fandomhigh | Criminal Justice (As Taught By A Criminal) - Period 3

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."

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"That's okay, I was paying attention," she assured her. "Where do you want to do this? We need a good surface."

"The door, maybe?" She suggested, "I mean, the desks would work, but I'd bet we'd get more fingerprints from the door."

"Good thinking," Jaina said, making sure to get all the necessary supplies before heading for the door.

Ino followed her over to the door, and looked at it dubiously. "So, we're supposed to put powder on it, right?"

"Mm hm. Some powder on the brush," she said, demonstrating exactly according to the instructions, "and then you dust. Like so."

Copying Jaina's movements, Ino soon was helping to dust. "It seems like a messy way of gathering evidence," she said quietly.

"I'd think it has to work at least some of the time," Jaina said. "But I'd be a lot happier if there was some sort of equipment to do it."

She shook her head, "I wouldn't trust a machine or something," Ino said, "but all the same using powder... what if you were doing it in someone's house, when they weren't home? It'd be hard to hide all the evidence."

Jaina considered this, placing a piece of the tape over a clear powdered print. "I think this is done mainly at crime scenes, when things are already blocked off. I'd be more worried about damaging other evidence with powder spills or something like that."

"Maybe they look for prints last?" Ino suggested, "That might make a bit of sense, then."

"Maybe. It's almost enough to make me think I should actually be watching those shows on the television about this sort of thing," Jaina said.

"Television's pretty low on my list of priorites though," Ino said, "I can think of better ways to spend my time. And," she frowned slightly, "didn't Deadpool-san say not to trust television about this sort of thing?"

She'd thought she'd heard something like that anyway.

"Yeah, but sometimes I think I'm out of the loop," she said, looking at the finished fingerprint on her tape. "Tah dah."

"That looks like a good one," Ino offered, "maybe you're a natural at this?"

Jaina grinned. "I doubt it. But if I ever find the need to engage in some archaic form of evidence collection..."

"At least you'll know what to do!"

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

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