DACTYLOSCOPY

Q and A

Presented by
DR. MARIO C. ROSETE
Member of the National Reviewers in the Philippines, Accreditor, Forensic Specialist, Organizer &
Trainer of International & National Forensic Training-Workshop
“Most people pass examinations
NOT just because of ABILITY and
INTELLIGENCE but because of
DESIRE, DIRECTION, DEDICATION
and DISCIPLINE”
- M.C.Rosete
1. What do you call that impression, designed by
the ridges on the inside of the end joint of the
fingers and thumb on any smooth surface
through the media of an ink, sweat or any
reagents capable of producing visibility?
A. Fingerprint
B. Dactyloscopy
C. Personal Identification
D. Fingerprint Identification
2. These are the tiny elevations on the skin and
hill like structures found on the epidermis
layer of the skin containing sweat pores.
A. Fingerprint
B. Minutiae
C. Ridges
D. Pores
3. What do you call the tip of each of the
fingers that contains the tiny elevated skin
that forms the ridges?
A. Bulb
B. End joint phalange
C. Tip of the finger
D. All of the above
4. What statement below is true about
fingerprints?
A. Fingerprints of twins can be identical
B. Fingerprints of couple can be identical
C. Fingerprints of persons can be similar
D. Siamese twins’ fingerprints are always similar

Remember: Fingerprints can only be SIMILAR

but never IDENTICAL in all points.
5. The principle of fingerprints that states
“fingerprints of a person are unchanging or
constant from birth until the decomposition
of the body of the person” is _____.
A. Principle of Permanency
B. Principle of Individuality
C. Principle of Infallibility
D. Principle of Multiplicity
6. The principle in the study of fingerprints that
explains “there are no two fingerprints that are
exactly alike is _____.
A. Principle of Permanency
B. Principle of Individuality
C. Principle of Multiplicity
D. Principle of Infallibility

Who said “There are no two fingerprints which are

exactly alike?”
J.C.A. MAYER
7. Is a long-host like structure that serves
as the passage way for the sweat?
A. Sweat pore
B. Sweat duct
C. Sweat glands
D. Ridge surface
8. What do you call the outer layer of the
epidermis layer of skin?
A. Dermis
B. Epidermis
C. Stratum corneum
D. Stratum mucosum
9. It refers to the innermost layer of skin that
contains blood vessels, connective tissue,
nerves and fat lobules.
A. Dermis Layer
B. Stratum corneum
C. Stratum mucosum
D. Subcutaneous layer
10. How about the outer covering of skin?
A. Dermis
B. Epidermis
C. Stratum corneum
D. Stratum mucosum
SUMMARY:
Outer layer = epidermis
Inner layer = Dermis
Innermost layer = Hypodermis
11. He is an American criminal who attempted
to erase his fingerprints and attracted
national attention for a series of crimes he
committed in the Midwestern United States
over a period of 13 months in 1933 and 1934
is _____.
A. Roberts James Pitts
B. Edmond Locard
C. John Dillinger
D. Witkowsji
12. He is known as the “Man without
Fingerprints” as a result of operation
conducted by a physician.
A. Roberts James Pitts
B. Edmond Locard
C. John Dillinger
D. Witkowsji
13. It refers to the practical application of
fingerprints (the making of identifications by
fingerprints comparison and classification)
A. Fingerprints
B. Dactyloscopy
C. Dactylography
D. Dactylomancy
14. What is the study of fingerprints for the
purpose of interpreting one’s personality?
A. Fingerprints
B. Dactyloscopy
C. Dactylography
D. Dactylomancy
15. It also refers to the scientific study and
analysis of fingerprints concerning the ridges
and its characteristics as a means of
identification.
A. Fingerprints
B. Dactyloscopy
C. Dactylography
D. Dactylomancy
16. The science of palm print identification is
called _____.
A. Poroscopy
B. Chiroscopy
C. Podoscopy
D. Dermatyglyphics
17. The science of footprints identification is
_____.
A. Poroscopy
B. Chiroscopy
C. Podoscopy
D. Dermatyglyphics
18. It is the science which deals with the study
of the pores found on the papillary or friction
ridge of the skin for the purpose of
identification.
