Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

True or False: Latent fingerprints can be collected from a crime scene.

1. True

2. False

3. Only sometimes

4. Depends on the surface

The correct answer is: True

Latent fingerprints can indeed be collected from crime scenes, making the answer true. Latent fingerprints are those that are not visible to the naked eye and are created when the natural oils and moisture from a person's skin are transferred to a surface. These prints can be found on a variety of surfaces, including glass, metal, and plastics. Police procedures often involve using specialized techniques to visualize and collect these prints, such as powder dusting or chemical methods that react with the components of the fingerprint. The ability to successfully collect latent prints is an essential part of forensic investigations, as they can provide critical evidence linking a suspect to a crime scene. Other options may imply limitations based on surface type, but the core principle remains that latent fingerprints are a viable form of evidence that can be collected across numerous scenarios when correct techniques are applied.