U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Latent Fingerprint Development on a Cement Matrix

NCJ Number
148899
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1994) Pages: 1-4
Author(s)
R G R Munroe
Date Published
1994
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In the case of a woman killed in 1990 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, latent fingerprint development attempted on porous media was not successful; instead, a Cyanoacrylate-fixed Sudan Black procedure proved to be more effective.
Abstract
The preference for using the Cyanoacrylate-fixed Sudan Black procedure was based on latent development quality, high contrast, and print longevity. The degree of absorption into the Sudan Black matrix was much less than other techniques, and the Sudan Black solution contained a certain degree of particulate matter that appeared to adhere to latent fingerprints and enhance development. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Forensic Identification Support Section verified and suggested enhancements to preliminary results with the Cyanoacrylate-fixed Sudan Black procedure. For example, applying a fine water spray on the treated surface caused latent fingerprints to become visible against the dampened background because of different permeability levels between the Cyanoacrylate-treated latent and the cement matrix. A case study of the Sudan Black procedure is included. 2 photographs