Fingerprint analysis: frequently asked questions (2024)

FAQs

What are two limitations of fingerprint analysis? ›

There is a lack of flexibility to identify the person in case of a cut or wound or when fingerprints are smudged with dirt or grease. Fingerprint sensors are sensitive, which works in their favor if the fingers are clean, but these sensors are inefficient for industries like mining, construction, and manufacturing.

Studies Show Fingerprint Analysis Is Not 100 Percent Accurate. While people may believe that everyone has a unique fingerprint, this has never been proven, and statistical analyses have not been able to determine the probability that multiple people may have the same fingerprints.

Each fingerprint examination will result in one of the following conclusions: The fingerprint was made by (identified/individualized to) a known source (victim, suspect, etc.) The fingerprint was not made by (excluded to) a known source. The fingerprint cannot be identified or excluded to a known source (inconclusive).

Fingerprints Are Not Secure

This is one reason fingerprints have been easily planted in the scenes of a crime. People with grievances against others can decide to extract their fingerprints and plant them in the scenes of crime. This is a major flaw of fingerprint identification that has been noticed for years.

WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ERROR IN FINGERPRINT EXAMINATION? There is no agreed-upon answer to what counts as an error. Obvious errors occur when an examiner either matches a print to a person other than the one who made it or affirmatively excludes the true source of a print.

Fingerprint examiners lack objective standards for evaluating whether two prints “match.” There is simply no uniform approach to deciding what counts as a sufficient basis for making an identification.

The performance varied depending on how many fingerprints from a given individual were being matched. The best system was accurate 98.6 percent of the time on single-finger tests, 99.6 percent of the time on two-finger tests, and 99.9 percent of the time for tests involving four or more fingers.

During the past decade, several studies have been conducted to estimate the false positive error rate (FPR) associated with latent fingerprint examination. The so-called Black-box study by Ulery et al. is regularly used to support the claim that the FPR in fingerprint examination is reasonably low (0.1%).

Fingerprints do not change. However, it can be more difficult to capture our fingerprints as we age. This is because the skin loses elasticity with age, and the patterns become less prominent due to the thickening of ridges and furrows.

A trained fingerprint examiner makes that assessment by comparing details including the shapes that the ridge lines form and where the lines end or split. Latent prints are often partial, distorted or smudged, so the first step is to determine if there is sufficient detail in the latent print to make a comparison.

How long does fingerprint analysis last? ›

Once evidence is collected, the fingerprints are then analyzed using a computerized system which searches various local, state, and national fingerprint databases for a potential match. The process can take anywhere from two weeks to months depending on the circ*mstances surrounding the case.

SWGFAST states that only one of the following conclusions can be drawn based on a fingerprint comparison: identification, exclusion, or inconclusive. Fingerprint samples also have unique chemical contents that can be used to extract valuable information about the person or persons of interest.

One known flaw in fingerprinting is that examiners may taint the identification process through bias and peer pressure.

What are the limitations of fingerprint analysis? Perhaps the primary limitation of fingerprint analysis is that there must be a known print that can be compared to the collected print.

While the principle that no two people can have the same fingerprints cannot be scientifically validated, fingerprint evidence is generally considered to be highly reliable and is particularly accessible to juries: You don't need a Ph.

Another limitation of biometric systems is that unlike passwords or ID tokens, biometric characteristics cannot be reissued or cancelled. If a person's fingerprint or other physiological biometric is compromised, it can be extremely difficult – if not impossible – to change that feature.

One of the main weaknesses of fingerprints is that it is scientifically impossible to age them – you cannot identify when and how they were left.

Disadvantages of biometric authentication

Costs – Significant investment needed in biometrics for security. Data breaches – Biometric databases can still be hacked. Tracking and data – Biometric devices like facial recognition systems can limit privacy for users.

If your screen is dirty, or if there are severe scratches on the glass, then the optical fingerprint scanner will cease to be accurate. Optical fingerprint scanners require light to work, so if you're using your phone at night, unlocking it might entail annoyingly bright flashes of light.