “clean and
unused” (Amspacker).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN #3
A third experimental design was developed to further test the effects
of paper-packaging material on latent prints. Differences between
design #3 and design #2 included: fewer test groups (4 instead of
6); abbreviated time scale (4-8 days); and print grooming medium
(sebaceous residue).

CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
In order to examine the effects of the latent prints when placed in a
controlled environment, 18 bottles, nine packaged (Groups B, F, and
J) and nine unpackaged (Groups A, E, and I) were left undisturbed
at the laboratory. The nine packaged bottles were placed into one box
and set on a shelf in the storage room until processed. The unpackaged bottles were placed into three boxes (three bottles per box), and
set on a shelf in the storage room until processed. The boxes were not
sealed or closed. Aside from the movement of the items into the boxes
and onto the shelf, the evidence remained unmoved or undisturbed
until removed from the shelf for processing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
MATERIALS
• Fifty (66) ten-ounce Sauce Bottles – Specialty Bottle Company.
• Paper bags
• Evidence Tape
• Evident® Conventional Black Fingerprint Powder
• Sirchie® Fiberglass Filament Fingerprint Brush
• Bath and Body Works “Sweet Pea” Hand Lotion
• Evident® Ridge Builder

UNCONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
Eighteen bottles were subjected to the same uncontrolled environment. This included placement in the trunk of a vehicle, movement
from one location to another, and transportation