A. Poroscopy
B. Chiroscopy
C. Podoscopy
D. Dermatyglyphics
19. The following are early means of identifying
people, except _____.
A. Tattooing
B. Branding
C. Mutilating
D. Fingerprinting
21. In the primitive time in Mexico, part of
tradition is to put the palm print of the
corpse on a formed mud or clay on their
tombs. This is a practice of what tribe?
A. Mexicanos
B. Christians
C. Chinese
D. Aztecs
22. The Grandfather of fingerprints is _____.
A. Johannes Evangelist Purkinje
B. Edward Richard Henry
C. Alphonse Bertillon
D. Marcello Malpighi
23. The father of personal identification is
_____.
A. Johannes Evangelist Purkinje
B. Edward Richard Henry
C. Alphonse Bertillon
D. Marcello Malpighi
24. How about the father of dactyloscopy?
A. Johannes Evangelist Purkinje
B. Edward Richard Henry
C. Alphonse Bertillon
D. Marcello Malpighi
25. He is considered the “father of modern
fingerprint science.”
A. Johannes Evangelist Purkinje
B. Edward Richard Henry
C. Alphonse Bertillon
D. Marcello Malpighi
26. The Origin of Fingerprints is to William
James Herschel as to Edward Richard Henry is
to _____.
A. Classification and Uses of Fingerprint
B. Anatomia Humanis Corporis
C. The Fingerprint Instructor
D. The Fingerprints
27. He installed a fingerprint system at Jewish
Maternity Hospital (JMH) in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, USA. The said hospital
identifies the infants born through
fingerprinting them in order to avoid mix-up
with other infants.
A. James Parke
B. Harry J. Myers
C. Juan Vucetich
D. Henry P. De Forest
28. He was the person who strongly stated that
there are no two fingerprints which are
exactly the same.
A. JCA Mayer
B. Edmond Locard
C. Juan E. Vuccetich
D. Edward Richard Henry
29. What law created the Division of
Investigation (now the NBI)?
A. Commonwealth Act No. 181
B. Executive Order No. 94
C. Republic Act No. 409
D. Republic Act No. 157
29. What law that established the Criminal
Records and Identification Division (CRID) of
the Manila Police Department?
A. Commonwealth Act No. 181
B. Executive Order No. 94
C. Republic Act No. 409
D. Republic Act No. 157
31. According to history, who is the first woman
fingerprint technician?
A. Flaviano C. Guererro
B. Isabela Bernales
C. Thomas Dugan
D. Garry Jones
32. How about the first male fingerprint
technician?
A. Flaviano C. Guererro
B. Isabela Bernales
C. Geneso Reyes
D. Garry Jones
33. The first government recognized school to
teach the Science of Fingerprint and other
Police Sciences in the Philippines is _____.
A. Plaridel Educational Institution
B. Philippine College of Criminology
C. Manila Law College
D. PCCr-MLC
34. are the two outermost ridges which start
parallel, diverge, and surround or tend to
surround the pattern area.
A. Delta
B. Typelines
C. Recurving ridge
D. Diverging ridge
35. The point on the first ridge formation found
at or directly in front of and nearest the
center of the divergence of the type lines
A. Delta
B. Core
C. Focal points
D. Bifurcation
36. Generally, how many deltas a central
pocket loop have?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. It depends
37. If one of the four requisites of loop is
absent, the pattern is considered _____.
A. Tented arch
B. Plain arch
C. Radial Loop
D. Ulnar Loop
38. Are two ridges flowing side by side and
suddenly separating, one ridge going one
way and the other ridge going another way.
A. Recurving ridges
B. Diverging ridges
C. Traversing ridges
D. Bifurcating ridges
39. a single ridge which splits into two ridges,
forming a Y shape structure is called _____.
A. Recurving ridge
B. Diverging ridge
C. Traversing ridge
D. Bifurcating ridge
40. A ridge formation whose closed end is
angular and serves as a point of
convergence, usually pointed and abrupt.
