Latent lip print development and its role in suspect identification

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Biometrics

Background:

• Latent lip prints are unique identifiers.
• Developing and analyzing latent lip prints is crucial for forensic investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop latent lip prints on glass surfaces using black fingerprint powder.
• To compare developed latent lip prints with standard lipstick prints.
• To determine the effectiveness of this latent lip print development technique for personal identification.

Main Methods:

• 100 subjects (50 males, 50 females, aged 17-38) participated.
• Latent lip prints were developed on glass by pressing lips, then visualized with black fingerprint powder.
• Prints were transferred to bond sheets and compared with standard lipstick prints from the same subjects.

Main Results:

• 29 out of 100 latent prints showed complete lip patterns.
• Matching percentages with self lipstick prints ranged from 25% to 100% for good prints and 8% to 92% for random prints.
• Quadrant-wise matching ranged from 52.67% to 57.67%, with statistically significant differences between males and females.

Conclusions:

• Latent lip prints developed using black fingerprint powder are useful for personal identification.
• The technique demonstrates potential in forensic applications.
• Further research may refine the method for enhanced accuracy.