is fingerprinting real or just done on csi?

Fingerprints are very over rated. I have never seen a case solved solely on a fingerprint.

First of all, it is difficult to raise a print you can identify. Secondly, there is no automated database, so unless you have a suspect, and unless the suspect has prints already on file, they will be of no use.

Even if they find a print, if the suspect can justify his prints on scene, it will be of no value.

It depends on the police agency. Large metropolitan agencies don't have the resources to process crime scenes for minor offenses (e.g. larceny from auto). I've worked for two large police departments and the average CSI squad is about 6-8 investigators. Usually we're tied up processing homicides, arson scenes, shootings, armed robberies and the like. While we process burglaries, we only accept these kinds of cases if there are no higher priority cases pending.

Most patrol officers are trained to dust for fingerprints, but it is a time consuming process. If you want to find prints that are useful, you have to take time and care. Since patrol is just as busy as CSI, many officers choose to respond to one of the dozens of 911 calls that are waiting.

And for the record, I have thus far had two homicide cases that were solved based on latent print fingerprint evidence. Without the latent prints, there was no way to tie the suspect to the crime scene. So prints do solve cases. This is especially true of minor property crimes (like burglary) where there is no other evidence.

Most police departments still do fingerprint collection for misdemeanor's .CSI can get a fingerprint off of anything and everything, in the real world that is not true there are only a few surface's that you can get a fingerprint off of. they are then put into a database so when the police get a fingerprint form a guy they can run the print and the database will give them 10 possible matches it is then up to the detective to match the rest. So to answer you question it depends on the size of your police department as to weather they do fingerprint collection

No they do not take fingerprints for trivial **** like that. It may be a big deal to YOU but trust me there are more important things going on than your comic book collection that they have to deal with. The fingerprint thing is mainly a tv thing. It does get done in real life but for serious stuff

I take prints whenever I find them at a crime, and my prints have linked criminals to the crime resulting in a conviction.

It al boils down to policy at the PD and how much work the officer is willing to do.

Cops don't do anything with small property theft anymore. Just take the info and it's gone. They do no investigation.

They don't do fingerprinting unless there is a major crime. Assault, murder, maybe if they steal something major like a car.

Wow, thanks! Exactly what I was searching for. I tried looking for the answers on other websites but I couldn't find them.