presented by robert carpenter uci undergraduate research symposium may 14, 2005

Presented by Robert Carpenter Presented by Robert Carpenter UCI Undergraduate Research SymposiumUCI Undergraduate Research Symposium

May 14, 2005May 14, 2005

Example cases of fingerprint misidentification:Example cases of fingerprint misidentification:

After serving six years of a 35 year sentence for allegedly After serving six years of a 35 year sentence for allegedly shooting a police officer in 1998, on January 23, 2004 a 33-shooting a police officer in 1998, on January 23, 2004 a 33-year old (Stephan Cowan), was freed after prosecutors year old (Stephan Cowan), was freed after prosecutors learned that a fingerprint used in his trial belonged to learned that a fingerprint used in his trial belonged to someone else.someone else.

After the fingerprint analysis of a detonator bag from theAfter the fingerprint analysis of a detonator bag from the Madrid train bombings, the FBI announced, “The FBIMadrid train bombings, the FBI announced, “The FBI lab stands by their conclusion of a 100 percent positivelab stands by their conclusion of a 100 percent positive identification (of American lawyer Brandon Mayfield).”identification (of American lawyer Brandon Mayfield).” Within the month a federal court threw out the case Within the month a federal court threw out the case againstagainst him. The FBI expressed regret for a fingerprinthim. The FBI expressed regret for a fingerprint identification error that led to his arrest. identification error that led to his arrest.

158 people have been EXONERATED158 people have been EXONERATED and released from prison after their cases and released from prison after their cases have been proven by DNA to have been have been proven by DNA to have been miscarriages of justice. miscarriages of justice. www.InnocenceProject.org May 1, www.InnocenceProject.org May 1, 20052005

Many of these people were releasedMany of these people were released from death row.from death row.

How many inmates are imprisonedHow many inmates are imprisoned because of “mistakes” made duringbecause of “mistakes” made during fingerprint identification?fingerprint identification?

When examining the prints of a When examining the prints of a subject, how many points are lost in subject, how many points are lost in a latent print as opposed to the a latent print as opposed to the points in the rolled print? points in the rolled print?

Does the retraining of personnel Does the retraining of personnel increase the quality of processing for increase the quality of processing for both rolled and latent prints?both rolled and latent prints?

When evaluating the points of When evaluating the points of identification of a subject’s fingerprints, identification of a subject’s fingerprints, there will be fewer than half of the there will be fewer than half of the identification points in the latent print identification points in the latent print when compared to those found in the when compared to those found in the rolled print. rolled print.

Retraining personnel will increase the Retraining personnel will increase the quality of processing both rolled and latent quality of processing both rolled and latent prints, creating more points of prints, creating more points of identification.identification.

Belief that fingerprints are unique to each Belief that fingerprints are unique to each person dates back thousands of years. person dates back thousands of years.

They have been used for over a century to They have been used for over a century to convict suspects. convict suspects.

They have been used as the ultimate, They have been used as the ultimate, indisputable form of identification, without indisputable form of identification, without serious scrutiny of the process.serious scrutiny of the process.

There has been a lack of standardized There has been a lack of standardized training.training.

Latent PrintLatent PrintA fingerprint made by deposits of oils A fingerprint made by deposits of oils

and/or perspiration, not usually visible to the and/or perspiration, not usually visible to the human eye.human eye.

Rolled PrintRolled Print When the pad of a finger is inked andWhen the pad of a finger is inked and

rolled on a fingerprint card.rolled on a fingerprint card.

Campus of the University of Campus of the University of California, IrvineCalifornia, Irvine

Chosen for convenienceChosen for convenience Researcher accessResearcher access Availability of subjectsAvailability of subjects Financial considerationsFinancial considerations Availability of the AFIX Tracker SoftwareAvailability of the AFIX Tracker Software

AFIX Tracker AFIX Tracker

Gender: Females 366, Males 157Gender: Females 366, Males 157 Participants in the subject pool were Participants in the subject pool were

volunteers who receive class credit.volunteers who receive class credit. Consent forms were signed prior to the Consent forms were signed prior to the

administration of fingerprint processing.administration of fingerprint processing. Subjects were briefed at the time of the Subjects were briefed at the time of the

experiment to ensure that all rules of experiment to ensure that all rules of ethical consideration were adhered to.ethical consideration were adhered to.

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FemaleMale

Research Assistants were trained at the Research Assistants were trained at the beginning of this research project.beginning of this research project.

They were trained in the techniques used They were trained in the techniques used by law enforcement in the collection of by law enforcement in the collection of latent prints.latent prints.

The methods of rolling fingerprints onto The methods of rolling fingerprints onto “ten-print” cards were also taught.“ten-print” cards were also taught.

Retraining in these methods was Retraining in these methods was conducted midway through the research conducted midway through the research project.project.

Subjects entered, read and signed consent forms Subjects entered, read and signed consent forms and filled out demographic information.and filled out demographic information.

Subjects were informed that their fingerprints Subjects were informed that their fingerprints would be protected in a locked university facility.would be protected in a locked university facility.

