Patent or visible prints are most likely to be found under which condition?

Patent or visible prints are most likely to be found under which condition?

• A. They are often contaminated with foreign matter and then placed on surfaces
• B. They are never photographed
• C. They are always invisible without development
• D. They only occur on skin

Answer: (A)

Patent or visible prints are visible because the finger carries some material—such as ink, grease, dirt, or blood—that transfers to a surface when touched. That carried material makes the imprint stand out to the naked eye, so the print can be photographed or documented without any special development. This is why they’re described as often contaminated with foreign matter and then placed on surfaces. They’re not something that must be photographed later, they aren’t always invisible without development, and they’re not restricted to skin—they appear on objects the finger has touched.

Patent or visible prints are visible because the finger carries some material—such as ink, grease, dirt, or blood—that transfers to a surface when touched. That carried material makes the imprint stand out to the naked eye, so the print can be photographed or documented without any special development. This is why they’re described as often contaminated with foreign matter and then placed on surfaces. They’re not something that must be photographed later, they aren’t always invisible without development, and they’re not restricted to skin—they appear on objects the finger has touched.