Ascertaining Association of Dermatoglyphic Pattern with Digits Using Correspondence Analysis Among Male and Female Convicted Prisoners

Authors

  • Jatinder Kaur Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India
  • Maninder Kaur Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India
  • Shriya Kalia Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17063/bjfs13(1)y20251-18

Keywords:

Forensic sciences, Dermatoglyphics, Divergent behavior, Prisioner

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to evaluate an association of dermatoglyphic pattern with digits among convicted male and female prisoners.  A total sample of 175 convicted prisoners (100 male and 75 female) and 175 controls (100 male and 75 female) ranging in age from 19 to 50 years was taken in the study. The data concerning fingerprints as well as criminal background of the prisoners was taken from different jails of Haryana (India). As per Henry’s system of fingerprint classification, ulnar loop was the most frequently occurring pattern followed by a whorl single spiral and a whorl double spiral in the left as well as right hand of both the convicted prisoners and control group of both the sexes. Dermatoglyphic patterns whorl concentric and accidental were completely absent among the female prisoner as well as control group. Correspondence analysis among convicted male prisoner group recorded a significant association of whorl double spiral with the digits L1 and R1 (thumb) in both the hands, while in control group the association of digits L1 and R1 (thumb) was found with loop ulnar. In the convicted female prisoner group, whorl double spiral exhibited an association with digit L1 and R1 (thumb), while the first digit (L1 and R1) was associated with lateral pocket loop in control counterparts. Further cross-sectional studies in this sphere are needed to establish these findings.

References

Grataroli G. De praedictione morum naturarumque hominum cum ex inspectiones partium corporis. Tum aliis modis. 1554.

Della Porta GB. De Humana Phisiognomia. 1586.

Gall FJ. On the Origin of the Moral Qualities and Intellectual Qualities of Man and the Conditions of their Manifestation. Boston; 1835.

Lombroso C. L’Uomo delinquente. 4th ed. Turin; 1889.

Raine A. Biosocial studies of antisocial and violent behavior in children and adults: A review. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2002;30(4):311–26. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015754122318

Wright JP, Barnes JC, Boutwell BB, Schwartz JA, Connolly EJ, Nedelec JL, Beaver KM. Mathematical proof is not minutiae and irreducible complexity is not a theory: A final response to Burt and Simons and a call to criminologists. Criminology. 2015;53(1):113–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.12059

Rhee SH, Waldman ID. Genetic and environmental influences on antisocial behavior: A meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies. Psychol Bull. 2002;128:490–529. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.128.3.490

Ferguson CJ. Genetic contributions to antisocial personality and behavior: A meta-analytic review (1996–2006) from an evolutionary perspective. J Soc Psychol. 2010;150:160–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224540903366503

Bramon E, Walshe M, McDonald C, Martin B, Toulopoulou T, Wickham H, Os JV, Fearon P, Sham P, Fananas L, Murray RM. Dermatoglyphics and schizophrenia: A meta-analysis and investigation of the impact of obstetric complications upon a-b ridge count. Schizophr Res. 2005;75(2–3):399–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2004.08.022

Chintamani, Khandelwal R, Mittal A, Saijanani S, Tuteja A, Bansal A, Bhatnagar D, Saxena S. Qualitative and quantitative dermatoglyphic traits in patients with breast cancer: A prospective clinical study. BMC Cancer. 2007;7:44. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-7-44

Ramani P, Abhilash PR, Sherlin HJ, Janaki VR. Conventional dermatoglyphics – revived concept: A review. Int J Pharma Bio Sci. 2011;2(3):446–58.

Kaur M, Kaur M, Kamal P, Kaur J. Sex distinction in digital dermatoglyphic patterns of convicted prisoners: A comparative cohort-control study. AJFSFM. 2019;1(10):1403–11. https://doi.org/10.26735/16586794.2019.030

Sen J, Kanchan T, Mondal N. A comparison of palmer dermatoglyphics in two ethnic Indian populations of North Bengal, India. J Forensic Sci. 2011;56(1):109–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01554.x

Gutiérrez-Redomero E, Sánchez-Andrés Á, Rivaldería N, Alonso-Rodríguez C, Dipierri JE, Martín LM. A comparative study of topological and sex differences in fingerprint ridge density in Argentinian and Spanish population samples. J Forensic Leg Med. 2013;20:419–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2012.12.002

Emre E, Yıldız S, Aydın S, Şimşek D, Gürok MG. The relationship between finger ratio (2D:4D) and criminal behavior in bipolar disorder. CMJ. 2025;47(1):41–8. https://doi.org/10.7197/cmj.1621482

