Fingerprints: The Origins of Crime Detection and the Murder Case that Launched Forensic Science

by Colin Beavan

Now available in paperback -- the history of fingerprinting, as "fascinating, informative and as gripping as a great crime novel" --Simon Singh, author of Fermat's Enigma and The Code Book.

It is almost impossible to imagine that prior to the 20th century, there was no reliable way to distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. All that changed in Britain in 1905, when the bloody bodies of an elderly couple were discovered in their shop -- and a solitary fingerprint became the only piece of evidence . . .

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, History, True Crime, Crime, Mystery, Reference

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Elisia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a wonderful little slice of history that I wouldn't have known anything about unless I had read this book. Very easy, interesting read.

[Mike Shultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains the origins of fingerprinting, from early researchers to the court cases that first accepted it as a form of evidence. I picked up several stories that I will incorporate into the forensics class that I teach, so it was a great book for me. A theme of the narrative that I found particularly interesting was Henry Faulds, a pioneer in fingerprint research who was deliberately overlooked and not given credit for his work, a snubbing primarily perpetrated by Sir Francis Galton, the nephew of Charles Darwin. Only posthumously did two American fingerprint experts uncover his significant contributions.

[Mikesawin Sawin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An astounding story of the men who worked for decades to legitimize the use of fingerprints in crime fighting. It reads like fiction, but it is amazing nonfiction.

I cannot recommend this book enough!

[Rachel Pieters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredibly interesting. I mean, I'm curious about forensics and crime to begin with, so I'm not sure if someone who doesn't have those interests would like it as much, but I really did enjoy it.

The author included crimes from this time period (mostly the 1800s) which were relevant to the information he presented about the development of the fingerprinting process. The entire book was well-paced and with just the right amount of information, presented in layman's terms, without being overly descriptive. I especially enjoyed the history going back several hundred years about how innocence was determined when someone was accused a crime. I now have a fuller understanding of what the phrase "went through an ordeal" really means. Dang!

Highly recommend.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story about the development of criminal justice and the history of using fingerprints as a way first to identify repeat offenders and later to solve crimes. If I told you fingerprints were first used in Europe in the 1630s, would you believe it? DON'T! Their first known use for identification dates back to the late 1800s, and they weren't introduced as evidence in trials until right around 1900.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fingerprints is an excellent read, especially for readers who watch CSI, Criminal Minds, Law and Order, the History channel and the Nature and Discovery channels. This book has a little of everything - history, science, forensics, criminology, courtroom drama, sociology, politics, law and legal drama, and psychology. Just a great non-fiction book - bring it to the beach. The book has a thorough bibliography at the end if you want to learn more when you get back from the beach.

[Graham Okely · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have an interest in science or the progression of the legal process you will find this is an interesting book.

I read it because I wanted to understand more about finger prints and how finger prints were classified. The book answered that and explained the systems that were replaced by finger print recording and analysis.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun history of fingerprinting focusing on the often acrimonious debate among pioneers about who really deserves credit for the discover and practical application of fingerprinting.

Interestingly enough, the writer points out that, though no two fingerprints have yet been found to be identical, there is no biological or technical assurance that all fingerprints are in fact unique.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book extremely interesting. The author uses brief narratives of events critical in the development of fingerprint technology. It is framed by one particular account that gives it a nice conclusion. Uses common language that makes it easy to read and also contributes to the narrative quality of the text.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very interesting tale of the front-runners in forensic tenchnology; how they had to convince the world that no two fingerprints are truly the same. early science techniques and crimes from a bygone era all add to the magic!

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was alright; it was very interesting in certain parts. Maybe if I was more interested in this topic I would have found this book a lot better. However the authors blog on the environment (http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/) is great!

[Violet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. To bad everyone argued about who was the first and most important in the fingerprint game. Less fighting and they may have gotten farther in their research, but I suppose everyone wants to be first and most important, to bad a few reputations were lost in the process.

[Patrick Lum (Jintor) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A popular and easy-to-follow guide to the introduction of fingerprinting as accepted forensic science, Beaven unpacks how something now commonly accepted as the uniqueness of fingerprints was once an untrustworthy threat to traditional methods - and the row over who 'discovered' the fledgling art.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent histroy of how fingerprinting came to be used by police and accepted as evidence in criminal trials.

[Alisalias · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this during a summer in college and found it very interesting.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely informative, but very slow. If you are studying forensic Science it is a must read.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was wonderful! I was dreading such a dreary subject but this was great fun to read. When it's fun, we actually read it . . . smile. Good read.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An history history on how law enforcement officers around the world discovered that fingerprints were unique and how they could solve crimes. Lots of personal stories.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize until I came to Goodreads that this guy also wrote "No Impact Man"! Silly me!

If you're into forensics, you'll love this book.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very compressive and fascinating book. Like Sherlock, but not fiction, which, as we all know, truth is stranger than fiction.

[Greg Parrott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good history of how fingerprints came into use... not a lot of science, but solid history telling... almost along the lines of truth being stranger than fiction.

[Kevin Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very informative and I learned a lot about the early history of fingerprints as they were first used in police work. When I was 8 years old I put a ball cap on, and pair of mirrored sunglasses and wore a turtleneck sweater pulled up to my nose. I told my dad I was on a mission to rob banks. He told me that he would visit me in prison but not often. Why I asked and he said my fingers would give me away. That was the first time I heard about the fingerprints that are on the tips of your fingers that I remember. I never did rob banks, but to this day I touch common buttons like on an elevator with my knuckle rather than my finger tip. I wonder if we (us in modern times) really are the first in only the last 150 years to see and recognize the value of fingerprints. Might the Egyptians or the Greeks or other ancient civilizations had thought of this as well, but the knowledge was lost? However that does not take away from the work of the men such as Dr. Faulds or Sir Herschel or even Mr. Galton to advance the field as they did.

A fascinating read and well done. I recommend this to all.

[Pat Salvatini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting review of the men who studied fingerprints for identification and fought for its use in the criminal justice system. Although there was much to learn I felt the book would have benefited from a bit of editing as some chapters are bogged down in the small details and slowed down my reading.

[Paul Fazen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Lots of little stories to tell the big story. Very informative.
It's a book about fingerprints. Why are they important. How did we arrive at them being the primary means of identification of criminals.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for the fingerprint nerd in your life

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beavan writes this non-fiction in what seems two very different styles. He shifts between a captivating anecdotal style that subtly informs and a monotonous drone that makes me want to skip to the end. I would have enjoyed this book so much more if Beavan remained consistent and presented this thrilling history in the narrative format throughout.