Florida Crime Fingerprinting and Photographing PDF

Lesson 3 Finger and Palm Printing and Photographing Lesson Goal You will be able to take quality finger and palm prints and photograph inmates for identifica- tion and criminal history. Think About This An inmate’s fingerprints were taken to verify her identity. However, the prints were not c...

Lesson 3 Finger and Palm Printing and Photographing Lesson Goal You will be able to take quality finger and palm prints and photograph inmates for identifica- tion and criminal history. Think About This An inmate’s fingerprints were taken to verify her identity. However, the prints were not clear, and she was missing a finger. What would happen if these prints were submitted? Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC)/National Crime Information Center (NCIC) The Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) is Florida’s law enforcement or criminal justice infor- mation system. It maintains a computerized filing system of documented criminal justice informa- tion available to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. FCIC also is the central repository for all criminal history records in the state of Florida, including wanted person information, miss- ing person information, probation information, and information on offenders of special concern. ✅ CO503.1. Know the information available in the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) FCIC criminal histories contain the following information for people who have been arrested in Florida: personally identifiable information (PII)—name, race, sex, date of birth, Social Security number, and aliases Florida arrest and registration history—Offender Based Tracking System (OBTS) number, date of arrest, county in which the arrest(s) occurred, arresting agency, and charge information disposition of arrest—convictions, adjudication withheld, etc. This information is not always available for all arrests. This information is in turn forwarded to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the elec- tronic clearinghouse of crime data maintained by the FBI, where it becomes available for nation- wide access by the law enforcement and criminal justice community. NCIC provides criminal justice agencies access to criminal history records of all people arrested in the United States and its territories, including wanted persons’ information (warrants nationwide). Chapter 5 Intake and Release / 145 NCIC assigns the arrestee an FBI number which, when entered into the system, provides informa- tion on a specific person such as: PII arrest(s) for a person in the United States or its territories location of arrest (county and state) arresting agency date of arrest disposition of arrest—this information is not always available for all arrests. ✅ CO503.2. Know the legal requirements when using FCIC/NCIC information Legal requirements regarding the use of FCIC/NCIC information include the following: certification—all persons, officers, or civilians using FCIC/NCIC must be certified. Unless certified, an individual cannot use or even access the FCIC/NCIC database. restriction—information obtained from FCIC/NCIC is for criminal justice purposes only and should not be used for personal reasons. You cannot use the system to check on family, friends, or co-workers. confidentiality—information obtained from FCIC/NCIC is confidential and is for criminal justice purposes only. Someone outside the agency may receive certain background infor- mation through a paid public records request; however, they are not entitled to everything that appears on an FCIC/NCIC printout or record. It is important to search both FCIC and NCIC when attempting to identify an inmate, as they may have a criminal record in Florida or another state. When checking for criminal history information using FCIC/NCIC, search with as much information as possible. Finger and Palm Printing Fingerprint identification is the biometric standard used in the criminal justice system. Fingerprint patterns or friction ridges are unique for each individual. The friction ridge is a raised portion of skin on the fingers and palm of a hand that consists of connected ridge units. Fingerprints and palm prints are taken in the field and upon intake/reception to establish or verify the identity of a person. Fingerprints and palm prints are submitted to FDLE electronically via a Biometric Identification Solutions (BIS) LiveScan machine where they are searched against state and national fingerprint databases to identify an individual. 146 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1 ✅ CO503.3. Obtain quality industry standard finger and palm prints To capture prints at a LiveScan electronic submission machine, the fingers are rolled on a clean glass plate where each finger is scanned. The better the quality of the prints, the greater the chance that the person will be properly identified. To obtain industry standard quality prints that are sufficient to identify a person, consider the following tips: Roll each finger and thumb from nail to nail, then lift up and away to avoid smudging the print on the glass. Make sure the fingerprint pattern is clearly visible on the screen. Moisten a too-dry hand with water or rub against oily surfaces such as a forehead (never use lotion). Wipe a too-moist hand with a cloth. Avoid applying too much or