The History of Fingerprints
Fingerprints are the one thing that is unique on every single human being. Even twins, though they share the same DNA, have different fingerprints. Fingerprints offer an infallible means of personal identification that can make any case a "slam dunk." Though they've been used for several hundred years, its only been around one hundred that law enforcement has used them to identify criminals. Since then, law enforcement officials have a much easier time identifying a suspect beyond a reasonable doubt. It has been discovered that fingerprints were even used in ancient times. In Babylon, they used fingerprint impressions on clay tablets for business transactions, and in ancient China they have found clay seals with thumb prints on them. In Persia, in the 14th century, a government official, who was also a doctor, noted that no two fingerprints were ever the same.
He was perhaps the first person to notice and name the patterns of fingerprints, and today those patterns are called whorls, loops, and arches. Another remarkable step in fingerprinting was made by Dr. professor who studied the skin, kidneys, and liver at the University of Bologna, whose name was Malpighia, noticed different patterns in fingerprints. Following that, the Navy and Marine Corp began using them. Scotland Yard began using them in 1901, New York State Prison in 1903, Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in 1904, and in 1905 they were being used by the Army and the Bureau of Criminal Identification in Washington, DC was created to provide records of fingerprints. By 1924, Congress established the FBI division of identification and all fingerprint records were consolidated there. Today, the FBI uses AFIS, the automated fingerprint identification system. He came up with a system of identification and published three works about them. As he collection of prints grew, he discovered their individuality and he realized they could be used to prove or disprove identity. He discovered their uses and made a method of classifying them. It allows police to run a fingerprint through the computer and find a match anywhere in the country if that person had a print in the system. He is also the person who gave the patterns the same names we use today. One of the greatest steps for fingerprinting, was in 1856 when Sir William Herschel began requiring finger or palm prints on contracts.
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