2024 0422 Distortion Interpretation & Feature Distribution – Pensacola, FL

Hotel Information:

NOTE from host: The hotels closest to the training site are not necessarily the best choice. Recommendations are provided below:

Closer to the airport and Cordova Mall (and not in sketchy area):

• Residence Inn Pensacola Airport/Medical Center @ 6000 Cobble Creek Rd.
• Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Airport – Medical Center @ 1144 Airport Blvd.
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Pensacola – Airport @ 5049 Corporate Woods Dr.
• Hampton Inn Pensacola – Airport @ 2187 Airport Blvd

Slightly further from training site, but closer to restaurants:

• Hampton Inn & Suites Pensacola I10 North at University Town Plaza @ 7050 Plantation Rd.
• SpringHill Suites Pensacola @ 487 Creighton Rd.
• TownePlace Suites Pensacola @ 481 Creighton Rd.
• Courtyard Pensacola @ 451 Creighton Rd.

Download Class Flyer: Distortion Interpretation & Feature Distribution

Landmark-based morphometrics are quantitative methods used by scientists to study form, and variation in form, within plant and animal species. This is essentially the same method used, albeit more qualitatively, during the examination of friction ridge impressions. A key difference for friction ridge examiners is that this method must be applied along two dimensions: 1) distribution of friction ridge features within the human population (inter-source variation) and 2) variation in the recording of friction ridge skin from the same person (intra-source variation). Inter-source variation establishes the diagnosticity of the feature for establishing search parameters and determining identity. Intra-source variation establishes whether the attributes of a feature are within tolerance for having come from the same source skin.

This 4 ½ day workshop will link together the biological aspects of the skin (“morpho” of morphometric) with the geometry of the impressions of the skin (“metric” of morphometric). The estimated distributions of the features within the population will be evaluated using published research and exploring the degree of symmetry among twins and within individuals (bilateral symmetry). Assessing variation in appearance will take place along two lines of inquiry 1) skin variation due to time (e.g., aging, injury, disease) and 2) variation in appearance due to distortion during the recording of the skin on a surface.  Attendees will be able to make their own collection of distortion videos to reinforce the distortion concepts. Practical exercises will challenge the examiners to consider which features and their attributes are being compared and weighted and which distortion factors are most relevant for understanding the variation in appearance between two impressions that originated from the same source.

This workshop replaces and includes the content from Analysis of Distortion in Latent Prints.