Page 116 - Bellfort Magazine 2019

In February, the Science depart- Fingers and thumbs were then
ment had a visit from the army rolled in black ink from ink pads
STEM team. All the year 12 Single and printed onto sellotape which
Award Science classes participat- was then placed onto the card to

ed in a forensics challenge day hold everything in place.
lead by Sgt Goodier and Sgt Gore.

Different coloured powders are

used depending on the colour of
the surface that the print needs to
be lifted from and some finger-
prints that are difficult to lift need

to use vaporised superglue to
Pupils were shown the different
show up the print.
patterns that fingerprints come in

(whorls, Loops, Arch and Compo-
Pupils were dressed head to toe in site patterns) and then asked to
white boiler suits with face masks identify which patterns their fin-
to complete their fingerprinting gers contain.

tasks. Each pupil had a forensic
finger printing card to allow them
to take a print of each of their fin-
gers.
These techniques are used every
To introduce the session, pupils
day by forensic scientists all
were shown a video of various
around the world in criminal in-
examples of where fingerprints
vestigations as a means of identifi-
are taken from and the various
cation. Fingerprint identification is
techniques used to lift finger-
a very important tool due to the
prints.
persistence and uniqueness of
each fingerprint.

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