Facial Recognition

Although no arrests were made with the new technology, it opened up the possibilities of being used in airports and other ports of entry into the country to prevent known terrorists from entering. Some states already have systems in place that provide a digital image of a licensed driver with the swipe of a license. This system would come to be known as AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System). Fingerprints could be collected from a crime scene and stored for later comparison when a suspect was apprehended.

In 1998 at Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa Bay, tens of thousands of fans entering the stadium to watch the Ravens and Giants had no idea they were being screened by computer software that captures and analyzes facial features. Although in it’s early stages, Facial recognition software systems might send fingerprint identification the way of the wanted poster. A fingerprint technician identifies specific characteristics on the print and attaches “tags” that are unique to that pattern. At this point, there are more than 100 casino’s in the U. When a match or matches is found, it still has to be examine by the human eye to insure the match is correct. Now, instead of having to wait days for copies of fingerprints to be sent by mail, they could be accessed instantly from a computer database saving valuable time. AFIS technology has also found uses in government agencies and private corporations to screen prospective job applicants for criminal records and to verify a person’s identity for security reasons. Opponents of the FaceIt software system argue that they impose on a person’s civil liberties and put people at risk of being misidentified. Even though the success rate of these systems accurately identifying a person are still pretty low, just knowing that such a system is in place has proven to be a deterrent. Concerns over facial recognition software range from what people get put into the digital database, who can gain access to it and where it will be used. As the methods used to identify a person through fingerprints has changed through the years, faster computers and software technology is allowing developers the ability to experiment with ways of identifying a person through facial features.