Latent Print Services
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) latent services provide authorized criminal justice agencies with the ability to search latent prints left at crime scenes against a centralized national fingerprint repository. The IAFIS returns a list of potential candidates with corresponding fingerprint images and other related information for comparison purposes. The IAFIS also provides users with the ability to deposit unidentified latent prints into an Unsolved Latent File (ULF). The IAFIS currently cascades searches against the ULF for all newly submitted criminal retain and select criminal inquiry type submissions, as well as submissions with image quality upgrades. This "reverse search" process provides the potential to offer candidates from recent arrests and inquiries as matches to previously unsolved latent fingerprint cases.
In April 2013, the Next Generation Identification (NGI) Increment 3 will be deployed. The NGI Increment 3 implementation will improve the latent investigative search capabilities and deploy the National Palm Print System (NPPS). This incremental delivery will significantly increase the search accuracy for latent investigative searches, increase examiner workload efficiency, expand the ULF cascaded search record types, and search all event fingerprints rather than the composite fingerprint set currently searched by IAFIS. The NPPS provides an additional automation tool for local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies to solve crime through the search of this centralized national palmprint repository. In addition, the Universal Latent Workstation Software has been upgraded to support Increment 3 capabilities.
Guidelines for Capturing Palmprints and Supplementals
The FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) palmprint and supplemental print (i.e., lower joints and extreme tips of the fingers) searching capabilities are scheduled to be operational in April 2013. Please note that the PALMPRINT CARD FD-884 (REV. 7-2-10) and the SUPPLEMENTATL FINGER AND PALMPRINT CARD FD-884a (REV. 7-2-10) have been revised and may be ordered electronically at www.FBI.gov.
To increase accuracy, please review the "Guidelines for Capturing Palmprints and Supplementals" when printing and submitting palm & supplemental prints to the FBI.
ULW Software
The Universal Latent Workstation (ULW) is interoperable and interactive software for latent print examiners. The software improves the exchange and search of latent friction ridge images involving various Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems and the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) with a single encoding. This software is provided at no cost to authorized criminal justice agencies.
Additional Links
NGI WebSite
IAFIS WebSite
Biometric Center of Excellence