Dactyloscopy as evidence in uncovering serial murder: A legal review of reliability, accountability, and procedural fairness

Abstract

Background: The identification of corpses through dactyloscopy is not only a crucial forensic instrument but also a legally recognized form of evidence within the criminal justice system (cf. Article 184 of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code/KUHAP), particularly in the resolution of complex serial murder cases. This study examines the application of dactyloscopy and the perceptions of 30 forensic investigators regarding its effectiveness, with emphasis on its implications for evidentiary reliability, admissibility, and procedural fairness. Methods: Data were collected through structured surveys administered before and after an intervention involving updated training and access to Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) technology. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to evaluate perceptions of effectiveness, technological access, operational challenges, and training needs, insofar as these factors bear on the probative strength of fingerprint evidence at trial. Findings: Most investigators regarded dactyloscopy as a highly effective method of post-mortem identification, satisfying the evidentiary requirements set out in Article 7(f) of the KUHAP and Article 15 of Law No. 22 of 2002 on the National Police, which vest investigators with the authority to collect and examine fingerprints. Statistically significant improvements in perception were found following the intervention, and confidence in dactyloscopy's effectiveness increased with professional experience, indicating that examiner competence is itself a determinant of the evidentiary weight fingerprint findings carry in court. Conclusion: Although dactyloscopy is considered effective for corpse identification, challenges such as fingerprint degradation, limited technological access, and the need for further training must be addressed to strengthen the reliability, admissibility, and procedural fairness of fingerprint evidence within criminal justice processes. Novelty/Originality of this article: This article offers a legal-empirical contribution by linking forensic investigators' perceptions of dactyloscopy to evidentiary reliability, procedural fairness, and forensic admissibility in serial murder investigations, addressing a gap in a literature that has so far been dominated by purely technical-forensic perspectives.