A. Diverging ridge
B. Converging ridge
C. Bifurcating ridge
D. Recurving ridge
41. A short ridge that spoils the sufficiency of a
recurve located at the top or summit of a
recurve usually at right angle.
A. Appendage
B. Abutment
C. Staple
D. Some of the above
42. a single recurving ridge in the center of the
pattern area and can also be located along
the looping ridges.
A. Appendage
B. Abutment
C. Staple
D. Some of the above
43. These are thin, usually straight narrow white
lines running transversely, or formed side to side,
across the print, causing the puckering of the
ridges. These are caused mainly by minor surface
damage, work and tear or advance of age.
A. Creases
B. Incipient Ridges
C. Puckering Ridge
D. Dissociated Ridges
44. is a bifurcation which does not remain open
but in the legs of the bifurcation, after running
along side by side for a short distance, come
together to form a single ridge once more.
A. Appendage
B. Enclosure
C. Island/Lake
D. Staple
45. Refers to a ridge that is insufficient in length
other than the fragment.
A. Dot ridge
B. Short ridge
C. Fragment Ridge
D. Dissociated Ridge
46. As to the percentage distribution of the
different fingerprint patterns, how many
percent is the whorl family?
A. 65%
B. 40%
C. 30%
D. 5 %
47. What do you call the fingerprint pattern
where most of the ridges enter on one side of
the pattern and flow to the other side with a
rise at the center?
A. Plain Arch
B. Tented Arch
C. Ulnar Loop
D. Radial Loop
48. If you are the technician and you have
observed that the pattern forms angles inside
it, it is interpreted as _____.
A. Double Loop Whorl
B. Central Pocket Loop Whorl
C. Tented Arch
D. Plain Arch
49. This is the pattern which is nearly a loop
since it only lacks some of the requisites of a
loop pattern.
A. Radial Loop
B. Ulnar Loop
C. Tented Arch
D. Plain Arch
50. If there are three (3) rods or bars inside the
innermost sufficient recurve, where will the
core be placed?
A. At the center rod.
B. At the end of the rod.
C. At the end of the center rod.
D. At the end of the further one of the two
center rod.
51. If there is a series of bifurcations, the delta
is placed _____.
A. At the bifurcation.
B. At the bifurcation nearest to the core.
C. At the ending ridge nearest to the core.
D. At the center of bifurcation nearest to the
core.
52. When there is a choice between a
bifurcation and other types of deltas, where
is the location of the delta?
A. Select the ending point of the bifurcation.
B. Select the nearest delta towards the core.
C. Select the point nearest to the delta.
D. Select the bifurcation as delta.
53. The following are deltas, except:
A. Converging ridge
B. Ending ridge
C. Bifurcation
D. Rod
54. If the innermost sufficient recurve contains
even no. of rods, the core is placed at the
_____.
A. End of the further one of the two center
rods
B. End of the center rod
C. End of the ridge
D. End of the rod
55. You are a technician, you have noticed that
the pattern you are going to establish the
count of ridges is a Whorl Pattern, what will
you do?
A. Ridge count the pattern
B. Ridge trace the pattern
C. Draw an imaginary line and ridge count
D. Draw a line between the core and the delta
56. The basic rule in ridge counting is _____.
A. Do not count impressions of dirts and other
destructive ridges
B. Do not count ridges as a result of dirty
paraphernalia
C. Do not count creases, incipient and other
ridges.
D. Do not include delta and core in ridge counting
57. A criss-crossing or meeting of two ridges is
counted as _____.
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
58. The “arrow up” is indicated after ridge
counting/tracing when _____.
A. Ridges were counted above the right delta
B. Ridges were counted below the right delta
C. Ridges were counted between the core and
delta
D. Ridges were counted within the point of
divergence.
59. Letter “M” that stands for “Meeting” is
used to indicate a whorl pattern having
_____.
A. Two or more ridges
B. Two or less count
C. Two ridge count
D. One ridge count
60. What is the third finger to be inked and
recorded using the standard procedure?
A. Right Middle Finger
B. Left Middle Finger
C. Right Index Finger
D. Left Index Finger
61. What do you call the magnifier which is
otherwise known as ‘ Horse Shoe’?
