The Underlying Theory of Fingerprinting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Underlying Theory of Fingerprinting - Essay Example The underlying theory regarding the practice of fingerprinting is the concept that no two people in the world possessed identical sets of fingerprints (Zhang, 2001; Epstein, 2002; Specter, 2002; Kumar & Shama, 2009; Cole, 2001, 2005; Leibhan, 2003). This particular theory is the guiding principle with which developments pertinent to fingerprinting has been pursued. In this regard, the following are the findings of the research. First, the concept of fingerprinting as a mechanism for purposes of identification has been known since the ancient period (Specter, 2002; Cole 2001). However, the current trend of utilizing fingerprinting for purposes of identifying, investigating and solving crimes is a current advancement in the field, which is brought about by developments in science and technology together with the condition of increased mobility of people (Sombat, 2006; Cole, 2005; Epstein, 2002). This conceptual finding is significant because it highlights the fact that first, fingerprinting is a recognized tool that a can be used for identification regardless of genre or period in history. Second, from the historical rooting of fingerprinting one can impugned that fingerprinting has been adopted as early as the nineteenth century for criminal investigation. Finally, third, the contemporary concept of fingerprinting is a result of the coming together of science, technology, judiciary, increased mobility of peo ple brought about by globalisation and demands in the contemporary society. This figure shows that the current understanding of fingerprinting is a result of the coming together of several factors that can be rooted from the historical tradition that has been traced in this research.