Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

What is the distinguishing feature of arch fingerprints?

1. They form a complete circuit

2. They have no looping and no delta

3. They have a single core

4. They contain multiple deltas

The correct answer is: They have no looping and no delta

The distinguishing feature of arch fingerprints is that they have no looping patterns and no delta formations. In arch fingerprints, the ridges enter from one side of the finger, rise to the center, and then exit from the opposite side, creating an upward wave-like appearance. This distinguishes them from other fingerprint patterns such as whorls, which have circular formations and at least two deltas, and loops, which contain a delta and have a looping structure. A single core is characteristic of whorls, while multiple deltas are often found in prints with loops. The absence of these features, specifically loops and deltas, is what categorizes a fingerprint as an arch. This unique formation helps forensic experts easily identify and classify fingerprints in criminal investigations and other applications.