Fingerprint Matching Needs Reform
The Daily Democrat reported on research by UC Davis law professor Edward Imwinkelried, one of the nation's leading experts on scientific evidence, and biometrics expert Mike Cherry. Referencing a recently-published article on fingerprint-biometrics weaknesses in Judicature, the Daily Democrat article highlighted the co-authors' concerns over the reliability of fingerprint biometrics due to current fingerprint matching techniques and the world's growing populations.
"If we're going to rely on the computer technology for the Watch List on terrorism, when we do background checks ... we've got to have some assurance the computer system is reliably accurate," said Imwinkelried.
Imwinkelried and Cherry call for high-powered computer analysis of existing fingerprint databases -- data mining -- to detect new patterns and develop new criteria for matching fingerprints. And they urge the return to the Henry Fingerprint Classification System, which used all 10 fingers to classify an individual.
Daily Democrat/February 2, 2007
Judicature, Vol. 90, No. 2
"If we're going to rely on the computer technology for the Watch List on terrorism, when we do background checks ... we've got to have some assurance the computer system is reliably accurate," said Imwinkelried.
Imwinkelried and Cherry call for high-powered computer analysis of existing fingerprint databases -- data mining -- to detect new patterns and develop new criteria for matching fingerprints. And they urge the return to the Henry Fingerprint Classification System, which used all 10 fingers to classify an individual.
Daily Democrat/February 2, 2007
Judicature, Vol. 90, No. 2