Criminal Identification.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 7 August 1914, Page 8

Criminal Identification.

Our finger-print system it £Bnerally regarded as the last word in scientific detection of crime, but a newer method is being experimented with. '

The great objection to the fingerprint system is that, though it is quite trustworthy aB far as it goes, being based on the fact that no two people in the world have the same pattern on the skin of their finger-tips, it is easily rendered useless by wearing gloves or by having the finger-tips deliberately do faced. , Every crack burglar know? this nowadays.

Rut the newer system will bafflt even the wariest of burglars. The idea is to photograph the back of the hand of every convicted criminal. The network of tiny veins or* the pack of a man's hand is as much peculiar to himself as the pattern on his finger-tips. The chances are billions to one against twe men's hands showing the same arrangements of veins. The photograph is taken after the hand has been allowed to dangle down for a minute or two, so that the rush of Mood may make the network of veins stand out prominently. One scientist has suggested binding the wrist with a tight bandage (or the same purpose. The advantage over the finger-print system ie that no one can attempt to alter the arrangement of the veins without running great danger of bleeding to death.