Subjects were asked to touch two different items.Subjects were asked to touch two different items. Subjects then had fingerprints “rolled” at station Subjects then had fingerprints “rolled” at station

2.2. Subjects’ fingerprints and consent forms were Subjects’ fingerprints and consent forms were

logged by student ID numbers.logged by student ID numbers.

Number of rolled printsNumber of rolled prints collected…5250collected…5250

Number of latent printsNumber of latent prints collected…1683collected…1683

Total number Total number

of prints processed…of prints processed…69336933

All rolled and latent prints were scanned All rolled and latent prints were scanned into the computer utilizing the AFIX into the computer utilizing the AFIX Tracker software.Tracker software.

All fingerprints were subjected to “auto-All fingerprints were subjected to “auto-extraction” to identify points of extraction” to identify points of identification.identification.

Statistical analysis programs were utilized Statistical analysis programs were utilized to answer all pertinent questions.to answer all pertinent questions.

AFIX Tracker was used to run latent print AFIX Tracker was used to run latent print searches against the rolled prints obtained searches against the rolled prints obtained from the subjects.from the subjects.

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RolledLatent

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A B C D E F G H I J K L

Research Assistant Coded Identity

% OfChange

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N

% OfChange

Here are examples of accurate and Here are examples of accurate and inaccurate matches made by AFIX.inaccurate matches made by AFIX.

8 point match 11 point mismatch

All latent prints were searched against the All latent prints were searched against the corresponding rolled prints from the same corresponding rolled prints from the same subjects.subjects.

30% of the time AFIX was not able to match 30% of the time AFIX was not able to match to any subject.to any subject.

Of the “matches” made: Of the “matches” made: 60% of the matches were to the proper subject.60% of the matches were to the proper subject. 40% of the time it matched to the 40% of the time it matched to the

WRONG subject.WRONG subject. These findings mirrored an earlier study.These findings mirrored an earlier study.

(Karrie Casada, (Karrie Casada, 2004)2004)

The use of Live Scan decreases The use of Live Scan decreases the error rate among rolled the error rate among rolled prints. The technician can seeprints. The technician can seethe quality of print at thethe quality of print at themomentmoment and re-roll as needed.and re-roll as needed.

The increase of identifiable points of latent The increase of identifiable points of latent prints and the improved proficiency rating prints and the improved proficiency rating of the research assistants is most likely of the research assistants is most likely attributed to the retraining of the latent attributed to the retraining of the latent print processing techniques.print processing techniques.

The issue is: The issue is: Can a fingerprint be linked to Can a fingerprint be linked to one and only one personone and only one person? ?

Additional studies need to be conducted.Additional studies need to be conducted. Standardized performance criteria for field Standardized performance criteria for field

officers/investigators who process latent officers/investigators who process latent fingerprints, as well as periodic retraining fingerprints, as well as periodic retraining sessions.sessions.

““Blind” fingerprint examiners, not under Blind” fingerprint examiners, not under the influence of the police department, the influence of the police department, should do the comparative analysis.should do the comparative analysis.

Thank you to those who made this Thank you to those who made this research possible:research possible:

Professor Simon Cole Ph.D.Professor Simon Cole Ph.D. Professor Valerie Jenness Ph.D.Professor Valerie Jenness Ph.D. Rachel Dioso Rachel Dioso Ph.D. CandidatePh.D. Candidate

Gerhard “Harry” GeorgescuGerhard “Harry” Georgescu UROPUROP - - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Undergraduate Research Opportunities

ProgramProgram The Phoenix Group, Inc. AFIX Tracker The Phoenix Group, Inc. AFIX Tracker

The volume and quality of fingerprints collected would not have been possible without the following:The volume and quality of fingerprints collected would not have been possible without the following:

Research Assistants:Research Assistants: Edward Auttapibarn Edward Auttapibarn Allyson Maddy Allyson Maddy Stacey Brown Stacey Brown Neha Mahajan Neha Mahajan Danielle CampbellDanielle Campbell Scott Manese Scott Manese Farah ChauguleFarah Chaugule Chivan Ngo Chivan Ngo Ana-Maria ComsaAna-Maria Comsa Marina Ovanessian Marina Ovanessian Joy deVeraJoy deVera James (JB) Robinson James (JB) Robinson Adam DornAdam Dorn Geoff Ross Geoff Ross Danielle EvansDanielle Evans Jeremy Takahashi Jeremy Takahashi Ernest HuErnest Hu Bunneat Thap Bunneat Thap Jazmin IbarraJazmin Ibarra Ngoc-Suong “Sophie” Vo Ngoc-Suong “Sophie” Vo Christine LeeChristine Lee Shanshan Yu Shanshan Yu Wally LiuWally Liu

Thank you all!Thank you all!

Contact Rob CarpenterContact Rob CarpenterDepartment of Criminology, Law & SocietyDepartment of Criminology, Law & Society

University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine

carpentr@uci.educarpentr@uci.edu