Comparison of Creases at Palmprints Amongst Three Generations of Malay Race in Malaysia

Proceeding of 3rdInternational Science Postgraduate Conference 2015 (ISPC2015)

COMPARISON OF CREASES AT PALMPRINTS AMONGST THREE GENERATIONS OF MALAY RACE IN MALAYSIA

1ROSZAHARAH YAACOB, 2*RAFAQAT HUSSIN AND 1PUWIRA JAYA

1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia,

81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor DarulTa’azim, Malaysia

2IbnuSina Institute for Fundamental Science Studies, UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, JohorDarulTa’zim, Malaysia

, 2*,

*Corresponding author

Abstract.In this paper, we present our work called “Comparison of Creases at palm prints amongst three generations of Malay race in Malaysia”. Comparison of palm prints from an individual with palm prints linked to a crime may be useful as a means of including or excluding that individual as possibly being at the scene of a crime. Questions regarding the distinguishability of a family member’s palm prints frequently arise in forensic casework. This study therefore aims to compare the similarities and differences between palm prints amongst three generations of Malay race in Malaysia. The samples of this study is based on 22 Malay families consisting of 106 family members where a total of 212 palm prints were obtained from their left and right palm. For comparison, presence of major, minor and secondary creases were examined. Analysis for creases features were analyzed using magnifying glass. This study indicated major creases are dominants where these creases frequently pass from one generation to another. This study also showed that minor (middle finger crease) and secondary creases (wrist hatch and hatch creases) showed most variance amongst 13 analyzed creases.

Keywords Creases; palm prints; family; generation

1.0INTRODUCTION

Usually, crime scene investigators (CSI) are looking for the presence of fingerprints at crime scene to link the suspect to the crime. Nowadays, the criminals are getting smart as they tends to destroy the presence of their fingerprints at the crime scene because they know police or CSI will try to use these as evidence against them. But criminals are still relatively unaware of the vital information contained in their palmprints.

The human palm contains a lot of information which can be used to recognize individuals. The inner surface of the palm usually contains three flexion creases, secondary creases and ridges. The flexion creases are also called principal lines and the secondary creases are called wrinkles. The flexion and the major secondary creases are formed between the third and fifth months of pregnancy and superficial lines appear after we are born. Although the three major flexions are genetically dependent, most of other creases are not. Even identical twins have different palmprints. These non-genetically deterministic and complex patterns are very useful in personal identification [2].

Fingerprints are a reproduction of friction skin ridges found on the palm side of the fingers and thumbs. Similar friction skin can also be found on the surface of the palms and soles of the feet. Apparently, these skin surfaces have been designed by nature to provide our bodies with a firmer grip and a resistance to slippage. A visual inspection of friction skin reveals a series of lines corresponding to hills (ridges) and valleys (grooves). The shape and form of the skin ridges are what one sees as the black lines of an inked fingerprint impression [3].

Palmar flexion crease identification has been on the periphery of forensic identification for years. However, a thorough search of the available literature found little information. No one within the forensic identification community has conducted a study of the suitability of the palmar flexion crease as an identification medium. In spite of this lack of research, palmar flexion creases have been assumed to be a viable personal identification medium by some.researcher. However, the lack of information has deterred most forensic identification specialists from using palmar flexion creases during the identification process[1].

The palmar surface is divided into topographic areas. Each area is consistent with the early morphological development of the volar pads. It is believed that these pads were at one time walking pads but now only appear on the fetus and take a part in shaping friction ridge patterns and some flexion crease locations. Along the base of the digits are four interdigital areas numbered one to four, starting at the thumb side (Figure 1.1). At the base of the thumb is the thenar area, on the opposite side of the palm is the hypothenar area area, and in the center of the palm is the central area.

Figure 1.1: Palmar topography

Three main groups of flexion creases appear on the palms. The first group, the Major Flexion Creases (Figure 1.2), is also the most visible. These include the thenar crease, proximal transverse crease and the distal transverse crease. The major flexion creases are the largest on the palm and often take on the shape of an uncompleted letter M. At times they also appear as if they are constructed of bundles of smaller creases similar to fiberoptic cables.

Figure 1.2: Major Flexion Creases A. Thenar Crease (upper crease); B. Proximal Transverse Crease (middle crease); C. Distal Transverse Crease (below crease)

The second group of palmar creases is the Minor Flexion Creases. They are more variable in presence, prominence and length than the major flexion creases. There are four types of minor flexion creases: the Longitudinal or Finger Creases, Accessory Distal Transverse Crease, “E” Lines and a Hypothenar Crease (Figure 1.3 and 1.4).

Figure 1.3: Minor Finger Creases A. Middle Finger Crease; B. Ring Finger Crease; C. Little Finger Crease

Figure 1.4: Minor Flexion Creases A. Accessory Distal Transverse Flexion Crease; B. “E” Lines; C. Hypothenar Crease

The third group of flexion creases is the Secondary Creases (Figure 1.5). Secondary flexion creases are all the remaining creases not classed as major or minor creases. Secondary creases may be found anywhere on the palmar surface. An example of secondary creases are the major accessory creases (branch type creases), but they are also prevalent along the edge of the hypothenar area (hatch creases), on the thenar eminence (checker creases), and along the edge of the palm just above the wrist (wrist hatch creases) [1].

Figure 1.5: Secondary creases A. Major Accessory Creases; B.Hatch Creases; C. Checker Creases; D. Wrist Hatch Creases

2.0EXPERIMENTAL

2.1 Materials

The materials used in this study were white A4 papers, gloves, rollerand fingerprint inks (Figure 2.1), two Naco windows or glass pieces and magnifying glass.

