Terrorist and Criminals Fingertip Identification
FBI's Fingerprint Automated Rapid Response Database System
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Integrated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) houses some 56 million prints, plus nearly 250 million civil prints, submitted by more than 86,000 criminal justice agencies. Included are the fingerprints of 73,000 known and suspected terrorists processed by the U.S. or by foreign law enforcement agencies.
FBI's National Fingerprint and Criminal Database
The IAFIS program provides automated fingerprints search capabilities, latent searching capability, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As a result of submitting fingerprints electronically, agencies receive electronic responses to criminal ten-point fingerprint submissions within two hours and with 24 hours for civil fingerprint submissions. This is the largest biometric data base in the world, containing the fingerprints and corresponding criminal history for more than 55 million subjects in the the Criminal Master File.
Prior to establishment of the biometric database, it could take as long as three months to make the matches. By forming a partnership with the law enforcement community, which revitalized the fingerprint identification process, this makes it possible for them to identify suspects while still in police custody.
Five Key IAFIS Services
There are five key services provided that include:
- The ten-print based fingerprint identification, a ten-print submission that contains ten-rolled fingerprint impressions and corresponding flat fingerprint impressions.
- Criminal ten-print fingerprint submission which are acquired as a result of an arrest at the city, county, state or federal level. Fingerprints are processed locally and then electronically forwarded to a state or other federal agency system for processing.
- Civil ten-print fingerprint submissions are related to a background check for employment, licensing, and other non-criminal justice purposes whether authorization by federal or state law and in compliance with the appropriate regulations.
- Latent fingerprint services provide support for both electronic and hard copy submissions using specially designed systems for matching purposes.
- Subject search and criminal history services is a national system designed to provide automated Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) that it stores of federal offenders.
- Communities protected by IAFIS program.
Recent cases announced by the FBI showing how IAFIS works include:
- Texas Rangers reported four suspicious individuals along a remote part of the U.S.-Mexican border to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs took the four men into custody, and after determining they were in the U.S. illegally, took their fingerprints and sent them electronically to IAFIS, There was one hit, a man wanted on a murder charge in North Carolina.
- In Virginia, a federal program giving credentials to transportion workers sent a potential employee prints to IAFIS. He was wanted by Miami police for murder.
- Police in New York City arrested an assault. After his fingerprints were sent to IAFIS, it was found that he was wanted by authorities in Pennsylvania on murder charges and also by the FBI for unlawful flight.
- Border Patrol working at a point of entry along the California-Mexico border became suspicious about a man coming from Mexico who claimed to be a U.S. citizen but had no identification. After his prints were sent to IAFIS it was found that he was wanted by Los Angeles police on murder, rape and burglary charges.
Eventually the IAFIS program will incorporate additional biometrics such as iris, facial imaging and palm prints to enhance identification of terrorists and criminals. Meanwhile, the FBI it is already finding it a fantastic watchdog tool in support of its criminal justice and the war on terror.
Fingerpring Identification
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