Fingerprint Types

Plastic: A print in a malleable material that preserves the impression of the original fingerprint. These types of prints are seen with the naked eye so there is no reason to enhance the fingerprint. Examples are prints in clay, painted surfaces, blood, etc.

Latent: Prints invisible to the naked eye left on non-malleable surfaces. These prints are only detected by the secretion of sweat on the fingertips which leaves a mark on a surface. They are detected by certain techniques such as using powders (chemicals), and apply the use of a source of light to reveal the print. These prints often lack in clarity for they are often smugged, overlapped, and other varieties of manipulation.

Patent: The prints in a dream of any forensic detective. These prints are created by the impression of a finger on a flat surface with a substance on it. An example of this is an ink print because the ink on the print deposits the print on a surface so it is visible to the naked eye.