Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Name _______________________

Who Did It?

Now that you have learned about fingerprints, the police have asked for your help in identifying the person who stole the exams from my desk. The police have narrowed the search down to two people. The have provided the following information:

· fingerprint of suspect A
· fingerprint of suspect B
· fingerprint of the victim (your teacher)
· crime scene fingerprint A
· crime scene fingerprint B

All fingerprints are of the pointer finger. Answer the following questions based on the fingerprints provided.

1. What type of fingerprint pattern does suspect A have?

2. What type of fingerprint pattern does suspect B have?

3. What type of fingerprint pattern does the victim, your teacher, have?

4. Are the fingerprints from the crime scene the same or different?

5. Which suspect is the perpetrator suspect A or suspect B? Why?

6. Does the fingerprint from the perpetrator match the fingerprints of anyone from your group? Who?

7. If you were called into court as an expert witness on fingerprinting, how would you convince the jury that the person you identified is in fact the perpetrator?