Forensic Terms

Trace Evidence

Material deposited at a crime scene that can only be detected through a deliberate processing procedure. An individual enteringany environment will deposit traces of his or her presence, and this material can be used as evidence. Common sources of traceevidence are hairs and fibers.

Toxicology

The study of poisons and drugs and their effect on human and animal populations.

Super Glue Fuming

Techniques used to develop latent fingerprints on non-porous surfaces. A chemical in the glue reacts with and adheres to the finger oils, and then expose latent prints.

Sublimation

A physical change from a solid directly into a gaseous state.

Spectrograph

A technology that measures how a given object responds to frequencies within the light spectrum. Objects can be identified and their properties visually clarified by use of this technology.

Serum

The liquid that separates from the blood when a clot is formed.

Serology

A technology dealing with the properties and actions of serums in blood; also known as “blood analysis.” This was the preferred method of typing blood before the advent of DNA.

Secretor

An individual who secrets his or her blood-type antigen(s) in bodily fluids. Before DNA technology, blood type from bodily fluids other than blood could only be obtained from secretors, who make up about 80 percent of the population.

Ridge Characteristics

Ridge endings, bifurcations, enclosures, and other ridge details, which must match in two fingerprints for their common origin to be established.

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