Page 17 - Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS)

2 AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS

burglary, eliminating known prints such as those belonging to the home occu-
pants. Each of these examples uses biometrics.
Biometric technology is often in the news. Since the events of September 11,
2001, biometrics has become increasingly of interest as public and private offi-
cials look at various methods of making positive identifications. The need for
increased and improved security has become both a national priority and an
area of opportunity. Many readers have experienced this increased demand for
accurate personal identification firsthand when traveling on commercial flights.
All air travelers must show both a boarding pass and a photograph on a form
of government-issued identification, e.g., a driver’s license, to pass through the
airport security checkpoint. The airport Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) personnel compare the photograph on the license with the face of the
license holder in this simple form of biometric identification.
In an increasing number of situations, identity is confirmed by checking a
verbal statement of identity or information on a written submission against a
database or credential. Names on boarding passes are compared against the
name on the document; faces are compared against photographs. Baggage is
checked; packages and persons are subject to search.
More secure applications seek to connect a verbal statement or written doc-
ument with a biometric that will not only absolutely link the person with the
application, but also retrieve any personal history information stored on a
database. A person’s identity may be linked to a history of activities, as the
identification connects to a history associated with that person. A police officer
checking a driver’s license, for example, can obtain the driving record of the
holder. Any outstanding driving infractions, penalties, and convictions are
visible for the inquiring officer to review so he or she can then determine how
to proceed. To be secure, a paper form of personal identification such as a
driver’s license must include a biometric that is tamperproof and that will link
the information on the license, not just the photograph, to the person in
possession of that license. Government and industry are examining biometric
options that will make driver’s licenses more secure, for example, incorporat-
ing a biometric such as the characteristics from a finger image.
The U.S. government is also focusing on biometric methods used to identify
terrorists, produce new passports, and allow passage into the United States by
casual and business visitors. To this end, the federal government is pouring
millions of dollars into biometric applications, research, and products to
create new identification methods, revamp existing procedures, and make their
processes more interactive from a security standpoint. New methods may
include deployment of innovative software such as that used in facial recogni-
tion and improving upon technologies such as those based on fingerprints. An
example of a revamped procedure is a state identification agency moving to a