Fingerprinting Procedure

A small daub of ink should be placed on the inking plate and thoroughly rolled until a very thin, even film covers the surface. 

Inking the Plate

Distributing the Ink

The person to be printed should stand in front of and at forearms length from the inking plate.  The positions of both the person and the technician should be natural and relaxed (See Figure Position for Printing) if the best fingerprints are to be obtained.  In order to take advantage of the natural movement in making finger impressions, the hand should be rotated from the awkward to the easy position.  This requires that the thumbs be rolled toward and the fingers away from the center of the person's body.  This process relieves strain and leaves the fingers relaxed upon the completion of the rolling so they may be lifted easily from the card without danger of slipping, which smudges and blurs the prints.  Figures Inking the Finger and Rolling the Thumb show the proper method of rolling impressions of the finger and thumb.

Position for Printing

The degree of pressure to be exerted in inking and taking rolled impressions is important, and this may best be determined through experience and observation.  It is quite important, however, that the person being fingerprinted is cautioned to relax and refrain from trying to help the technician by exerting pressure as this prevents the technician from determining the proper amount needed.  A method which is helpful in effecting the relaxation of a person's hand is by instructing him/her to look at some distant object and not to look at his/her hands.

Inking the Finger

Excessive perspiration will result in the failure of ink to adhere properly to the tips of the fingers.  When this situation is encountered, the person's fingers should be individually wiped clean and immediately inked and printed.  This process should be followed with each finger.  It is also possible to wipe the fingers with alcohol or some other drying agent which will temporarily reduce the amount of perspiration and thus permit the technician to obtain clear, legible fingerprint impressions.

Inking the Thumb

In taking the rolled impressions, the side of the bulb of the finger (tip of finger to below first joint) is placed upon the inking plate and the finger is rolled to the other side (fingernail to fingernail) until it faces the opposite direction.  Care should be exercised so each finger is inked evenly from the tip to below the first joint.  It is better to ink and print each finger separately beginning with the right thumb, and then in order, the index finger, middle, ring and little finger.

To obtain "plain" impressions, all the fingers of the right hand should be pressed lightly upon the inking plate, then pressed simultaneously upon the lower right hand corner of the card in the space provided.  The left hand should be similarly printed, and the thumbs of both hands should be inked and printed, without rolling, in the space provided.  The "plain" or "simultaneous" impressions are used as a check upon the sequence and accuracy of the rolled impressions.  Figures Plain Impressions of the Fingers and Plain Impression of the Thumb show the proper method of obtaining "plain impressions" of the fingers and the thumb.

Plain Impression of the Fingers

Plain Impression of the Thumb