Fingerprints have been used as a form of identification since ancient times.These personal identification marks were found on seals, business transactions, and official government papers.But how did the fingerprint get to the status that it has today?

In 1686 a professor at the University of Bologna, Marcello Malpighi, noticed that there were patterns in his fingerprints.A layer of skin was even named after Malpighi, one that is 1.8 mm thick.This layer helps mold the fingerprint into what can be seen.The English did not begin using fingerprints as a form of any sort of identification until 1858.Sir William Herschel made it required to put prints of the right index and middle fingers on every contract.This was by accident; Herschel based this on superstitious beliefs rather than scientific reasoning.But as he gathered more and more information he started to realize that each and every single fingerprint was different.

The Bertillon system came about in 1870 and was a system that measured and recorded the dimensions of certain bony parts of the body.This system was a great hit until a man was wrongfully accused in 1903.Will West had the Bertillon measurements that fit the desired ones, but there was already a man with the same measurements in prison with the name of William West.These men were twins, but with a fingerprint test, it was proven which brother committed the crime.

The United States first used fingerprinting in 1882 when Gilbert Thompson prevented forgery by putting his fingerprints on documents.Sir Francis Galton published the first classification of fingerprints in 1892.Scientifically he proved that fingerprints do not change as a person age, and that no two fingerprints are identical.According to his calculations the chance of identical fingerprints is 1 in 64 billion.Slowly fingerprints were used in determining more important matters.In 1892 two brothers were murdered and their mother’s throat was cut.A bloody print was found on a doorpost proving that the murderer was the boy’s mother.She cut her own throat to blame it on another.

In 1903 the New York State Prison started the first systematic use of fingerprints for criminals.The 12-point system is used today to make a positive match on two fingerprints.This means 12 points are taken on the collected specimen, and seen if they match up with 12 points from the possible suspect.Although there is no law that states this number be required, it is most often used.Whereas appearance on a person can change (hair can be died and cut, plastic surgery can occur, accidents can alter the appearance), fingerprints are the only sure fire thing that will never change on a human being.Even if the skin on the finger is cut or burned, the ridge structure remains the same, and the pattern will emerge on the new skin that grows.

The technique of fingerprinting is known as dactyloscopy.This process includes cleansing the fingers in benzene or ether, drying them completely, and then rolling the balls of each over a glass surface that has ink on it.The coated finger is then rolled onto a card with a specific technique that allows the print to be gray, but leaving spaces in between the papillae ridges.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation uses fingerprints in many ways.One is at crime scenes where a gray or black powder is brushed over surfaces until a good print is found.These prints have been left by the sweat or natural oil the body secretes, since no criminal would willingly leave a nice fingerprint on a card at the front door.These images are then recorded by photograph or lifted up with a piece of tape.The FBI keeps records of criminal and civil fingerprint files.The FBI hopes to someday get rid of the fingerprint cards, and keep them all computerized.This will hopefully allow them to use them in the event of unknown casualties’ identification.

The identification and classification of fingerprints goes further than simply the twelve-point system.As fingerprints were studied it was noticed that there are eight basic patterns that most fingerprints can fall under.

One must look at the different types of fingerprints to find out how each one can be categorized.Some fingerprints have loops, others whorls, and some arches.There are many different variants when looking at fingerprints. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also uses this system of eight overall patterns in conjunction with the twelve-point system.The eight patterns that the FBI uses are called: radial loops, lunar loop, double loop, central pocket loop, plain arch, tented arch, plain whorl, and accidental (Britannica.com). These different titles explain what is observed within that certain fingerprint.For exact examples pictures of these different fingerprint patterns can be found throughout the paper.The more common categories are loop, double loop, central pocket loop, plain whorl, plain arch, and tented arch.The FBI’s radial loop and lunar loop are used to describe different kinds of loops. The accidental includes combinations of two different groups. One example can be seen just below.
 

This picture shows a pattern that has an arch with a loop and scar.The FBI categorizes this type of pattern as an accidental.

Noticing basic similarities between pattern types is very helpful in offering a better understanding of fingerprints.Although the Galton-Henry system had many variants, the most basic observation shows that there is only one main variable- the twist of the lines.Fingerprints are basically horizontal lines running across our fingers that are "twisted".For example the arch pattern has a very little "twist", the loop has more "twist", then the double loop, and then the double loop with central pocket, then finally the whorl is a complete "twist" resulting in a whorl.Of course more variables must be considered when looking at a tented arch or accidental, but the main variable is still just the twisting of horizontal lines. Knowing which types of patterns are most common is also helpful in the study of fingerprints.According to Britannica.com, "loops constitute about 65 percent of the total fingerprint patterns; whorls make up about 30 percent, and plain and tented arches together account for the other 5 percent."

Left-leaning Loop	Tented Arch	Plain Arch	Double Loop	Double Loop With  Central Pocket

It can be noticed that the patterns found in the human fingerprint looks quite similar to the patterns that are found on fish. The two patterns contain many of the same types of dislocations and disclinations. In the first fish example found at http://www.fishlinkcentral.com, you can see that the pattern of whorls on the fish and how it looks a lot like the whorl fingerprint.You can notice that in both examples they have a complete circle in the center and then as the patterns continue the whorls get larger and begin to contain defects and dislocations.
 

The fingerprint is the one part of a human being that is absolutely unique to each and every person.These patterns that are made up of many different whorls, arches and loops are a way to find the absolute truth of a person’s identity and prove to be an interesting phenomenon to study.The scientific history of the fingerprint alone is quite interesting.Another interesting aspect is that many patterns that are similar to fingerprints can be found on the skin of many tropical fish.Exactly what or how these two are related is not clearly known.It is not even completely known how fingerprints are reproduced by the body no matter the injury or burn.The one thing that is understood is that the fingerprint is a unique, interesting, and still quite mysterious phenomenon of nature.