Fingerprint Processing and DNA Analysis

For this reason, any sweat or skin cells within the prints will probably have enough cellular matter which can be analyzed to produce a DNA profile. However, when developing the prints, the reagent used may significantly affect DNA profile typing. For this reason, the process of fingerprint examination will compromise that of DNA typing. Such reagents may affect the ability to obtain PCR-based DNA as a single reagent or as multiple reagents. Generally, most of the reagents used in fingerprint processing result in loss of DNA from the bloody prints but DNA typing can be completed even with low yields of DNA(Bowen, et al. This increases the chances of obtaining more DNA considering there is the minimal amount obtained from the processed bloody print.

Generally, being certain that DNA is lost during fingerprint processing, therefore to obtain both a fingerprint and a DNA profile we have to select the processing technique with fewest steps/reagents (Bowen, et al. Discuss the hazards of Touch DNA contamination when processing a scene for latent prints Meakin & Jamieson (2013) define Touch DNA basically as the evidence without visible staining mostly containing some epithelial cells’ DNA transferred to an object by skin contact. Simply by touching an object, one can leave enough skin cells on it. Research states that forensic investigators requires at least 5-6 epithelial cells to obtain a DNA profile of the DNA left on an object. Additionally, touch DNA will not tell when or how DNA was deposited hence cannot tell apart the contaminant DNA hence it may remain misleading.