Aaron Marsh
Sept. 6th, 2024
Chapter 1 Discussion
Question 1: Bring Fingerprints Before age of 18
Fingerprint identification is a form of biometrics or a science that involves the use of
individual characteristics to recognize them. There are multiple controversial measures for
taking fingerprints of all the citizens before the age of 18 years and this raises critical
questions regarding security, privacy, and civil rights (Murshed, et al., 2023). Before the age
of 18, all residents should be fingerprinted; this is a policy that could have a big impact on
criminal investigations. The advancement of fingerprint identification, or datylography, has
historically transformed the way criminal investigations are carried out. As explained in the
text's first chapter, fingerprinting offers a trustworthy way to identify people using distinctive
patterns that are particular to each individual. Enacting a law mandating early citizen
fingerprinting might add to the current database, giving law enforcement a more complete
tool for identifying suspects and resolving crimes.
Question 2: Impact of Such Measures for Criminal Investigation
Minors' fingerprints may be used to swiftly identify someone engaged in illegal activity,
particularly when all other avenues of identification are exhausted. The Will West/William
West case, for example, proved the usefulness of fingerprinting and its superiority over the
previous anthropometric approach. Possessing a sizable fingerprint database allowed
detectives to quickly compare prints from crime sites with those in the database, potentially
expediting the process of solving crimes (Mwangi et al., 2023). But there can be
disadvantages to this strategy as well. Opponents claim that requiring minors to have
fingerprints could violate their right to privacy and be interpreted as treating all people as
possible offenders. Such data may be abused or misused, especially in relation to
discriminatory activities or unlawful access. Additionally, it might result in public distrust in
law enforcement agencies, especially in communities already wary of surveillance and
government oversight.
References
Murshed, Bahmani, K., Schuckers, S., & Hussain, F. (2023). Deep Age-Invariant Fingerprint
Segmentation System. [Link]. [Link]
Mwangi, L., Mwangi, J., & Karenga, S. (2023). Effect of Resources on Latent Fingerprint
Processing In Crime Investigations in Kenya. Journal of African Interdisciplinary
Studies, 7(10), 93–101.
[Link]
mwangi-et-al-effect-of-resources-on-latent-fingerprint-processing-in-crime-
[Link]
Textbook, Chapter 1, "The Evolution of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science,"
McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2012.