Tolerance Levels for Friction Ridge Formations Differences
Tolerance is the limit to which the examiner can accept "differences" in the friction ridge formations between the latent print impression and the known print. Judgements are made, based upon observation of the friction ridge formations and their interaction with the surface/matrix, as to the cause of the "difference".
Some loss/discrepancy of detail in the quality & quantity of information depicted by the friction skin formations in the latent print impression is expected. The deposit of the latent print impression is never expected to capture and depict all the quality and quantity of the friction ridge skin formations that exist in the known print. Knowledge of this issue provides the basis for the practice of incorporating limits for Tolerance in the comparative process.
The Level of Tolerance is set according to the degree of Clarity exhibited by the latent print impression. The greater the Clarity depicted by the latent print impression, a lower level of Tolerance is permitted for differences in the appearance of the friction ridge formations.
Conversely, for latent print impressions in which a lower degree of Clarity is depicted, the threshold for Tolerance Level is set at a higher level. Therefore, differences in the appearance of the friction ridge formations is rendered less acceptable. As the Clarity decreases, the number of friction ridge formations (and usually the physical size of the friction skin impression), required in order to effect an Individualization must increase.
Some loss/discrepancy of detail in the quality & quantity of information depicted by the friction skin formations in the latent print impression is expected. The deposit of the latent print impression is never expected to capture and depict all the quality and quantity of the friction ridge skin formations that exist in the known print. Knowledge of this issue provides the basis for the practice of incorporating limits for Tolerance in the comparative process.
The Level of Tolerance is set according to the degree of Clarity exhibited by the latent print impression. The greater the Clarity depicted by the latent print impression, a lower level of Tolerance is permitted for differences in the appearance of the friction ridge formations.
Conversely, for latent print impressions in which a lower degree of Clarity is depicted, the threshold for Tolerance Level is set at a higher level. Therefore, differences in the appearance of the friction ridge formations is rendered less acceptable. As the Clarity decreases, the number of friction ridge formations (and usually the physical size of the friction skin impression), required in order to effect an Individualization must increase.