Why Fingerprints are the Gold Standard for Identification

 Fingerprints are the most reliable method of personal identification; popularly used from over a century to identify criminals and solve criminal cases. However, the advent of Live Scan, Los Angeles has eliminated the use of the traditional inking method.

Traditional Fingerprinting

Back in the past, the fingers of the applicant were first cleaned with alcohol to remove the sweat and then dried thoroughly prior to the fingerprinting process. Each finger was then dipped in ink and impressions were taken on cards by pressing the finger from one side of the nail to the other. They are known as rolled fingerprints. The impressions of all fingers on each hand would then be taken on the card to verify the rolled fingerprints. These were carefully stored and used for identification in future to match fingerprints retrieved at crime sites etc.

Well, the traditional inking method was replaced in the recent past by digital fingerprinting. Live scanners are now used to capture and transmit fingerprints in a digitized format. The applicant places his or her fingers on an optical or silicon reader which converts the fingerprints to a digitized format and transmits the same to the DOJ or FBI for screening. The new process has eliminated the mess and reduced the time for capturing and screening fingerprints significantly.

Fingerprints have successfully aided law enforcement agencies in solving thousands of cases and nabbing criminals. Thanks to the uniqueness of an individual’s fingerprints, they are now an integral part of the pre-employment process too. Fingerprint based background check is mandatory in some industries, to ensure a safe work environment. For instance: Unscrupulous and fraudulent people with a criminal record can cause harm when employed as caretakers for the elderly or kids. A person with a past record of misrepresentation can be harmful in any working environment. To save themselves from unsafe and nasty experiences, many employers have now included fingerprint based background check in the pre-employment process.

Why Fingerprints?

Many people ask why fingerprinting is treated as the gold standard for personal identification.

Here’s why.

• Fingerprints have helped governments across the world in providing precise identification. Research conducted on billions of fingerprints as proved that chances of any two fingerprints being the same isnegligible. 

• For over a century, fingerprints have been used by governments as a reliable method. In fact, fingerprint identification has outnumbered many other forensic examinations put together.
• This method is relatively inexpensive for personal identification, when compared with other methods like DNA etc.

Fingerprinting is therefore, the most trusted method for personal identification. Applicants, when requested to capture fingerprints must visit a live scan kiosk to get their fingers captured.

One such center is Anshin Mobile Notary & Live Scan, which provides exceptional customer services.

For further details, contact them at www.anshinotary.com