Author(s): Surender Pratap Singh

Abstract: The paper is intended to share the intricacies of the Daubert Ruling with young identification personnel and suggest ways to protect and maintain the 'gold standard' grade associated with the reliability of friction ridge evidence. The oldest known document where fingerprint was used, dates back from the third century B.C. in China. But in the modern era, Dr. Francis Galton, through his study and publication of the book (Finger Prints) in 1892, established the twin principle of uniqueness and persistency of fingerprints, and their utility in individualization. The importance of fingerprints, can be gauged from the fact that the IAFI System (IAFIS) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USA processes about 63000 FP receipts per day. But after the US Supreme Court’s Ruling of 1993, in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharma. case, critics got an exceptional opportunity to malign the legitimacy of fingerprint evidence. Later on, erroneous identifications in a few high-stakes cases fueled doubts about the reliability of fingermarks. Besides, no consensus on standards of comparison has been an issue which generally leads to a debate - why some countries follow the ‘numeric approach’, while others, the ‘non-numeric approach.’ The question makes sense to everyone who doesn't understand the friction ridge features. Nonetheless, in the International Symposium on FP Detection and Identification held in Ne'urim, Israel, in June 1995, the participants reached a consensus and resolved that - no scientific basis exists for requiring a pre-determined number of friction ridge features in two impressions in order to establish positive identification. Perhaps reaffirming the recommendations of the 1973 IAI Standardization Committee. The SWGFAST also adopted a similar position on the issue in 2003. Undoubtedly, there are differences in standards of comparison, but the consensus of the world fingerprint fraternity on inimitability & permanency features of friction ridge skin, is a common thread, which keeps them united against the critics of fingerprints.

DOI: 10.22271/27899497.2025.v5.i1a.119

Pages: 43-50 | Views: 61 | Downloads: 41

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