Figure 2.1: Roller and fingerprint inks

2.2 Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were 3 generations of 22 Malay families consisting of 106 family members (45 males and 61 females).

2.3Research Procedure

2.3.1 Sampling

Ink was applied onto the flat surface of Naco window and spread evenly with the aid of a roller (Figure 2.2). Palmprints were taken by pressing right and left palms onto the Naco window and transferred them onto the white A4 paper on an even surface. Each individual requested to apply even pressure so that all the features from the palm could be deposited onto the white paper.

Figure 2.2: Ink was spread onto the Naco window with roller

2.3.2Examination of Palmprints

The physical feature of palmprints was examined under magnifying glass (2.5 X 100) using normal lighting condition for the presence of specific creases such as major creases (upper creases, middle creases and below creases), minor creases (middle finger creases, ring finger creases, little finger creases, accessory distal transverse flexion creases, E line creases and hypothenar creases) and secondary creases (hatch creases, checker creases, wrist hatch creases, major accessory creases).

2.3.3Analysis

To analyze the data, crease’s variable was taken into consideration for palmprints. Calculation of percentage was done for certain analysis on palm prints.

3.0RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We examined the presence or absence of three types of main creases at palm print which are major, minor and secondary creases. For major crease (upper, middle and below), we found that it is dominant crease which is frequently passed from one generation to another. According to that fact, we cannot use this type of creases to differentiate amongst three generations of Malay’s family in Malaysia.

For minor crease, we examined the presence or absence of six types of creases which are middle finger crease, ring finger crease, little finger crease, accessory distal transverse flexion crease, E lines crease and hypothenar crease. The most important finding to appear from the data is that only middle finger crease shows variance amongst the subjects

Figure 3.1: Percentage of members have middle finger crease (right palm print)

Figure 3.1 shows the percentage of family members that have middle finger crease on their right palm. It can be seen that 75 percentof sons (S) have middle finger crease on their right hand, while 59 percent of grandmothers (GM) had the middle finger crease compared to only 18% of Grandfathers (GF).

Figure 3.2: Percentage of members have middle finger crease (left palm print)

In Figure 3.2, data related to the middle finger creases at left palmprints is presented., The data suggests that the middle finger crease feature in left palm is most dominant in female subjects, since grandmother (GM) 55 percent, daughter (D) 89 percent and granddaughter (GD) 57 percent had middle finger crease on their left palm compared to GF (45%), S (25%) and GS (53%).

For secondary crease, we examined the presence or absence of four types of creases which are hatch crease, checker crease, wrist hatch crease and major accessory crease. A close examination of the results revealed that only hatch crease and wrist hatch crease showed variance amongst three generations of the subjects.

Figure 3.2: Percentage of members have hatch crease (right palm print)

The results from analysis of hatch crease for right palm prints are shown in Figure 3.2. It is obvious from this chart that the hatch crease is dominant in female family members, where grandmother (GM) 82 percent, daughter (D) 94 percent and granddaughter (GD) 95 percent had the hatch crease in right palm compared to GF (64%), S (75%) and GS (95%). It is worth noting that the hatch crease feature is equally common amongst the third generation of male and female subjects.

Figure 3.4: Percentage of members have hatch crease (left palm print)

Hatch crease feature at left palm print is found in almost all female subjects, where grandmother (GM) 95 percent, daughter (D) 94 percent and granddaughter (GD) 100 percent had the hatch crease on their left palm (Figure 3.4).

Figure 3.5: Percentage of members have wrist hatch crease (right palm print)

As Figure 3.5 shows, there is a significant dissimilarity between family members. From the bar chart, we can see that the wrist hatch crease feature at right palmis dominant in the female subjects, where grandmother (GM) 86 percent, daughter (D) 94 percent and granddaughter (GD) 86 percent had this feature, while only 18% of grandfathers, 25% of sons and 47% of grandsons had the wrist hatch crease on their right palm.

Figure 3.6: Percentage of members have wrist hatch crease (left palm print)

Similar to the wrist hatch crease in right palm, the wrist hatch crease for left hand is also dominant in female members of the family (Figure 3.6). Grandmother (GM) 73 percent, daughter (D) 83 percent and granddaughter (GD) 86 percent had wrist hatch crease compared to the grandfather (45%), son (25%) and grandson (42%).

This study involved only three generation of Malay race containing only 106 subjects, providing very limited data, however, all creases examined in this study showed great variance amongst the male and female members of the families as well as between different generations, indicating that these creases are influenced by the genetic code. Further detailed studies of creases features such as size and shape of the volar pads, branching points will enable us to generate plethora of information which can be used to distinguish between the family members.

4.0CONCLUSIONS

The research investigated comparison of creases at palm prints amongst three generations of Malay families in Malaysia. Data were collected from the examinations of creases at palm print. This study has shown that major crease (upper, middle and below creases) isdominant where these creasesare frequently passed from one generation to another. Minor and secondary creases such as middle finger crease, hatch crease and wrist hatch crease showed most variance amongst three generations of subjects, these creases can be used as a characteristic in comparison of palm prints. The results of this study support the idea that creases can be used for palm prints comparison and can replace minutiae system which has been used nowadays in biometric system. However, these findings are only true for the Malay race in Malaysia.

REFERENCES

[1]Ashbaugh D.R. (1999). Quantitative – Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis: An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Ridgeology. Washington, D.C.: Lewis Publishers.

[2]Kong,A. et al.,(2009). A survey of palmprint recognition. Pattern recognition. 42,1408-1418.

[3]Saferstein,R.(2007). Criminalistics. An Introduction To Forensic Science. (9 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N. J.: Prentice Hall.