N-Dodecylamine Acetate
Chemical used in the preparation of the detergent solution in Physical Developer.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
NAS Report
In 2005, the CFSO requested federal funds become available to support a variety of forensic
disciples. Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to research the needs of
these forensic disciples to determine if the funds were needed. On Feb 18, 2009, the NAS
published its finding in a report titled “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States – A
Path Forward”. These findings became known as the NAS report.
NCFS
The National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) was established in 2013 to give
recommendations to the US Attorney General to enhance the practice and improve the reliability
of forensic science. In April 2017, AG Jeff Sessions elected not to renew the commissions status.
NCIC
National Crime Information Center.
NCIC Classification
An alpha/numeric system of fingerprint classification.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
NFB
National Fingerprint Board (of England and Wales). An adjunct to the ACPO.
NGI
Next Generation Identification. The FBI’s biometric database. Implemented in 2013.
NIST
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
NV
The common abbreviation for ‘No Value’, usually indication that an impression has no value for
identification purposes.
NSFO
The National Society of Fingerprint Officers was an organization that started in 1975. This
organization was later renamed ‘The Fingerprint Society’.
Nanometer
A metric unit of measurement equal to 1 billionth of a meter. Commonly used to measure light.
Nanoparticle Powder
A fluorescent fingerprint powder designed in 2003 by Professor Fred Rowell of the University of
Sunderland, England, for latent print recovery. Nanoparticle powder is comprised of very small
glass like nanoparticles imbedded with powder. The smaller particles adhere to older latent prints
better than standard powders, and increase the quality of latent prints by producing better clarity
and contrast.
Naphthalene Black
See Amido Black
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
Nascent Ridge
Coming into existence.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=nascent
Also known as an incipient ridge, a rudimentary ridge or a subsidiary ridge.
National Bureau of Identification
See Bureau of Criminal Identification.
National Society of Fingerprint Officers
See NSFO.
Negative Impression (Negative Print)
See Take Away Print.
Neumann, Cedric Dr.
Cedric graduated in 1998 from one of the oldest forensic academic program in the World (est.
1909), the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). He then specialized in the statistical
interpretation of forensic evidence during his PhD research on the examination of ink evidence.
The results of his PhD research were ultimately implemented at the United States Secret Service
and granted him the ENFSI 2009 Emerging Forensic Scientist Award.
From 2004 to 2010, Dr. Neumann worked as a Senior Forensic Scientist with the Forensic
Science Service (FSS), in the United Kingdom, where he managed the Statistics and
Interpretation Research Group. At the FSS, Dr. Neumann was involved with the statistical
assignment of weight to various types of evidence, such as DNA, fingerprint and shoemark. Most
notably, Dr. Neumann worked on the validation and implementation of an operational tool to
statistically assess fingerprint evidence.
In 2010, Dr. Neumann joined the Forensic Science program of the Eberly College of Science of
the Pennsylvania State University. His main responsibilities are to teach criminalistics in the
forensic undergraduate and graduate programs, and to develop the research program. In October
2010, Dr. Neumann was awarded a NIJ grant to support his research in fingerprint statistics. In
2013, Dr. Neumann left Penn State and join the faculty at South Dakota State University.
Ne’urim Declaration
In 1995, at the International Symposium on Fingerprints, a resolution was adopted. It stated, “No
scientific basis exists for requiring that a pre-determined minimum number of friction ridge
features must be present in two impressions in order to establish a positive identification.” This
was a slight change from the 1973 IAI Resolution on the minimum number of characteristics
needed to make an identification.
Nile Red
A fluorescent dye stain used to visualize cyanoacrylate ester fumed friction ridge detail.
Optimum viewing is done with an alternate light source (450-560nm) and orange or red goggles.
Ninhydrin
1,2,3-triketohydrindine hydrate. Reagent that reacts with amino acids to develop friction ridge
detail.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
Ninhydrin was first prepared in 1910 by the English chemist, Siegfried Ruhemann, who also
investigated the formation of the violet compound (Ruhemann’s Purple, or RP) produced by
ninhydrin’s reaction with amino acids. The significance of this discovery to forensic science went
unnoticed until 1954, when Oden and von Hoffsten reported the use of ninhydrin as a fingerprint
developing reagent that reacts with amino acids secreted from sweat glands. Although the
content of amino acids in a fingerprint residue is low (compared to the content of salts and fatty
acids), the RP produced from the reaction of these amino acids with ninhydrin is deeply colored,
and the developed fingerprints are usually highly visible. Thus, ninhydrin has long been known as
one of the most affordable and useful reagents for visualization of latent fingerprints on porous
surfaces (such as paper, wood, and walls). In cases where the developed fingerprints are weak,
secondary treatment with an aqueous zinc chloride solution can improve the print’s line resolution
quality. Zinc chloride-treated prints can be observed as “glowing” (fluorescent) when
illuminated with light of a certain wavelength.
“New Reagents for Development of Latent Fingerprints”, NIJ 1995
http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles/finger.txt 06-19-2003
Nitric Acid
Acid used in a fuming technique to visualize friction ridge detail on select metal surfaces.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
Non-identification
See Exclusion.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
Another opinion: A latent print that has not been individualized due to an exclusion or missed
identification. Or not being able to establishing an association with a group or individual item.
Non-Porous
Non-absorbent.
SWGFAST, Glossary – Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
Non-secretor
See Secretor.
Notch
A visual observance that the outer edges of a latent print is uneven or inconsistent, i.e. a notch
exists. This could be a distortional clue that this is two impressions and not just one.
Nutant Loop
Also referred to as a lazy loop or a drooping loop. When the core of a loop droops over toward
the delta. This usually occurs in the opposite hand as the slant, especially in the index fingers.