What type of evidence can fingerprints on personal items provide?

Fingerprints on personal items serve as direct evidence of a subject's presence at a particular location. When a fingerprint is found on an object, it can be conclusively tied to an individual, establishing that they handled or came into contact with that item. This type of evidence is crucial in various investigations, particularly in crime scenes, as it can link a suspect to a location or a piece of evidence in a straightforward manner.

Understanding this significance means recognizing how fingerprints are unique to each person, making them reliable indicators of who may have been present. The ability to match a fingerprint to a specific person provides law enforcement with a strong connection to the case at hand, aiding in further investigative actions or legal proceedings.