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Filing Sequence


The sequence must be arranged properly at all times to make possible

the most accurate work. Prints are sequenced and filed in this order,

according to:



I. Primary:



1 32.

- to --

1 32



In the primary classification the denominator remains constant until

all numerator figures have been exhausted from 1 to 32. All prints

with the primar
1 over 1 are filed together. These are followed by 2

over 1, 3 over 1, 4 over 1, etc., until 32 over 1 is reached. The next

primary is 1 over 2, then 2 over 2, etc., until 32 over 2 is reached.

Eventually, through the use of each denominator figure and the

elimination of each numerator over each denominator, the 32 over 32

primary will be reached.



Even in the smaller collections of fingerprints, it will be found that

the groups which are arranged under the individual primaries filed in

sequence, from 1 over 1 to 32 over 32, will be too voluminous for

expeditious searching.



II. Secondary:



A. Secondary small-letter group:



A rW3r.

- to ----

A rW3r



Most intricate of all the individual sequences is the small-letter

sequence. It is less difficult if the following method is used:



1. Sequence according to the patterns in the index fingers, grouped



A W.

- to -

A W



When small letters are present, there are 25 possible combinations

which can appear in the index fingers. They are as follows:



A T R U W

- - - - -

A A A A A



A T R U W

- - - - -

T T T T T



A T R U W

- - - - -

R R R R R



A T U R W

- - - - -

U U U U U



A T U R W

- - - - -

W W W W W



2. Within each group sequence:



a. The denominator, by--



(1) Count of the small letters (lesser preceding the greater).



(2) Position of the small letters (those to the left preceding those

to the right).



(3) Type of small letter (sequence a, t, r).



b. The numerator, by--



(1) Count.



(2) Position.



(3) Type.



Thus



A T

- precedes -

A A



A A

--- precedes ---

rAt A3t



A A

-- precedes --

aA Aa



A A

-- precedes --

At Ar



aA aAa

--- precedes ---

aAr aAr



rA Ar

---- precedes ----

aA2a aA2a



aAtat aAtar

----- precedes -----

tA3r tA3r



The following table represents the full sequence of the denominator of

the group having A over A in the index fingers. The full sequence as

listed may be used as the numerator for each denominator as set out

below. Following the group with A over A in the index fingers is the

group with T over A in the index fingers, the sequence being the same

otherwise. Then R over A, U over A, A over T to rW3r over rW3r.



A tAra aA2at tA2tr

aA tArt aA2ar tAtra

tA tA2r aAata tAtrt

rA rA2a aAa2t tAt2r

Aa rAat aAatr tAr2a

At rAar aAara tArat

Ar rAta aAart tArar

aAa rA2t aAa2r tArta

aAt rAtr aAt2a tAr2t

aAr rAra aAtat tArtr

tAa rArt aAtar tA2ra

tAt rA2r aA2ta tA2rt

tAr A3a aA3t tA3r

rAa A2at aA2tr rA3a

rAt A2ar aAtra rA2at

rAr Aata aAtrt rA2ar

A2a Aa2t aAt2r rAata

Aat Aatr aAr2a rAa2t

Aar Aara aArat rAatr

Ata Aart aArar rAara

A2t Aa2r aArta rAart

Atr At2a aAr2t rAa2r

Ara Atat aArtr rAt2a

Art Atar aA2ra rAtat

A2r A2ta aA2rt rAtar

aA2a A3t aA3r rA2ta

aAat A2tr tA3a rA3t

aAar Atra tA2at rA2tr

aAta Atrt tA2ar rAtra

aA2t At2r tAata rAtrt

aAtr Ar2a tAa2t rAt2r

aAra Arat tAatr rAr2a

aArt Arar tAara rArat

aA2r Arta tAart rArar

tA2a Ar2t tAa2r rArta

tAat Artr tAt2a rAr2t

tAar A2ra tAtat rArtr

tAta A2rt tAtar rA2ra

tA2t A3r tA2ta rA2rt

tAtr aA3a tA3t rA3r



B. Secondary loop and whorl group:



R W.