A. Hand Lens
B. Linen Tester
C. Lomb Magnifier
D. Bausch Magnifier
62. When applying fingerprint ink on the ink slab,
the amount of ink is said to be sufficient when
_____.
A. It turns light brown after examining against
strong light
B. You tested to print, the ridges can be counted
C. It depends on the amount of ink that was used
D. The color is black
63. When a person recorded your fingerprint by
rolling from tip to tip, what fingerprint
impression could me made?
A. Fingerprint
B. Latent Print
C. Plain Impression
D. Rolled Impression
64. Pedro is a suspect of the crime of murder,
what kind of fingerprint card that should be
used?
A. Fingerprint card
B. Civilian fingerprint card
C. Criminal fingerprint card
D. Suspect fingerprint card
65. What is the very first step to do when
recording fingerprints?
A. Clean the materials
B. Fill out the needed data in the fingerprint card
C. Start from the right fingers to the left hand
fingers.
D. Start recording from the right thumb until to
the left little finger
66. What particular material is used to spread
the ink to the ink slab?
A. Fingerprint ink
B. Fingerprint roller
C. Fingerprint slab
D. Fingerprint device
67. If you record the thumb print of a person, it
must be _____.
A. Rolled away from the subject’s body
B. Rolled towards the subject’s body
C. Rolled using rolled impression procedure
D. Rolled properly from tip to tip of the thumb.
68. The following are common errors in
recording fingerprints, except:
A. Lack of ink
B. Too much ink
C. Lack of materials
D. Lack of control over the subject
69. The following are civilian importance of
fingerprints, except:
A. Wills and inheritance claims
B. Identification of suspects
C. Bank transactions
D. Insurance claims
70. Which of the following is to be written in
the box intended for the right thumb if the
said thumb is amputated due to accident?
A. Amp
B. FMB
C. Partially Amputated
D. Finger Missing at Birth
71. When recording the fingerprints with a normally
formed fingers, what should be done?
A. Record the fully formed fingers only, then record the
other finger at the back of the fingerprint card and
make a note.
B. Start recording from the right thumb, then record
the sixth finger at the back of the fingerprint card
and make a note.
C. Record the five fingers, and record also the other
finger at the back of the fingerprint card and make a
note.
D. Do the usual recording procedure.
72. You are a fingerprint technician, you have
encountered split thumb, how are you going to
record said situation?
A. Roll the split thumb into the box intended for.
B. Record the split thumb in the usual procedure in
plain impression.
C. Record the split thumb in the usual procedure in
rolled impression.
D. Just record the fully formed thumb, and record
also the other thumb at the back of the
fingerprint card and make a note.
73. In what situation where application of
lotion and massaging is necessary?
A. Applied when the fingertip is very dry and
finger bones stiff and brittle.
B. Applied when fingers are suffering from
rheumatism.
C. Applied when the fingers are webbed
together.
D. Applied only to suspects with finger
abnormality.
74. The entering on a fingerprint record card of
all known essential data about the subject,
except the fingerprints is called _____.
A. Recording and Filling out
B. Recording
C. Filling out
D. Printing
75. What is the direction when recording
thumbs in a fingerprint card is:
A. To be recorded away from the subject’s
body.
B. To be recorded towards the subject’s body
C. To be recorded in plain impression
D. To be recorded in rolled impression
76. When you are to record the fingerprint of
the subject, generally, where are you going to
stay?
A. Left side
B. Right side
C. Left side of the subject
D. Right side of the subject
77. Which of the following describes the procedure
in recording fingerprints of a dead person:
A. Fingerprint rollers are used to ink the fingers of
the corpse
B. Ink slab is used to ink the fingertips of the dead
person
C. The usual procedure of recording fingerprints
shall be used.
D. Some of the above
78. If the skin of the fingertips are shredding,
what should be done?
A. Prepare 10 small gum labels
B. A quantity of formalin
C. Prepare 10 bottles
D. All of the above
79. Mr. Montemayor committed a crime with his
fingerprints and footprints left in the crime
scene. The footprints and fingerprints left by
him in the crime scene are best described as
_____.
A. Patents
B. Latent prints
C. Latent Fingerprints
D. Plastic prints
80. Miss Mariano has bloody fingers, while
fleeing from the crime scene, she holds on to
the door leaving prints. What are those
classes of latent prints.