Kücken M. Models for fingerprint pattern formation. Forensic Sci Int. 2007;171(2–3):85–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.02.025

Kaur M, Sharma K. Dermal digital ridge density of a penal population: Analysis of association and individualization. J Forensic Leg Med. 2016;44:143–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2016.10.011

Venurkar S, Srivastava T, Shukla S, Acharya S, Saha S, Deshpande V. Decoding human personality through dermatoglyphics. Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30445. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30445

Yarovenko V. Study of the relationship of papillary pattern and criminal conduct of humans. Asian Soc Sci. 2015;11. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n16p349

Pandey A, Vyas JM. A comparative case study of fingerprint patterns in male convicts of Sabarmati Jail (Ahmedabad) in Gujarati population. IJFMT. 2014;8(1):1–5. https://doi.org/10.5958/j.0973-9130.8.1.001

Cummins H, Midlo C. Fingerprints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics. New York: Dover Publications; 1961.

Henry ER. Classification and Uses of Fingerprints. 1st ed. London: Routledge & Sons; 1900.

Nandy A. Identification in Principles of Forensic Medicine. 2nd ed. Calcutta: New Central Book Agency; 2001.

Castilla AQ. Dermatoglyphic study in a Spanish penal population. In: Wertelecki W, Plato CC, editors. Dermatoglyphics – Fifty Years Later. New York: A.R. Liss Inc.; 1979. p. 411-6.

Sudha IP, Singh J, Sodhi GS. Digital dermatoglyphics as predictive biomarkers of genetic criminal tendency. Ind J Sci Technol. 2021;14(23):1944–52. https://doi.org/10.17485/IJST/v14i23.578

Ranjan S. To establish correlation between fingerprint patterns of convicted and non-convicted criminals. JFSCI. 2023;16(4):555941.

Gustavson KH, Modrzewska K, Sjöquist KE. Dermatoglyphics in individuals with asocial behaviour. Ups J Med Sci. 1994;99(1):63–7. https://doi.org/10.3109/03009739409179351

Karim KJ, Mustafa SK, Saleem MA, Omar RA. Dermatoglyphics study of a group of violent criminals and sexual offenders in Erbil City. J Adv Lab Res Biol. 2019;10(4):100–3.

Biswas PC. Finger and palmar prints of the Indian juvenile criminals. East Anthropol. 1945–46;3:124–7.

Sen DK. Digital pattern frequency among two groups of criminal populations in U.P. East Anthropol. 1955;8(2):79–83.

Singh RD. A preliminary study of the fingerprint pattern frequency among convicts in a jail (U.P.). East Anthropol. 1959;12:188–95.

Hutchinson BB. Your Life in Your Hands. London: Neville Spearman Ltd; 1967.

Agarwal KK, Vidhya P, Dutt HK, Saxena A, Mittal A, Mukherjee S. Prevalence of digital dermatoglyphic patterns: Medico-legal significance. J Pharm Biomed Sci. 2013;32(32):1338–42.

Bugge JN, Poll H. Esistono differenze dattiloscopiche fra criminali e normali? Arch Antropol Crim. 1938;16:815.

Agarwal KK, Dutt HK, Saxena A, Dimri D, Singh D, Bhatt N. General assumption of psychological behavior based on fingerprint pattern. J Biol Life Sci. 2012;3(1):59–65. https://doi.org/10.5296/jbls.v3i1.1499

Pricilla ON, Samuel EC, Sunday IP. Dermatoglyphic patterns of female convicted criminals in Anambra State. Forensic Res Criminol Int J. 2018;6(4):294–6. https://doi.org/10.15406/frcij.2018.06.00219

Messner SF. Research on cultural and socioeconomic factors in criminal violence. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1988;11(4):511–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0193-953X(18)30466-0

Pan A, Daley S, Rivera LM, Williams K, Lingle D, Reznik V. Understanding the role of culture in domestic violence: The Ahimsa Project for Safe Families. J Immigr Minor Health. 2006;8(1):35–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-006-6340-y

Downloads

Published

2025-06-29

How to Cite

Kaur, J., Maninder Kaur, & Kalia, S. (2025). Ascertaining Association of Dermatoglyphic Pattern with Digits Using Correspondence Analysis Among Male and Female Convicted Prisoners. Brazilian Journal of Forensic Sciences, Medical Law and Bioethics, 13(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.17063/bjfs13(1)y20251-18

Issue

Section

Artigo Original