VMD
Vacuum Metal Deposition.  Process of selective condensation of 
metals under vacuum conditions; used to visualize friction ridge 
detail.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf

A number of metals when deposited by VACUUM METAL DEPOSITION will delineate 
fingerprints on some surfaces. Some of these work as single metal treatment 
while others must be used in combination. The currently recommended combination 
is GOLD followed by ZINC.
Lead, zinc, silver, gold, magnesium and a few other metals develop fingerprints 
when deposited as single metals. Some of the known metal combinations are gold, 
silver or copper followed by cadmium or zinc.
http://www.crimetechlabs.com/vacuummetal.asp 07-17-2005

Vacuum Cyanoacrylate Ester
Fuming method, conducted under vacuum conditions, in which 
cyanoacrylate polymerizes on friction ridge residue; used to 
visualize friction ridge detail.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf

Vacuum Metal Deposition
See VMD.

Vaidya M.C.
Wrote "The Dermal Papillae and Ridge Patterns in Human Volar Skin" in 1968 with 
L.W. Chacko.

Valid
Well grounded, produced the desired results.
The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=valid

Validate
To make valid by checking the accuracy of a system. 

Validation Study
A study to assess the limitations and benefits of a process or technique in order to 
determine its usefulness.  An adequate validation study should include the process, 
comparisons to other similar processes, review of literature, limitations and values 
of the process, and documentation of the testing that validates the conclusion.

Value
The value of a friction ridge impression is determined by the context in which the term is 
used.  An impression can have identification value, exclusionary value, value for 
determining how an object was touch, value in determining if impressions were left
simultaneously, investigation value, analytical value, or probative value.  An impression 
can be of value in determining how an object was held but not have sufficient value in 
determining identity.  Additionally, an impression can have identification value but not 
probative value.

Vanderkolk, John
John Vanderkolk received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Forensic Studies and Psychology 
from Indiana University in 1979.  He worked as an Indiana State Police Trooper from 
1979-1983, became a Crime Scene Technician in 1983, and then a Criminalist (latent 
prints, footwear/tiretrack, physical comparisons) from 1984-1996.  He has been a 
Laboratory Manager/Criminalist since 1996.

John is a distinguished member (2005) of the International Association for 
Identification (IAI), and currently serves on the Editorial Review Board for the 
Journal of Forensic Identification since 1991 and the Forensic Identification Standards 
Committee.  He is also a member of the Scientific Working Group for Friction Ridge 
Analysis, Study and Technology (SWGFAST) since 1996.   John is also a member of the 
Canadian Identification Society, the Indiana Division IAI, and the Illinois Division 
IAI.

He has presented at a variety of international, national and regional seminars and has 
been published in The Journal of Forensic Identification and the Cognitive Psychology 
Journal Vision Research.  The topics include: “Ridgeology, Animal Muzzleprints and 
Human Fingerprints”, “Class Characteristics and ‘Could Be’ Results”, “Identifying 
Consecutively Made Garbage Bags Through Manufactured Characteristics”, “Forensic 
Individualization of Images Using Quality and Quantity of Information”,  “Levels of 
Quality and Quantity in Detail”, “ACE+V: A Model” and “Behavioral and 
Electrophysiological Evidence for Configural Processing in Fingerprint Experts” by Dr. 
Tom Busey, Indiana University Department of Psychology with John Vanderkolk, Vision 
Research,  45 (February, 2005) 431-448. 

Verbov, Professor Julian MD, FRCP, FRCPCH, FIBiol, FLS
Professor Julian Verbov is a Professor of Dermatology at University of Liverpool UK 
and has been a consultant to the Fingerprint Society since 1991.  His MD Thesis in 1971 
was on “Dermatoglyphics and Other Findings in Health and Disease”.  He’s author or 
contributor to well over 300 publications including 29 books and his particular specialty 
is Pediatric Dermatology.  He founded the International Journal of Pediatric Dermatology, 
was a founding father of British Pediatric Dermatology, was the past Editor in Chief of 
the British Journal of Dermatology, and was awarded the Sir Archibald Gray Medal in 
2006 by the British Association of Dermatologists for outstanding services to Dermatology.  
Professor Verbov has been the Magistrate for the City of Liverpool since 1983.  

