Which of the following is NOT a basic guideline for preserving fingerprints?

• A. Expose items to heat to reveal prints
• B. Avoid touching anything that may contain fingerprints
• C. Preserve items in a well packaged container
• D. Send fingerprints to lab for analysis

Answer: (A)

Preserving fingerprints is about keeping the evidence in its original state and preventing any change or contamination. Exposing items to heat is not a preservation step because heat can alter or destroy the ridge details that define a fingerprint, making them less reliable or impossible to recover. While heat-based development methods exist, they are part of the discovery process, not how you preserve the prints for storage and future analysis.

The other practices fit preservation goals: avoiding contact to prevent smudges or oils from hands; packaging items securely to protect them from damage, moisture, and loss; and sending prints to a lab for analysis as part of proper handling and chain of custody after preservation.