Fingerprint Identification Textbook?

[RL Tavernaro]

I teach two college-level introductory fingerprint related courses, & my textbook is becoming dated. I am looking for recommendations for an up-to-date textbook, including information on SWGFAST, and current technology & latent print processing techniques.

The first course covers obtaining both inked & live-scan tenprints, as well as 'major case prints'; Henry classification basics, AFIS, both scientific and legal history of fingerprint identification, and introduces fingerprint comparisons & identification.

The second course expands on the first term course, adding latent print processing & forensic photography, comparison & identificagtion of latent prints to known exemplars, presentation of fingerprint evidence in court, rules of evidence, court exhibits (identification charts, etc.), qualifications for an expert witness, and a moot court.

Any comments/suggestions/recommendations will be much appreciated.
Regards, RLT

[areitnau]

RLT,

What about using the newly published Fingerprint Sourcebook? I have read through many parts of it and it seems like a good source.

Andrew

[RL Tavernaro]

Thank you for your reply, 'areitnau'. Probably should have thought about that myself.

Would have been a bonus to find an actual textbook that had already been through validation study, & perhaps with additional resources (workbook, powerpoint, etc). Will have to investigate status of the Fingerprint Sourcebook.

Any other suggestions from anyone?

Regards, RLT

[elmoree]

Hi RLT,

William Leo, an experienced fingerprint examiner out of California published a fingerprint textbook. Here is the link to his site: http://www.fingerprintidentification.net/id1.html
I believe this book has most of the topics you are looking for. You can contact the publisher and they may give you a teaching copy if you give them all the relevent information about your school.

I hope this helps!

Erinn

[Bill]

Have you considered putting together your own textbook together in a form of a notebook? I have had courses in the past in which the instructor(s) decided prior to the onset of the course, what they wanted the students to know, or what knowledge they wanted the students to walk away with.

For example: At the end of the first class period, you hand out articles, outlines, graphics, or whatever, with reading/writing assignments due the second class period. As the instructor who has expert knowledge of the topic, I am sure you have an idea what you would like to have them know and also have an idea what order or sequence you want them to learn the required material. By the end of the semester, the students would have a reasonable knowledge and understanding of fingerprints that would meet your expectations.

The downside is that you would be spending a lot of time deciding what was priority as well as standing in front of the copying machine copying material that is not in elctronic format.

Just a thought . . . . I will be curious as to what you decide to use.

Bill