Page 155 - Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS)

140 AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS

Figure 6.5
Single-Finger Reader

students who had their lunch subsidized would also have their lunch charged
to their accounts, but the subsidy would cover the costs. The students’ identi-
ties were authenticated by their finger image and PIN. The benefits of such a
program include the following:

• It is less obvious which students have subsidized lunches, often a sensitive
topic.
• More students who are eligible for subsidized lunches will purchase lunch.
• The PIN combined with a finger image reduces or eliminates fraud.
• Fewer opportunities for theft because less cash changes hands.
• Students do not need to carry their lunch money.

There are a growing number of businesses that are based on fingerprint tech-
nology. The May 2004 issue of Entrepreneur magazine lists the 50 top companies
that started franchising since 1999. One of the top ten companies in this list
provides children’s identification products and services. 2
In both forensic and civil applications, there is an increasing need to prove
identity. Whether to confirm a background check following an arrest, to ensure
that a job applicant has no past event that may preclude hiring, or to provide
confirmation that a person is eligible for social benefits, AFIS systems will con-
tinue to evolve.

6.4 OTHER FRONTIERS
6.4.1 MULTIPLE AGENCIES SHARING AFIS TECHNOLOGY: WIN

When AFIS systems are networked together, it allows many smaller organiza-
tions the ability to pool their resources and create what becomes a much larger
system in the end. In the mid-1980s, a number of western U.S. states and com-
munities realized the need for AFIS, but were such small populations that it did
not make sense for them to have individual installations. They worked together
2 Entrepreneur, May 2004, p. 96.