- to -

R W



When no small letters are present, there are 9 possible combinations

which can appear in the index fingers. They are as follows:



R U W

- - -

R R R



R U W

- - -

U U U



R U W

- - -

W W W



At this point it is well to note that it may be preferable in some

instances where small files are concerned to use only a portion of the

classification formula in the filing sequence. In such cases, only

those parts of the filing sequence which are necessary should be used

along with the final and key.



III. Subsecondary:



III OOO.

--- to ---

III OOO



The sequence of the subsecondary is as follows:



III IIM IIO IMI IMM IMO IOI

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

III III III III III III III



IOM IOO MII MIM MIO MMI MMM

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

III III III III III III III



MMO MOI MOM MOO OII OIM OIO

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

III III III III III III III



OMI OMM OMO OOI OOM OOO OOO,

--- --- --- --- --- --- etc., to ---

III III III III III III OOO



each numerator in turn becoming the denominator for the complete

sequence of numerators as listed above.



IV. Major:



The following sequence is used when loops appear in both thumbs:



S M L S M L S M L

- - - - - - - - -

S S S M M M L L L



When whorls appear in both thumbs the sequence is:



I M O I M O I M O

- - - - - - - - -

I I I M M M O O O



When a whorl appears in the right thumb and a loop in the left, the

sequence is:



I M O I M O I M O

- - - - - - - - -

S S S M M M L L L



When a loop appears in the right thumb and a whorl in the left, the

sequence is:



S M L S M L S M L

- - - - - - - - -

I I I M M M O O O



V. Second Subsecondary:



SSS LLL.

--- to ---

SSS LLL



The sequence for filing the second subsecondary is as follows:



SSS SSM SSL SMS SMM SML

--- --- --- --- --- ---

SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS



SLS SLM SLL MSS MSM MSL

--- --- --- --- --- ---

SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS



MMS MMM MML MLS MLM MLL

--- --- --- --- --- ---

SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS



LSS LSM LSL LMS LMM LML

--- --- --- --- --- ---

SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS



LLS LLM LLL, LLL,

--- --- --- etc., to ---

SSS SSS SSS LLL



each group of the numerator becoming in turn the denominator for the

complete sequence of numerators as listed above.



VI. W C D X Extensions:



W xX3x.

- to ----

W xX3x



The sequence is as follows: Prints with c, d, or x in any finger

other than the index fingers constitute the small-letter group. A

sample of the sequence follows:



W cWc xWd Wdx

cW cWd xWx Wxc

dW cWx W2c Wxd

xW dWc Wcd W2x

Wc dWd Wcx cW2c

Wd dWx Wdc cWcd

Wx xWc W2d cWcx



As may be readily seen, the sequence proceeds in the same fashion as

the a, t, r, small-letter sequence.



VII. Special Loop Extension used by the Federal Bureau of

Investigation:



111 777.

--- to ---

111 777



The following is a partial sequence for filing this extension:



111 112 113 114 115 116 117

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



121 122 123 124 125 126 127

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



131 132 133 134 135 136 137

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



141 142 143 144 145 146 147

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



151 152 153 154 155 156 157

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



161 162 163 164 165 166 167

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111



171 172 173 174 175 176 177 777.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- etc., to ---

111 111 111 111 111 111 111 777



No matter how many of these divisions may be used, the order should

remain the same; and no matter how many of these divisions are used,

each individual group should be sequenced by:



VIII. Final:



Filed in numerical sequence from 1 out. For example, assume that there

are 15 prints in a group having a final of 14. All of these should be

filed together and followed by those prints in the same group having a

final of 15, etc.



IX. Key:



All prints appearing in a designated final group are arranged by key

in numerical sequence from 1 out. For example, assume that there are 5

prints in a group having a key of 14. All of these should be filed

together and followed by those prints in the same group having a key

of 15, etc.



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