| Author | Message | ||
     Christopher Dean |
Why are only "some" non-criminal inked prints processed by the FBI included in the AFIS computer? | ||
| Chirstopher Dean |
Thanks for your response. Your response did make me think of another question. Why are only "some" of the non-criminal inked prints processed by the FBI included in the AFIS computer? | ||
| Webmaster |
Yes, some inked prints processed by the FBI for non-criminal purposes (including some military personnel) are online and searchable by the FBI. Because of current IAFIS accessibility parameters, these are not accessible remotely via ULW searches. Contact the FBI Latent Fingerprint Section if you have a need for such LP searches. The LPW workstations at FBI Hqtrs can access those files. Of course, any witness/victim elimination prints should be manually compared before even considering launching latent prints in IAFIS. Also, local and state AFIS databases in your region should be searched before launching into IAFIS in most instances. | ||
| Webmaster |
The FBI's national AFIS (IAFIS) is a valuable resource accessed by the FBI and by US law enforcement agencies tens of thousands of times daily for ten print and latent print purposes. It is appropriate for investigators to record your inked prints again for manual comparison against latent prints developed on the harrassing letter (for elimination of innocuous impressions). This manual comparison of persons known to have touched the document means that valuable IAFIS searches in the national computer are not wasted on innocuous elimination impressons of persons known to have touched a surface or item. Often investigators also take major case prints from witnesses/victims for elimination purposes. It sounds as if your only inconvenience in this case was inked fingerprints. Your cooperation is quietly appreciated by the rest of the law enforcement community (because any of your latent prints developed on the letter can be manually compared and eliminated... preserving IAFIS resources for more important searches). | ||
| Christopher Dean |
Recently, I turned in a "harrassing" letter I received. My employer said he was going to submit to FBI for fingerprint dusting. I had to have my fingerprints taken to eliminate mine in the testing. As a federal employee I've had my fingerprints taken before? Aren't they in the FBI AFIS computer? If so, why did I have to have my prints taken again? Is there a good possibility that if this letter was sent by a co-worker who is also a federal employee will their prints easy to match with the AFIS system? |
