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New Use for an Old Friend

NCJ Number
157534
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 45 Issue: 5 Dated: (September/October 1995) Pages: 498-503
Author(s)
P E Llewellyn Jr; L S Dinkins
Date Published
1995
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Cyanoacrylate (super glue) fuming has been used for some time by crime scene analysts and latent print examiners; the procedure is an excellent and extremely productive processing technique for developing latent prints on nonporous surfaces but is rarely used to develop or enhance footwear impressions on nonporous surfaces.
Abstract
In research involving an actual case where cyanoacrylate fuming was used to enhance a faint, muddy footwear impression on a piece of glass, the glass containing the impression was first placed in a humidity chamber for about 30 minutes at approximately 85 percent humidity. The glass was taken from the humidity chamber and placed in the fuming chamber where it was fumed for about 15 mintues. The impression was then processed with black fingerprint powder and a fiberglass brush. Photographs were taken of the impression before processing, after cyanoacrylate fuming, and after applying powder. Results showed that the impression was enhanced by cyanoacrylate fuming and by applying a contrasting color fingerprint powder. It was determined that cyanoacrylate fuming works on latent prints because fumes adhere to water marks, and latent prints are 98 to 99 percent water. If footwear impressions are composed of dried liquid, cyanoacrylate fuming may be the best method to use for impression development and enhancement. 2 references and 4 figures