Published February 8, 2018

 

“AFIS”, I’m sure you’ve all seen it at some point. “AFIS came back negative” or “AFIS matched latent R1 to…” or even, “AFIS reports a possible identification to…”, but what is AFIS? From the way it appears in reports and notes you’d swear that it was a computer check not unlike a CPIC or an NCIC check. The reality is something quite different. AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) is in fact a computer system, more precisely a biometric computer system. In Canada there is a national AFIS run by the RCMP in Ottawa and there are several regional and local systems as well.

Each of these systems is fed by a network of live scan and/or card scan systems where people have their finger and palm prints scanned into a computer record. If the person is being fingerprinted because of an indictable criminal charge, the record may go on to form or be added to their criminal history. Once the acquisition of the record is complete it is sent off for a search where it is compared to all other known records on the database and all unresolved crime scene prints on the database. The known print record is compared to all known print database records to ensure the individual’s identity credentials are correct. The system will return a narrative to the point of origin, usually a live scan system, with the results of the check. It will provide any personal
information it finds as well as the number of any criminal/refugee claimant file it matches to. It is up to the person receiving this information to validate this information as best as they can.
The known print record is also compared to all unresolved crime prints that exist on the database.

Any print that achieves or exceeds the minimum mathematical score threshold to another database record is put into a queue that will be examined by a qualified latent print examiner.
This person is a fingerprint expert and undertakes the ACE-V (Analyze, Compare, Evaluate and Verification) process for each candidate returned by the system. If there is a match the examiner
will forward the information through their agency’s reporting mechanism. In Canada, this is done through the RCMP. It is not uncommon for the agency submitting the known record to be
different from the agency who submitted the crime scene record.

Most major agencies in Canada employ people to analyze and encode their agency’s suitable latent crime prints. These prints are searched through and/or are saved to the national database in
Ottawa. This is often done through a gateway node of the national AFIS system called a transcoder. The person responsible for this function is an expert that determines suitability and
sufficiency of the latent print and will compare the results of the AFIS search using the ACE-V process. If a match occurs, it will be reported through the agency’s reporting mechanism.
Usually the forensic identification officer receives the information and as they developed the crime scene print they will be responsible for any subsequent Court process.
AFIS reporting

Currently, there is a debate as to if or who should provide documentation for these processes. Many agencies do not want to keep notes about their AFIS searching activities. They usually cite
things like “time constraints” and they sometimes conceptualize whether it is necessary as they are seldom, if ever, asked for such documentation. Documentation and transparency are an expectation in today’s world. Most of the time this documentation would just strengthen the identification being reported. In my opinion, these notes should be both taken and provided. As everyone performing the AFIS role is an expert, their activities and their opinion matter. Questions about AFIS or AFIS processes that arise in Court proceedings should be answered by the AFIS expert in your case and not the forensic identification officer who was provided with the identity information via the AFIS expert. The AFIS expert is trained and certified to use this equipment, what better person to answer the questions?

In addition to the notes of the AFIS expert there are system generated records that address everything from candidate lists to screen images. This information can be essential especially if
the record matched should not have been on the database. This can occur for any number of reasons.

Another compelling reason for AFIS notes comes from a personal experience. I have had the experience where I, as an AFIS person, reported an inconclusive decision and somehow the
inconclusive decision became an identification in the hands of the forensic identification officer. Without notes how would anyone know?

In recent times we are seeing a troubling AFIS reporting trend that was started south of the border. Certain AFIS agencies are now reporting “possible identifications”. I believe it was born
out of a fear of liability and a fear of having to attend Court to explain AFIS processes, sometimes in distant places. But whatever the reason the wording dilutes the result. Remember
what I said about AFIS people being experts? When one expert reports a possible identification, and another reports a positive identification who do you believe? I’m sure there are people much
smarter than I that will find a way to capitalize on that differentiation in the not too distant future.

So, there you have it, AFIS is not just a computer check. It is a biometric computer system that is used by experts. The next time you see AFIS in your case documentation be sure to ask where is
the disclosure from the AFIS person in your case? You may be glad you did.

Shane Turnidge
www.sstforensics.com