Page 39 - Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS)

24 AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS

1.12.1 CHAPTER 2 HISTORY OF AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

Chapter 2 presents the major milestones in the development of AFIS systems.
For example, an early use of fingerprints was for “signing” a contract, while the
modern use of fingerprints includes both criminal and non-criminal applica-
tions, such as access to social services. This development was gradual. As with
other technologies, there were competing and complementary forces at work.
The ability to collect fingerprints as a form of identification was limited by a
method to classify and store these images. As classification systems developed,
so did the interest in collecting more fingerprint cards.
A unique perspective on the development of IAFIS is also included in this
chapter. Written by the director of the IAFIS, Peter T. Higgins, the section
describes how IAFIS changed the AFIS world. As will be shown, the history of
AFIS is far from over.

1.12.2 CHAPTER 3 FINGERPRINTS ARE UNIQUE

Most people have ten fingers and two palms. Each of these fingers and palms
has ridge endings, bifurcations, a pattern of ridge flow, and other characteris-
tics that make that l finger or palm image different from every other. These
images can be captured using printer’s ink and rolled onto a card stock for
examination and comparison with another set of images using magnifying
lenses, or they can be captured electronically and displayed on a monitor side-
by-side with the electronic image from a database.
Chapter 3 discusses not only the uniqueness of fingerprint images, but also
their unique application in identification. They are, for example, relatively
inexpensive to capture. At the most elementary level, only ink and paper are
required. Unlike other biometric identification technologies, the process can
continue even if required to employ manual processing. A fingerprint image
can be compared against a stack of fingerprint cards in a matter of minutes. By
contrast, DNA comparisons are totally dependent on laboratory processing and
can take days if not weeks to complete. The chapter also gives examples of why
fingerprints are both necessary and the optimum choice for certain applica-
tions. Although a person may fabricate a name, change the color of their
hair and eyes, and even change their face by surgery, they cannot change their
fingerprints.

1.12.3 CHAPTER 4 AFIS SUMMARY—HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS

Chapter 4 provides an overview of the forensic fingerprint identification
process. There are two paths: the first is for criminal tenprint applicants and