A. Invisible prints
B. Patent prints
C. Latent prints
D. Bloody fingerprints
81. Semi-visible prints are usually located
_____.
A. In the door knob or some parts of the
house/ building
B. In a molded or plastic items forming the
impressions
C. Blooded fingerprints at car windows
D. In the crime scene
82. These are the prints which are not seen by
our naked eyes, but when effort is applied to
search those prints, they may be searched
and become visible using fingerprint powder.
A. Semi-visible prints
B. Invisible prints
C. Visible prints
D. Fingerprints
83. A latent print may remain in the crime scene
depending on situations in the crime scene. The
factors that affect the stability of latent prints in
the crime scene are the following, except:
A. Subject factor
B. Climatic condition
C. Raining/ Sunny day
D. Nature of the surface
84. The more similarities of the latent print and
the fingerprint of the suspect, the more that
identification of the suspect may be
established. This is the _____.
A. Law on evidence
B. Law on Galton and Locard
C. Law on fingerprint evidence
D. Law of Multiplicity of evidence
85. For the no. of ridge details for a latent print
to be accepted as evidence, England is 16,
USA is 10 and European countries is 15. This
whole paragraph is _____.
A. True
B. False
C. Partially true
D. Partially false
86. Mr. Bi Gote is a fingerprint expert, he
examined the latent prints but his credibility
was questioned. What are the requirements
that Mr. Bi Gote should posses for him to be
qualified?
A. Education, Background, and training
B. Education, Training, and experience
C. Education, experience and degree
D. Education, background and skills
87. How do you describe a witness?
A. Can perceive and capable of perceiving
B. Can known his perception to others
C. Have organ of sense
D. Some of the above
88. USA: People Vs Jennings:: Philippines:
______.
A. People Vs Mariano
B. People Vs Medina
C. People Vs Medrano
D. People Vs Madina
89. Who is that officer of then PC who
discovered the latent print of the person
involved in the first case where fingerprint
was used as evidence in the Philippines?
A. James C. Rockwell
B. Oiram Tesero
C. Agripine Ruis
D. Agripine Ruiz
90. The following are characteristics which are
easily changed, except:
A. Grade or profession
B. Body ornamentation
C. Clothings
D. Beard
91. The following are identification used for
both living and dead person, except:
A. Race
B. Deformities
C. Occupational mark
D. Left or right handedness
91. The following are identification used for
both living and dead person, except:
A. Race
B. Deformities
C. Occupational mark
D. Left or right handedness
92. February 12, 1932 is related to _____.
A. People Vs Medina
B. People Vs Jennings
C. Discovery of fingerprints in the Philippines
D. None of the above.
93. This is the powder that is little bit adhesive
and most commonly used by law
enforcement agencies in the Philippines.
A. Black and White powder
B. Lycopodium powder
C. Aluminum powder
D. SP Black powder
94. The powder is put on the suspected area, make
object/evidence-slanting position like paper) and roll
lightly, to attach powder in the fingerprint, and of the
paper. Further flip being suspected fingerprint to
make it clearly appeared. This is a method called
_____.
A. Brush on Method
B. Spray Method
C. Rolling Method
D. Transplant Method
95. When stain fingerprint sampling process are
wiped with the fabric absorbing thinning
scientific cleansing agent, then wipe with the
water absorbing fabric, then wipe finally with a
dried fabric.
A. Brush on Method
B. Restoration Method
C. Rolling Method
D. Transplant Method
96. Chemical Fuming is to Yellowish brown as
to Ninhydrin is to _____
A. Red
B. Yellow
C. Purple
D. Violet
97. What is the specific method in developing
latent print when two tracings of the inked and
latent prints are compared by superimposing
one over the other and viewing them with
backlighting?
A. Osborn Grid Method
B. Seymour Trace Method
C. Overlay Method
D. Polygon Method
98. This is also called the pincushion method.
A.  Overlay Method
B. Osborn Grid Method
C. Seymour Trace Method
D. Polygon Method
99. The oldest and surest method of identifying
latent and inked prints in the process of
comparison is called _____.
