Criminal Justice (As Taught By A Criminal) - Period 3 - Monday 01/28

[mouthy-merc.livejournal.com]

At the front of the class today was a table. The table was pretty ordinary and probably folded down and really wasn't the focus.

What was on table was the important thing.

Like squirrel hair brushes-- (Shh, don't let the squirrels know what they're made of!) --talcum powder, cocoa power and cellophane tape.

"Today we're going to fine out just how not easy it is to dust for prints. Seriously? They're so very easy to screw up and not everything leaves a print. There needs to be enough oil on your hands for them to be left, they can be smudged, on the wrong surface, botched up while dusting... The list goes on and on. So don't let them darn TV shows fool you with the ease of which they recover those fingerprints at the last minute to put the bad guy in jail."

He nodded seriously.

"They lie."

He passed out the all important handouts.

1
Step One
Identify the surface area that you want to dust for fingerprints. Fingers are coated with perspiration and oil. When fingers touch any relatively smooth surface, the friction releases the oil from between the ridges and a print is left.
2
Step Two
Pour a small amount of powder on a piece of paper. Use a powder whose color contrasts with the surface color. You can try a white powder talcum powder on a dark surface and a black powder cocoa powder on a light surface.
3
Step Three
Shake the brush so the bristles spread apart.
4
Step Four
Dip the tip of the brush in the powder, and then gently tap the brush's handle to remove excess powder.
5
Step Five
Run the brush's bristles lightly over the powdered surface in short and quick strokes.
6
Step Six
Unroll the cellophane tape and gently press it on top of the print.
7
Step Seven
Pull the tape away from the print in one quick and fluid motion, and apply the tape with the print attached to a piece of paper.

"Now you all have fun with these and please don't try to frame any classmates for crimes they didn't commit so they have to blame a one armed student."

Comments

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"...on the desk, I guess", he suggested, glancing down at it."

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana nodded and checked the sheet. "So... white or brown powder do you think?"

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"White", he said, poking at the desk. "Could go either way, but it's sort of dark, right?"

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana nodded. "Sound good to me. So... why are you taking this class?" she asked as she carefully spread some white powder on the desk.

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Sounded interesting", he said casually. "And you never know when you're gonna need it. You?"

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana shrugged. "I'm hoping to go into forensic science. Still waiting to hear if I got into my first choice school."

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Sounds nice. I'm... not much of a college guy."

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana nodded. "I don't... exactly have anything to go home to - no family - so... it makes sense for me."

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"You're going after a scholarship, then?" he asked.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Hoping desperately for one," she admitted. "I... my former guardian will loan me the money if I don't get enough, but I hate to owe him any more than I already do."

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it's not good to be in debt", Michael agreed. "Good luck, then."

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana smiled at him. "Thanks. I've got my fingers crossed. University of New Haven does rolling admissions, so I could actually hear at any time. Or I might not hear till May."

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"That sucks. They could at least do it so there's always the same wait from when you applied."

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Ah," Lana said with a smile. "But if they decide early, I could know as soon as the end of this week!"

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"...there is that", he said with a grin.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

She looked down at the figerprints she'd carefully dusted. "Do you want to try transfering them with the tape?" she asked.

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Sure."

He tore off a piece of tape, pressing it to one of the fingerprints as delicately as he could.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Looks good," Lana said, holding out the piece of paper for him to transfer the tape to.

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Thanks."

He completed the work with only minimal smudging.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"And success!" Lana said with a smile.

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"That's always nice."

And... unaccustomed.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Looks like you have a talent for this," Lana said with a smile.

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He offered a crooked grin in return.

"Gotta have one for something."

Because cooking didn't count, apparently.

Re: Dust for prints!

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"So I've been told," Lana said with a grin. "I don't like to think about what I seem best at."

Re: Dust for prints!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Forensic science?" he suggested jokingly.