Why Is Fingerprint Analysis Important

Every day, we are constantly leaving our own unique signature on everything we touch. From the handle on your coffee cup in the morning, to the doorknob on your front door, and even on your keyboard at work. This personal signature is our fingerprints. We all have one, and no one else in the world has one quite like yours. In fact, no two people have exactly the same fingerprints, that even includes identical twins. For as small and hard to notice as our fingerprints are, they are extremely complex and can be crucial for reasons such as background checks, mass disaster identification, biometric security, and perhaps most popular, in criminal situations. Fingerprint analysis has been used to identify suspects and solve countless crimes for over a century, and it still remains an exceptionally valuable tool for law enforcement and investigators today. To start, fingerprints are incredibly unique. They are patterns that are created by friction ridges and furrows and they are located on the pads of the fingers and thumbs. The difference between friction ridges and furrows is that friction ridges are raised up while furrows are recessed. Also, prints on your palms, toes and feet are also distinctive and can be important, but are not typically used
As I mentioned before, fingerprints can be used for providing biometric security. This basically means it can be used for security to access important rooms or buildings that the public is not allowed to enter. I always found it cool seeing people using their fingerprints to gain access to an important room in action movies or shows. Also, when unfortunate disasters such as natural, or even bombings or mass killings happen, fingerprinting can be applied to identify victims and unknown people that have died. Another use for fingerprinting can be things such as background checks, applications, permits for weapons, and