Toward better AFIS practice and process in the forensic fingerprint environment

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Biometrics
• Information Systems

Background:

• Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) are crucial in global forensic operations.
• Current AFIS primarily function as search tools, lacking comprehensive workflows for forensic best practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present best practice approaches and processes for AFIS in forensic settings.
• To identify factors impacting AFIS performance and propose solutions.
• To establish the National Police of the Netherlands (NPN) AFIS system as a benchmark.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of factors influencing AFIS performance.
• Examination of the NPN's AFIS search process and bias mitigation strategies.
• Discussion of additional considerations for establishing best practices.

Main Results:

• Identification of three key factors affecting AFIS performance in forensic environments.
• Detailed strategies employed by the NPN to minimize bias and error in their AFIS workflow.
• Resources and considerations for optimizing AFIS practices.

Conclusions:

• Implementing best practices is essential for enhancing AFIS effectiveness in forensic environments.
• The NPN's approach offers a valuable benchmark for other agencies.
• Further community discussion is encouraged to advance AFIS processes.