A. Polygon Method
B. Osborn Grid Method
C. Conventional Method
D. Overlay Method
100. The second step in the classification of
fingerprint is _____
A. Filling out and Recording
B. Blocking out or Preliminary Classification
C. Interpretation of patterns
D. Classification proper
101. It is the most common type of camera
being used by the police in recording the
evidence found in the crime scene due to the
absence of parallax.
A. SLR Camera
B. View Camera
C. Press Camera
D. Twin Lens Reflex Camera
102. This is the result of the summation of all the
numerical values assigned to whorls (plain whorl,
central pocket loop whorl, double loop whorl and
accidental whorl), appearing in a fingerprint chart
(10 fingerprints) which are expressed as
numerators and denominators plus the pre-
established fraction of one over one (1/1).
A. PC
B. SC
C. SSC
D. MC
103. This is derived from the process of ridge
counting the loops or ridge tracing the whorls
appearing on the thumbs of both right and
left hands.
A. PC
B. SC
C. SSC
D. MC
104. What classification system that treats
whorls as loops?
A. FC
B. KC
C. SSC
D. MC
105. It is the exhibition in a numerical figure of
the ridge count of loops and/or ridge trace of
whorls from the two little fingers.
A. FC
B. KC
C. SSC
D. MC
106. What is the PC if all the patterns are
arches?
A. 0/0
B. 1/1
C. 32/32
D. It depends
107. How about if all fingerprint patterns are
loops, what is the PC?
A. 0/0
B. 1/1
C. 32/32
D. It depends
108. If all the patterns in a set of fingerprints
are whorls, what is the PC?
A. 0/0
B. 1/1
C. 32/32
D. It depends
109. If the right thumb is radial loop and the
left thumb is amputated, inorder for you to
classify each thumb, what is the pattern of
the left thumb?
A. Radial Loop
B. Ulnar Loop
C. Whorl
D. Loop
110. If both thumbs are amputated, what
pattern would they be for the purpose of
classification?
A. Plain Whorl
B. Whorl with meeting tracing
C. Amputated
D. Finger Missing at Birth
111. It is the actual placing on file of a
fingerprint record.
A. Filing
B. Searching
C. Referencing
D. Filling out
112. Is the methodological process of finding
the filed and classified set of fingerprints?
A. Filing
B. Searching
C. Referencing
D. Filling out
113. The means of placing of a group of
classified sets into their correct filing order
before beginning to file or search them.
A. Filing
B. Searching
C. Referencing
D. Filling out
114. The pattern must be the same type of pattern, i.e.,
both be arches, both be loops, both be whorls, etc.
A. Likeness of general pattern types
B. Qualitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
C. Quantitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
D. Likeness of location of the friction ridge
characteristics
115. This means, how many matching ridge details
are there in the two impressions?
A. Likeness of general pattern types
B. Qualitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
C. Quantitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
D. Likeness of location of the friction ridge
characteristics
116. What is that element of comparison that seeks: Are
the ridge characteristics like bifurcations, endings, islands
and enclosures the same in both prints? Do the ridge
details of one print match those of the other?
A. Likeness of general pattern types
B. Qualitative likeness of the friction ridge characteristics
C. Quantitative likeness of the friction ridge characteristics
D. Likeness of location of the friction ridge characteristics
117. Are the ridge characteristics in the same relative
positions in both prints; are they the same relative
directions from each other;
A. Likeness of general pattern types
B. Qualitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
C. Quantitative likeness of the friction ridge
characteristics
D. Likeness of location of the friction ridge
characteristics
118. What is the accepted size of photograph in
court as evidence?
A. 3R
B. 5R
C. 6R
D. 8x10
119. What do you mean by the acronym AFIS?
A. Automated Fingerprint Identification System
B. Automatic Fingerprint Identification System
C. A and B
D. All of the above
120. The word “finger” came from the Latin
word _____.
A. Dactyl
B. Dactyle
C. Fingus
D. Skopein
 END
OF
DACTYLOSCOPY
CONGRATULATIONS