too little pressure, which will diminish the quality of prints. Roll prints so that they have sharp black ridges and no smudges. Capture palm impressions from the surface of the hand from fingertips down to the wrist. Place prints in proper spaces and within the borders on the livescan machine glass plate. Include the proper notations where applicable (missing finger, extra finger, bandaged). Complete all PII information fully and accurately. Fingers or palms must be clean and dry before fingerprinting. Depending on the officer’s prefer- ence, the person should stand to the right or rear of the officer taking the prints. The weight of the finger or palm is enough to make an impression; the finger does not have to be pressed down hard. Remember officer safety when taking prints. Keep a good grip on the hand being rolled and be aware of the person’s other hand and their movements throughout the process. Figures 5-1 through 5-3 Taking fingerprints electronically Chapter 5 Intake and Release / 147 Biometric Identification Solution (BIS) and LiveScan Machines ✅ CO503.4. Understand the importance of the Biometric Identification Solution, LiveScan, and Rapid ID technologies as they apply to criminal justice agencies FDLE’s identification unit receives electronically submitted fingerprints through the LiveScan machine located at each criminal justice facility. The electronic system will match prints to an existing state identification number, known as a SID. If no match is found, then the system will automatically generate a new SID, indicating the person is a first-time arrestee, thus establishing their criminal history record. Many people will attempt to disassociate themselves from their records by complet- ing official name changes or by providing aliases to avoid a new arrest. These attempts are docu- mented in the PII of the record. The information generated by BIS is only as accurate as the data submitted by the officers. The quality of fingerprints rolled on the LiveScan is very important for making a correct match. If the BIS database cannot read the fingerprint, it will not be able to make a positive identification. Modern LiveScan technology is designed to assist in fingerprint identification by performing checks to ensure accuracy and completeness of image quality and accompanying information. However, booking officers are ultimately responsible for the value of fingerprints taken on the LiveScan. Many agencies in the state now confirm an inmate’s identity with a Rapid ID device—a small, often portable fingerprint scanner using less than 10 prints. Rapid ID processes a print quickly with end- to-end transaction times averaging around one minute. If identification is made, the SID number is returned, as well as the inmate’s name and date of birth. Depending upon the device settings, it may also return other information, such as a Florida criminal history and a wanted person check. Inked Finger or Palm Prints The same principles of capturing finger or palm prints when using a BIS LiveScan machine apply when taking inked prints. Paper card submissions are used for the purposes of arrest, mandatory background checks, or personal identification and are submitted to FDLE through the postal service. ✅ CO503.5. Know where signatures are required on a fingerprint or palm print card Record personal information about the inmate on the card; this may include name, race, sex, birth date, Social Security number, criminal charges, and the local case number. Both the inmate and the officer taking the finger or palm prints are required to sign the finger or palm print card in the spaces provided: the inmate signs on the front; you will print and sign your name on the back. Follow specific agency policies and procedures when capturing finger or palm prints. Photographing ✅ CO503.6. Know the requirements for photographing an inmate Photographs taken at intake or reception provide a visual record of each inmate and are submit- ted to FDLE electronically, along with finger and palm prints, as required by s. 943.052, F.S. When capturing, transmitting, and submitting facial images to FDLE, it is highly recommended that the 148 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1 national standards and best practice guidelines compiled by the Facial Identification Scientific Working Group (FISWG) be followed. Basic good practices include making sure the inmate’s eyes are open and that their hair is not obstructing the full view of their face. Photographs should be taken from the front and from the side. It is important to photograph any bruising, injuries, bandages, or medical conditions that are present. Other photographs may also include tattoos, distinguishing scars, or marks helpful in iden- tifying an individual. Scars, marks, or tattoos are also used to help identify members or affiliates of security threat groups (STGs). You will learn about security threat groups in Chapter 7. ✅ CO503.7. Know what information to include when generating an inmate identification wristband or ID card Inmate photographs may be used to generate an identification wristband or ID card. Most IDs are printed from a computer and often have the inmate’s photo, sex, race, date of birth, and agency- generated identification number. Inmate identification will be displayed at all times the inmate is dressed. Chapter 5 Intake and Release / 149