The Effect of Light Exposure on the Degradation of Latent Fingerprints on Brass Surfaces: The Use of Silver Electroless Deposition as a Visualization Technique

We have studied the degradation of sebaceous fingerprints on brass surfaces using silver electroless deposition (SED) as a visualization technique. We have stored fingerprints on brass squares either (i) in a locked dark cupboard or (ii) in glass‐filtered natural daylight for periods of 3 h, 24 h, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. We find that fingerprints on brass surfaces degrade much more rapidly when kept in the light than they do under dark conditions with a much higher proportion of high‐quality prints found after 3 or 6 weeks of aging when stored in the dark. This process is more marked than for similar fingerprints on black PVC surfaces. Identifiable prints can be achieved on brass surfaces using both SED and cyanoacrylate fuming (CFM). SED is quick and straightforward to perform. CFM is more time‐consuming but is versatile and can be applied to a wider range of metal surfaces than SED, for example brass surfaces which have been coated by a lacquer.     

The Impact of Juvenile Court Judge Ethical Orientation on Decision Making

This exploratory study examines the ethical ideologies of a sample of 76 juvenile court judges attending a conference using an Ethical Position Questionnaire. Potential effects of ethical orientation on judicial decision making are identified and discussed. The findings indicate a relatively even distribution of judges across ethical ideologies. The connection between ethical ideology and the prevailing juvenile justice philosophy across jurisdictions, and the importance and complexity of judicial education and training in juvenile justice, are discussed.     

Visualizing Indented Writing on Thermal Paper by the Controlled Application of Heat

Indented writing on thermal paper made with either one, two, or three sheets of paper above the thermal paper has been visualized by the controlled application of heat to the thermal paper at temperatures below the paper's normal color change temperature. Indentations created by applying a variable pressure to a steel letter stamp showed that, with one sheet above the thermal paper, indentations were more visible at lower pressures than with either two or three sheets above. Handwriting from 20 volunteers produced indented writing graded with most of the text clear and easy to read for all samples with one sheet above, half the samples with two sheets above and eight samples with three sheets above. Comparison with ESDA showed that, with three sheets above, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01), with heating producing more samples than ESDA with most of the text clear and easy to read.     

Tokenistic water and neoliberal sanitation in post-apartheid Durban

ABSTRACT

Within the international water sector, Durban's municipal practitioners have been widely celebrated, for innovations in retail pricing, new product development, creative service delivery and community participation. However, in a society as divided as South Africa, with a high degree of neoliberal public policy influence from international sources, the myriad social, economic and environmental contradictions have reached deep into Durban's water and sanitation politics. Distant parts of the city were neglected when it came to ‘uneconomic' water and sewage pipe extension. Tokenistic supplies of water were given to poor people, but in a manner that left them with one-third lower consumption levels. In surveys, the no-flush toilets were overwhelmingly rejected by hundreds of thousands of recipients. It is in the destruction of older water and sanitation policies, and the creation of new ones for poor and working-class black Durban residents, that adds new meaning to critical analysis of ‘roll back' and ‘roll-in’ neoliberalisms.     

The Effects of Substance Use on Offender Crime Scene Behavior

Abstract:  Substance use has an effect on an individual's propensity to commit acquisitive crime with recent studies showing substance users more likely to leave forensic material at a crime scene. An examination of acquisitive crime solved in Northamptonshire, U.K., during 2006 enabled 70 crime scene behavior characteristics to be analyzed for substance and nonsubstance use offenders. Logistical regression analyses have identified statistically significant crime scene behavior predictors that were found to be either present at or absent from the crime scene when the offender was a substance user. Most significant predictors present were indicative of a lack of preparation by the offender, irrational behavior, and a desire to steal high value, easily disposed of, property. Most significant predictors absent from the crime scene were indicative of more planning, preparation, and execution by the offender. Consideration is given to how this crime scene behavior might be used by police investigators to identify offenders.     

The effects of deprivation on the time spent examining crime scenes and the recovery of DNA and fingerprints

DNA and fingerprint identifications are now accepted as an integral part of the investigation of a wide range of criminal offences from burglary and auto crime to serious and major crime. Despite this, there is still much variation between U.K. police forces in the recovery of fingerprint and DNA material from crime scenes. Analysis of burglary and auto crime data for Northamptonshire, U.K., during a 3-year period has enabled an examination of the relationship between the deprivation of the neighborhood in which the crime was committed and the level of service provided by Crime Scene Examiners. The results indicate that the time spent examining a crime scene for forensic evidence is not affected by the deprivation of the neighborhood. Further, there is no statistical significance between deprivation and the recovery of fingerprints from the crime scene. The relationship between deprivation and DNA recovery is, however, statistically significant with DNA being recovered more frequently from less deprived neighborhoods.     

Capturing Finger and Palm Impressions Using a Hand Cream and Thermochromatic Paper

An inkless set of finger and palm impressions has been obtained on thermochromatic paper by incorporating the protic solvent butylene glycol into a base hand cream mixture, which is rubbed into the hands for 30 sec before donation. This requires no washing of the hands before or after donation, removing many of the difficulties associated with inked impressions. In a random trial of 50 male and 50 female participants (mean age 41 years), 96 found the hand cream pleasant and easy to use and all produced identifiable finger and palm impressions. Following donation, participants continued to rub the hand cream into their hands. Impressions were visible immediately after donation and have not exhibited fading 2 years after being taken. 10% of participants produced impressions that captured third‐level detail, the variation between participants being thought to be associated with the amount of pressure applied during donation.     

Can and Should Greenhouse Gases Be Regulated as Hazardous Air Pollutants under Clean Air Act Sec. 112?

This article poses three questions: (1) Can greenhouse gases be regulated under § 112 of the Clean Air Act? (2) If they were to be regulated in this way, what would the practical consequences be? (3) Should greenhouse gases be regulated this way? To summarize the offered answers: greenhouse gases can indeed be regulated under § 112; if they were to be regulated, the practical consequences would be substantial but potentially manageable; and whether or not they should be regulated in this way depends entirely on the nature and survival of the upcoming New Source Performance Standards under § 111(d). If § 111(d) regulation survives, the question of whether or not § 112 regulation could coexist arises, with the answer being in the affirmative albeit with potentially prohibitive difficulties. If § 111(d) regulation fails, § 112 regulation may serve as a regulatory last resort on which the Environmental Protection Agency may have to rely in order to seriously tackle the threat of climate change.