ABSTRACT
Biometrics is the use of unique biological measurements or features to identify individuals. Fingerprints and palm prints are common biometrics utilized in the criminal justice system. The Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) was developed to digitally store, classify, and search arrest records. The fingerprints are classified, or coded, by the computer and searched in the database. If the computer locates a candidate file with matching fingerprints, a tenprint examiner or latent print examiner will confirm the match. A tenprint examiner searches and confirms arrest records in AFIS. A latent print examiner searches unknown, latent prints in the AFIS to find exemplar prints that may have originated from the same source.
