Some Interesting Facts About Solving Crimes
While I was visiting the Central Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime, the speaker, a criminologist, shared many interesting tidbits. Among them were a few facts about fingerprints. Latent fingerprints are collected from all over. The computer helps match fingerprints. Using both the state and federal system, sometimes will come up with a match in about two minutes. The latest FBI system will check against all fingerprints in the system. Of course, the fingerprints must be in the system. State law prohibits including the fingerprints of teachers and others who have had to be fingerprinted for their job. And murders. There are very few true stranger murders. The killer is usually someone the victim knows. But--there are around 200 active serial killers in the United States now. Serial killers usually stalk their victims. Profiling isn't always a good thing. Knee jerk reactions are almost always bad. Surveillance cameras are everywhere.The average American is video tape...