Final answer:
Fingerprints are unique patterns used to identify individuals, crucial in forensic science for biometric identification, and have been used since the development of DNA fingerprinting in 1985.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fingerprints are used for the unique identification of individuals. This practice has a significant history, where Sir Alec Jeffries pioneered DNA fingerprinting technology in 1985. Since fingerprints form during fetal development and do not change throughout one's life, they serve as a reliable means for identification. The ridges forming a person's fingerprints are influenced by genetic and environmental factors during the development inside the womb, resulting in patterns unique to each person.
In forensics, fingerprint analysis has become an essential tool. It involves extracting DNA from body fluids or tissues, amplifying the DNA using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and analyzing the DNA sequence by techniques like Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. This results in a 'DNA fingerprint' that forensic scientists use to match DNA from a crime scene with that of suspects or victims. This biometric identification method is crucial for criminal investigations, paternity tests, and verifying identities in a range of legal and personal matters.