Who is credited with the initial suggestion linking fingerprints found at crime scenes to finger impressions in a collection?

Dr. Henry Faulds is credited with the initial suggestion linking fingerprints found at crime scenes to finger impressions in a collection. In the late 19th century, Faulds, a Scottish physician, conducted research on fingerprints and recognized their uniqueness and permanence. He proposed that these unique patterns could be used for identification purposes, which was a revolutionary idea at the time.

Faulds emphasized the importance of documenting fingerprints left at crime scenes, thus laying the foundation for modern fingerprint identification processes. His work highlighted how fingerprints could be compared to known impressions, contributing significantly to the forensic science field. This connection between crime scene fingerprints and a systematic way of collecting and comparing them was a pivotal moment in forensic science.