End user commentary on mass spectrometry methods for the recovery of forensic intelligence from fingermarks

Abstract

The application of advanced analytical techniques to the examination of fingermarks has generated much recent media interest because of the wealth of information that can potentially be obtained from such forensic traces. As one of the few types of trace evidence that can be used to identify an individual, fingermarks remain an important tool in the investigation of crime, and still account for appreciably more criminal identifications worldwide than DNA. Because fingermarks have been used for more than 100 years, it may be thought that there are few advances that can be made in the field. However, the potential to go beyond the use of fingermarks for identification and to add contextual information to an investigation is why advanced analytical techniques have become of such interest.