IAFIS Database (1999-present)
In 1999, the FBI implemented the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), a computerized database that originally housed over 30 million criminal and civilian fingerprint records nationwide.
"IAFIS offers five key services. These are: However, before investigators can use IAFIS, a probable cause argument must be made in order to justify taking someone's fingerprints. This can slow down an investigation, but protects the rights of Americans.
Video of personal interview with former HPD detective Sheryl Sunia about the lengthy process of obtaining the fingerprints of prospective suspects (2013).
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Fingerprint experts talk about IAFIS' national importance.
Video from the FBI's Latent Hit of the Year (2010). The response time for IAFIS to make an accurate match is significantly less when compared to the amount of time needed under the ink and card system, resulting in an increased prosecution rate.
"Tenprint Rapsheet Request (TPRS) "...the system [is] more than 98 percent accurate and a vast improvement over manually matching fingerprint cards, a process that used to take 15 to 25 days." Today, IAFIS contains over 74 million records from state fingerprinting databases nationwide.
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