POST FIRING VISUALIZATION OF FINGERPRINTS ON SPENT CARTRIDGE CASES

A considerable range of techniques is available to visualise latent fi ngerprints on smooth surfaces, Published methods and those developed o r modified in the authors' laboratory have been evaluated for spent ca rtridge cases. The most suitable were found to be vacuum cyanoacrylate (with fluorescent staining) and selenious acid treatments. Both were used to investigate the post firing recovery of fingermarks on spent c artridge cases from the ammunition and weapon systems encountered in t errorist casework in Northern Ireland. Only certain revolvers and the SLR rifle yielded identifiable ridge detail. These results are borne o ut by casework experience.