Henry Classification System
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The Henry Classification System is a long-standing method by which fingerprints are sorted by physiological characteristics for one-to-many searching. Developed by Sir Edward Henry in the late 1800s for criminal investigations in British India, it was the basis of modern day AFIS classification methods up until the1990s. In recent years, the Henry Classification System has generally been replaced by ridge flow classification approaches.
[edit] History and Development of the Henry Classification System
Although fingerprint characteristics were studied as far back as the mid-1600s, the use of fingerprints as a means of identification did not occur until the mid-1800s. In roughly 1859, Sir William Herschel discovered that fingerprints remain stable over time and are unique across individuals; as Chief Magistrate of the Hooghly district in Jungipoor, India, in 1877 he was the first to institute the use of fingerprints and handprints as a means of identification, signing legal documents, and authenticating transactions. The fingerprint records collected at this time were used for one-to-one verification only; as a means in which records would be logically filed and searched had not yet been invented.
In 1880, Dr. Henry Fauld wrote to Sir Charles Darwin, explaining a system for classifying fingerprints, asking for his assistance in their development. Darwin was unable to assist Dr. Fauld, but agreed to forward the letter to his cousin, Sir Francis Galton. Dr. Henry Fauld and Sir Francis Galton did not engage in much correspondence, but in the following decade, they devised very similar fingerprint classification systems. It is unclear whom to credit for the classification system. However, we do know that Dr. Henry Fauld was the first European to publish the notion of scientific use of fingerprints in the identification of criminals. In 1892, Sir Francis Galton published his highly influential book, Finger Prints in which he described his classification system that include three main fingerprint patterns - loops, whorls and arches.
At the time, the alternative to fingerprints was Bertillonage, also known as Anthropometry. Developed by Alphonse Bertillon in 1879, Bertillonage consists of a meticulous method of measuring body parts for the use of identifying criminals. In1892, the British Indian police force adopted Anthropometry. Two years later, Sir Edward Henry, Inspector General of the Bengal Police in India became interested in the use of fingerprints for the use of criminal identification.
Influenced by Sir Galton’s Finger Prints, the men corresponded regularly in 1894; and in January of 1896, Sir Henry ordered the Bengali Police to collect prisoners’ fingerprints in addition to their anthropometric measurements. Expanding on Sir Galton’s classification system, Sir Henry developed the Henry Classification System between the years1896 to 1897. The Henry Classification System was to find worldwide acceptance in 1899.
In 1887 a commission was established to compare Anthropometry to the Henry Classification System. As the results were overwhelmingly in favor of fingerprints, fingerprinting was introduced to British India by the Governor General, and in 1900, replaced Anthropometry. Also in 1900, Sir Henry was sent to Natal, South Africa to assist in the reorganization of the local police force and establish a fingerprint bureau. His efforts in South Africa were highly successful; and in 1901 Sir Henry returned to Britain and was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard, head of the Criminal Investigation Department. In the same year, the first UK fingerprint bureau was established at Scotland Yard. (Harling 1996) (Met) (Early)
[edit] Explanation of the Henry Classification System
The Henry Classification System allows for logical categorization of ten-print fingerprint records into primary groupings based on fingerprint pattern types. This system reduces the effort necessary to search large numbers of fingerprint records by classifying fingerprint records according to gross physiological characteristics. Subsequent searches (manual or automated) utilizing granular characteristics such as minutiae are greatly simplified. The Henry Classification System is a method to classify fingerprints and exclude potential candidates. This system should NEVER be used for individualization.
The Henry Classification System assigns each finger a number according to the order in which is it located in the hand, beginning with the right thumb as number 1 and ending with the left pinky as number 10. The system also assigns a numerical value to fingers that contain a whorl pattern; fingers 1 and 2 each have a value of 16, fingers 3 and 4 have a value of 8, and so on, with the final two fingers having a value of 1. Fingers with a non-whorl pattern, such as an arch or loop pattern, have a value of zero. (Harling 1996). The value of 1 is added to each sum of the whorls with the maxium obtainable being 32. Thus, the primary classification is a fraction between 1/1 to 32/32 where 1/1 would indicate no whorl patterns and 32/32 would mean that all fingers had whorl patterns. (Roberts 2008)
