CRJS406 DB4 Name Class Date Professor

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) is a digital data system storing fingerprints of criminal suspects and other individual in society. The fingerprints within the system can be retrieved by police after being matched to fingerprints left at a crime scene, matched to an unknown person, or to identify the missing. Every person has a unique set of fingerprints allowing police to make a positive match. Even identical twins have different fingerprints even though they have the same DNA. Once fingerprints are collected at a crime scene or collected from an individual they are placed on a fingerprint card and submitted for a potential match. The fingerprint is run through the system and matched based on points of similarity. The system will generate the three closest matches. These three matches will then be hand compared to fingerprints available to law enforcement. When the fingerprints at the crime scene n have been developed they will also be scanned into the AFIS system to be matched against fingerprints located in the system (Rouse, 2011). The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) is an excellent tool for law enforcement. Instead of hand comparing fingerprints of known offenders to fingerprints at the scene the police can now effortlessly match these fingerprints to potential offenders across the nation. If the database was not available criminals committing crime in other jurisdictions have a better chance of getting away with the crime. Fingerprints are a valuable tool for alerting police to potential suspects in a crime. One potential disadvantage is if the suspect is not in the system there will be no match.

It is ethical to use an automated system which will provide a more accurate match. If criminals did not commit a crime they would not have to worry about their fingerprints matching. Law enforcement need tools to solve crimes. This is one of their greatest tools and should not be eliminated. It would be unethical not to use a technology that could help the police on their investigation or bring justice to a victim. Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) is an excellent tool for solving crimes but it is also important for identifying the unknown. Critics of the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) find it is a violation of the rights of the citizen. They complain the police are violating the citizens privacy by keeping their fingerprints. This is a type of governmental abuse to some people. In truth IAFIS is an amazing tool for matching suspects to crime scenes. There are more benefits than potential challenges or abuses.

References Rouse, M. (2011). Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). Retrieved October 29, 2013 from http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Automated-Fingerprint-Identific