Fingerprints Essay

Fingerprints come in three main patterns. The first is a loop pattern. In a Loop pattern, the ridges will flow in one side, re-curve, (loop around) touch or pass through an imaginary line drawn from the delta to the core, and exit the pattern on the same side from which it entered. A loop pattern has only one delta. The delta is the point on a ridge at or in front of and nearest the center of the divergence of the type lines. The delta area is located as a triangular area where the ridges radiate outward in three directions. There are two types of loop patterns: ulnar loop and radial loop. Loop patterns account for 70% of all fingerprints. The second type of fingerprint is a whorl pattern. A whorl pattern consists of a series of almost concentric circles. A whorl pattern has two deltas. There are four types of whorl patterns: Plain whorl, Central Pocket Loop whorl, Double Loop whorl and Accidental whorl. Whorl patterns account for 25% of fingerprints. The third is an arch pattern. In an arch pattern, ridges flow in one side and flow out the opposite side. There are no deltas in an arch pattern. There are two types of arch patterns: Plain arch and tented arch. Arch pattern account for 5% of all fingerprints.
Fingerprints are unique to each individual person. Fingerprints begin forming during the 12th week of gestation, and itself will remain permanent for the life of the individual until the body decomposes after death. No two fingerprints have ever been found to be alike. No two fingerprints on the same hand have ever been found to be alike. Over 100 years of empirical testing and research has supported the uniqueness and permanence of fingerprint arrangements. Modern DNA technology can not differentiate between identical twins. However each of the twenty fingerprints between those twins will be unique. Each fingerprint contains ridge