When fingerprint time clocks were first introduced in Australia, they carried a subtle form of stigma as many people associated fingerprint scanning with the criminal justice system. Given the many benefits of biometric time and attendance systems, these devices soon became popular in workplaces across the country, and the stigma quickly wore off. However, there’s no denying the fact that the biometric technology used in modern businesses was informed by developments in the criminal justice system.
Let’s explore this unique relationship between criminality and biometrics further by diving into four of the most interesting moments in the history of fingerprint identification..
Even identical twins have unique fingerprints
Most identical twins admit to at least one instance of faking their identity to help a twin get out of class or take a sick day from work. However, with biometric technology, the days of such twin tricks are numbered. While they are remarkably similar, numerous scientific studies have confirmed that no set of twins has ever had perfectly identical fingerprints.
One important thing to note is that even outside the twin population, many unrelated people can have vaguely similar fingerprints. Many low-quality fingerprint scanners fail to detect subtle differences, which can result in false positives. With a fingerprint time clock, false positives allow employees to engage in “buddy punching” (clocking in for absent colleagues). The consequences can be far more problematic with biometric access systems, as false positives may allow unauthorised personnel to access restricted areas. This is why it’s crucial to invest in only the best when it comes to biometric time clocks and access systems.
We have criminals to thank for the sophistication of fingerprint scanning technology
While we’re not exactly saying that you should be grateful to criminals, it certainly is true that we wouldn’t be able to offer high-tech yet affordable biometric technology without them. Fingerprints have been used in criminal justice for more than a century now, and this application has ensured that plenty of funding is consistently directed toward research, development, and refinement of biometrics.
This indirectly benefits those of us who have nothing to do with the criminal justice system, as advancements in any area of biometrics will always trickle out to other applications. So, it’s an inescapable truth that the affordable yet highly accurate fingerprint time clock you install at your business was made possible by the decades-long battle between criminals and law enforcement agencies.
Biometric technology has expanded beyond fingerprints
Take a close look, and you’ll notice that the dermal ridges that make your fingerprints unique can also be seen on your toes, the palms of your hands, and the soles of your feet. Throughout the history of biometrics, a range of unique bodily markers has been used to identify and prosecute criminals.
For example, more than one “barefoot bandit” has been captured thanks to toe prints left at the scene of their crimes. However, wearing shoes won’t necessarily help you evade capture, as shoe-printing is also a common way for law enforcement to confirm the identity of criminals. While the sole of every shoe isn’t unique in the same way as fingerprints are, shoe prints can be matched to shoes and used as key elements in a brief of evidence.
For those of us who aren’t involved in criminal activity, these alternative biometric markers are still worth knowing about. They can, for example, be used to identify you via hand-scanning technology, which is being used more and more in banks and financial institutions around the world. Your palm prints, hand geometry, and even your finger and hand vein patterning are unique. Special scanners can be used to identify all of these patterns, ensuring thoroughly accurate identification.
New fingerprint technology is solving cold cases
As biometric technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, it is helping law enforcement agencies worldwide solve many decades-old crimes. For example, the FBI solved a murder more than 30 years after it happened thanks to its Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). Finger and palm prints found at the crime scene in 1978 produced no hits at the time. However, by 2012, a far more expansive database of prints was available.
The Carroll Bonnet murder case was reopened and a suspect identified through finger and palm print analysis. DNA was collected from the suspect and matched to DNA found at the crime scene. Through this work, the culprit was identified just days before he was due to be released from prison after serving a sentence for an unrelated crime.
There are obvious benefits to the public in cases like this, as a murderer was prevented from going free. However, it’s also worth noting that we may also one day have our biometric markers registered in similar systems. Biometric identification has been proposed as a way to connect patients to their digital health records, ensuring accurate identification is possible, even when a patient doesn’t have ID or is otherwise unable to identify themselves.
If you believe your business may benefit from installing a biometric time and attendance system, we recommend FingerTec biometric time clocks and access systems. As one of the largest and most respected global biometric technology providers, FingerTec offers the best combination of affordability, accuracy, and ongoing service and support as one of the largest and most respected global biometric technology providers.