Besides his dedication to dermatology, Professor Verbov is also a teacher in Old 
Testament Studies at the University of Liverpool, Dept. of Philosophy.  He has many 
interests including his family, classical and brass band music, editing, teaching all age 
groups, writing poetry, etymology, clichés, humour, ties and tie design, apes, and lay 
preaching.  He is often referred to as a polymath.

His publications include:
*Hypohidrotic (or Anhidrotic) Ectodermal Dysplasia – An Appraisal of Diagnostic 
Methods. Br J Dermatol 1970;83: 341—348
*Editorial: Dermatoglyphics in Medicine.  Lancet 1972;1: 417
*Anonychia with Bizarre Flexural Pigmentation – An Autosomal Dominant Dermatosis.  
Br J Dermatol 1975; 92: 469-474
*Palmar Ridge Appearances in Normal Newborn Infants, and Ridge Appearances in 
Relation to Eccrine Sweating.  Br J Dermatol 1975;93:645-648
*Mummified Skin – An Exercise in Preservation.  Int J Dermatol 1983; 22:46-60
*Many contributions to Fingerprint Whorld and lectures to Fingerprint Society.

Verification
“Verification is a form of peer review and is part of most sciences.  Many 
organizations erroneously use verification as a method of protecting against 
errors in place of adequate training.  While verification may prevent the 
occasional error, its purpose is to verify process and objectivity as opposed 
to only check results.  It is also an excellent vehicle for training.”  
David Ashbaugh, Detail 28 http://www.clpex.com

Verification insures objectivity and unbiased results, it does not insure 
accurate results or conclusions.

Proof; confirmation of a process.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press

Confirmation of an examiner's conclusion by another qualified examiner.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf

See Blind Verification and Double Blind Verification.

Vestiges
Erratic local disarrangements of ridges not conforming to 
surrounding ridge formations.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press

Virgin Islands v. Austin Jacobs (2001)
A burglary case that failed a Daubert challenge.  The judge decided to exclude 
the fingerprint testimony because the prosecutor hadn’t provided information 
to the defense to determine if the fingerprint evidence was scientifically reliable.  
The defense asked for the CV of the examiner (Maureen Richardson) and for an 
explanation of the methodology to determine if a basis and reason existed for 
the findings.  The prosecutor failed to provide these items.

Visible Light
Visible light is a series of electromagnetic wavelengths that we can see. These 
wavelengths range in frequency from 400-700nm and are seen as different colors.  
The combination of all the colors in the visible light spectrum is referred to 
as white light.  

Volar
Related to the palmar and plantar surfaces.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf

To do with the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press

Volar Pads
Palmar and plantar fetal tissue growth that affects friction ridge 
skin development and patterns.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf

Swelling of the mesenchyme cells during fetal growth.  There are 11 
volar pads are on each hand of a fetus.

Vollmer, August (1876-Nov. 4, 1955)
A Chief of Police in Los Angeles, California who started the first crime 
laboratory in the United States.  Vollmer, along with Paul Kirk, also 
established criminology and criminalistics as an academic discipline.  In 
1950 the University of California Berkeley began offering criminal justice 
degrees. 
Vollmer’s obituary appears in the January 1956 issue of Fingerprint and 
Identification Magazine.

Vucetich, Juan (AKA Vucetic, Ivan and Vucetic, Josip and Vucetic, Ivo) (1858-1925)
Working in Argentina, Vucetich is credited with deriving the classification 
system used in South America.  His classification system was originally 
called 'The Icnofalangometric(ia) system' but after some modifications the 
name was changed to 'Dactiloscopy' or 'Dactiloscopia', at the suggestion of 
another fingerprint pioneer- Dr. Francisco Latzina,.  Vucetich is also 
credited as being the first person to use a latent fingerprint to solve a 
crime.  The real person who collected the evidence and made the identification 
was Inspector Eduardo Alvarez, in 1892, but historically Vucetich is given the 
credit because it is felt that Alvarez would have never done this without the 
influence of Vucetich.  Confronted with the fingerprint evidence, Francesca 
Rojas confessed to murdering her two sons.