FORENSIC TOOLS ECOSYSTEM

Fingerprint powders are fine powders used in dusting for fingerprints. The process of dusting for fingerprints involves various methods intended to get the particles of the powder to adhere to residue left by friction ridge skin. One of the chief duties of crime scene investigators is the recovery of latent fingerprints. Latent fingerprints are those that are retrieved from a scene as opposed to those fingerprints that are taken upon request. Fingerprints are extracted from a surface with application of a fingerprint powder. 

Physical development of fingerprints using powders is just one of a selection of methods used to develop fingerprints. Fingerprints often leave residues of oils in the shape of the friction ridges, but the friction ridge skin itself does not secrete oils, and so some fingerprints will only leave a residue of amino acids and other compounds which the powder does not adhere to well. For this reason, 'dusting' is used as part of an array of techniques to develop fingerprints.

Fingerprint powders as a consumable for law enforcement have various formulations, and the appropriate powder must be used on the appropriate surface. For example, dark coloured powders will show up a fingerprint far better on a light surface.

There are several factors influencing the effectiveness of fingerprint powders.

• Fineness: The powder must be fine enough to show the detail of the fingerprint. Finer powders would be theoretically capable of displaying          greater detail than coarser powders.
• Adhesion: The powder must display the right level of adhesion, so that it will adhere to the residue of the fingerprint (often oils) and not adhere to the rest of the surface where it would obscure the view of the print. 
• Sensitivity: Sensitivity is related to adhesion, and is how well the powder adheres to a surface. 
• Colour: The fingerprint powder must be a suitable colour for the surface in question.
• Flow: It is important that the powder can flow, and does not form into a solid block.

For fingerprint extraction, there are two basic types of dusting powder that can be used:

1. Regular Powder: Regular powder differs from magnetic powders in the respect that magnetic powders contain iron and they adhere to a magnet.    Regular powder can be applied with success on such surfaces as windows, televisions, kitchen counter tops, table tops, painted surfaces, cabinets      and many other surfaces found in residential and commercial settings, and it is quite effective in dustings on apprehended or stolen vehicles on        painted surfaces on the exterior of the vehicle and on glass.
2. Magnetic Powder: Magnetic powders are best applied to shiny surfaces, such as plastic containers. When dusting for fingerprints with magnetic        powder, crime scene investigators must use a magnetic applicator which has a magnet. Magnetic powder is applied with a light hand with                  brushing strokes. Besides being available in the basic colours of black, magnetic powder is also available in fluorescent magnetic powder colours.      These can be used when dealing with problematic background fluorescence.