Question

Two thieves steal jewelry, and then drop it as they are escaping. The police recover the jewelry, and an officer explains on the evening news that the back of a watch had beautiful fingerprints. The thieves, whose prints are not on file, believe that they can escape prosecution by using acid to remove the epidermis on their fingerpads, erasing their fingerprints. They are wrong because?

Answer 1

The thieves cannot avoid prosecution by removing the epidermis to alter their fingerprints because the patterns are determined by the dermal layer, and skin can regenerate the original pattern. Furthermore, forensic experts can use DNA fingerprinting as an alternative identification method.

Step-by-step explanation:

The thieves are wrong in thinking they can avoid prosecution by using acid to remove the epidermis on their finger pads to erase their fingerprints because the unique patterns of fingerprints are not only in the epidermis but also in the inner dermal layer of the skin. In forensic science, it is known that fingerprint identification is based on the fact that the ridge patterns of fingerprints are determined by the interface between the epidermis and dermis layers, namely the papillary layer. These patterns are formed during fetal development and remain consistent throughout a person's life. Furthermore, even if the epidermis is damaged, the skin can heal in such a way that the original pattern is often regenerated due to the papillae which hold the template for the fingerprint pattern. Besides, forensic specialists have other means of identifying individuals such as DNA fingerprinting, which can be used if fingerprints are not available or have been altered. DNA is unique to each individual and can be extracted from any body fluid, providing a reliable method of identification that does not depend on fingerprints alone.