Which of the following lists the three types of fingerprint evidence?

• A. Latent, Patent, Visible
• B. Latent, Patent, Plastic
• C. Latent, Plastic, Visible
• D. Patent, Latent, Plastic

Answer: (B)

The main idea is understanding how fingerprints are categorized by how they appear and where they are found. Fingerprint evidence is traditionally grouped into three types: latent, patent, and plastic. Latent prints are invisible to the naked eye and require development with powders or chemicals to become visible. Patent prints are already visible because a substance on the finger—like ink, dirt, or blood— transfers a clear mark to a surface. Plastic prints are three-dimensional impressions left in soft materials such as clay, wax, or soap. This combination—latent, patent, and plastic—covers the three distinct ways fingerprints can be encountered at a crime scene. Other options mix in terms like visible, which is not considered a separate category from patent in standard classifications, or replace plastic with visible, which would omit the soft-material impression type.