Two thieves steal jewelry, and then drop it as they are escaping. The police recover the jewelry, and an officer explains on the evening news that fingerprints were obtained from the back of a watch. The thieves, whose prints are not on file, believe that they can escape prosecution by using acid to remove the epidermis on their fingerpads, so as not to be a match for the fingerprints on the watch. They are wrong because
A)the prints arise from the subcutaneous layer, which is not destroyed.
B)the prints arise from friction ridges of the dermis, which are not destroyed.
C)the epidermis will regrow the friction ridges in a day.
D)the friction ridges will not grow back in the same pattern.

Question

Two thieves steal jewelry, and then drop it as they are escaping. The police recover the jewelry, and an officer explains on the evening news that fingerprints were obtained from the back of a watch. The thieves, whose prints are not on file, believe that they can escape prosecution by using acid to remove the epidermis on their fingerpads, so as not to be a match for the fingerprints on the watch. They are wrong because
A)the prints arise from the subcutaneous layer, which is not destroyed.
B)the prints arise from friction ridges of the dermis, which are not destroyed.
C)the epidermis will regrow the friction ridges in a day.
D)the friction ridges will not grow back in the same pattern.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fingerprints arise from the friction ridges on the dermis, which are not affected by the removal of the epidermis. Therefore, even if the thieves remove the epidermis on their fingerpads, their fingerprints will still be visible and identifiable.

Two Thieves Steal Jewelry, and Then Drop It as They