For well over a century, fingerprinting has been the accepted verifiable method of personal identification. Early giants in the field like Francis Galton and Sir Edward Richard Henry devised manual classification of fingerprinting groups so that a match could be produced in a timely manner. It is a fundamental truth that our fingerprint patterns are unchangeable and immutable during the course of our entire lives from gestation through death.
What is Live Scan Fingerprinting?
Recently, there have been tremendous technological advances made by forensic science in the field of fingerprinting. Live Scan Fingerprinting, commonly shortened to simply Live Scan, has made its way into the public’s vernacular and onto the main stage of personal identification methodology. Live scan fingerprinting is a technological development of forensic science that makes it possible for a fingerprint to be taken electronically and sent to law enforcement for identification. Live scan fingerprinting is inkless and it captures the fingerprint digitally on a computer. The prints are then forwarded electronically to the FBI, Department of Justice or another authorized agency for a criminal background check or for other purposes.
There are major advantages to this new technology in the field of fingerprinting. First, there is no mess as with the black printer’s ink. Second, there is no chance for human and/or mechanical error as there is with the ink fingerprint method. With the traditional method of fingerprinting, human error could factor into the administration of the procedure from the rolling of the subject’s fingers to the amount of ink in the inkpad. Mistakes could also occur on the fingerprint card so that the subject is misidentified. Third, the time lapse between the actual taking of the fingerprints and their return from the processing lab could extend for as long as two months.
Live scan fingerprinting has modernized the science of taking fingerprints. Through the taking of the fingerprints digitally on a computer and the electronic transmission to a receiving agency to be verified and authenticated, the results and the fingerprints can be returned to the source within 72 hours. Most law enforcement agencies in the United States have now adopted live scan fingerprinting as their medium for personal identification.
Today, almost all states are mandating the taking of live scan fingerprinting of all applicants of positions of contact with vulnerable members of society, such as the elderly, children, the mentally ill and the physically disabled. As communities are invested in protecting these groups, Live scan fingerprinting has allowed for the quick and cost effective background checks of people coming into contact with the protected element of our society.
Surround imaging technology is yet another innovation in the realm of live scan fingerprinting. This method has created more accurate minutiae and discernable patterns and the data is easily incorporated into the automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS). The touchless 3- dimension live scan fingerprint imaging brings a simpler, more succinct and cost effective method to capturing, processing and retrieving fingerprint data.
Live scan fingerprinting has been one of the greatest advancements in the arena of personal identification and has revolutionized and modernized the science of fingerprinting.
Live Scan Locations
Are you in need of a live scan fingerprinting company that services your local area? Are you asking, where can I get a live scan? Select a link below to view the fingerprint businesses and government organizations within your state, some of which offer Live Scan in addition to the standard fingerprint services.