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Fingerprint system speeds arrests in Ohio Comments

Quan Truong The Columbus Dispatch WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Westerville's latest crime-fighting tool has helped clear about two-dozen investigations after a year on the job. The Automated Fingerprint ...

Mistaken identity arrests 'likely happen every day' Comments

CNN.comDENVER, Colo. — Three police cars pulled into Christina FourHorn's front yard one afternoon just before she was supposed to pick up her daughter at school. The officers had a warrant for her ...

Fingerprint examiners claim officers lay on pressure

By Jim Stasiowski Missouir Lawyers MediaA police officer rushes up to the fingerprint examiner and pleads for help.The suspect sitting in the interrogation room is as guilty as can be, the officer insists, ...

Mass. suspect mutulated fingers to hide ID Comments

Associated PressBOSTON — Police said a Boston man wanted for drug trafficking tried to hide his identity by cutting off his fingertips. State Police spokesman David Procopio said Monday that Francis ...

Thousands of DNA samples missing from state databanks Comments

Associated PressMADISON, Wis. — During what police say was a 20-year killing spree in Milwaukee, Walter Ellis left his DNA behind all along the way - everywhere but the one place where it might have ...

Using relative's DNA to crack crimes raises privacy questions Comments

Matches to family members are used to generate leads for police ...

Despite new tech, Ky. police say old fingerprinting methods work well

By Dariush Shafa Messenger-InquirerOWENSBORO, Ky. — The image of a law enforcement officer with a brush-and-dust kit searching for fingerprints might seem like an anachronism in the age of computers ...

Concern over Detroit police handling of rape kits

BY Joe Swickard and Chris Christoff Detroit Free PressDETROIT — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy wants an independent investigation into what she says may be thousands of kits holding evidence ...

Genetic study aids DNA forensics for law enforcement

Researchers are going beyond traditional forensics to try and predict the physical appearance of an unidentified person whose DNA is found at a crime scene. When DNA is taken from a crime scene, the DNA ...

Detroit police departments to test portable fingerprint scanners

Detroit Free PressDETROIT — Police in southeast Michigan soon will be the first in the state to have portable fingerprint scanners to identify suspects, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard announced ...

New fingerprinting technique could crack cold cases

By Melissa Gray CNN.comRelated Articles: British police to get handheld fingerprinting devices Fingerprints to yield more telltale clues All About Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System ...

Widespread DNA backlog still affecting L.A. cases

By Joel Rubin Los Angeles TimesRelated Articles: DNA evidence untested in 800+ Calif. cases DNA fails to find L.A. serial killer DNA lab backlog dooms L.A. assault cases DNA lag leaves potential for crime ...

Detroit crime lab must retest 147 cases

Associated PressRelated Articles: Report calls for nationwide crime lab overhaul Crisis brewing at Mich. crime labs Detroit lawyers criticize crime lab probe Error-prone Detroit police crime lab closed ...

All About Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) Comments

Courtesy of http://www.fbi.gov/ What is it?The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, more commonly known as IAFIS, is a national fingerprint and criminal history system maintained by ...

Report calls for nationwide crime lab overhaul Comments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Researchers have concluded the nation's crime labs need an overhaul because they lack strict and consistent scientific standards.

A 255-page report from the National Academy of Sciences is urging the creation of national standards of training, certification and expertise for forensic criminal work, much of which is currently done on a city or state level. ...

Crisis brewing at Mich. crime labs

By David Eggert Associated Press (AP Photo)Related Articles: Error-prone Detroit police crime lab closed Detroit lawyers criticize crime lab probe Prosecutor blasts Detroit police for audit's findings ...

Boulder police will apply new technology in JonBenet investigation

The Associated PressBOULDER, Colo. — Police have once again taken over the investigation into the unsolved slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, saying they will apply new technology and expertise to the 12-year-old ...

DNA evidence untested in 800+ Calif. cases

Number of L.A. County sex cases with untested evidence and no suspects is much higher than thoughtBy Joel Rubin Los Angeles TimesLOS ANGELES — DNA evidence has gone untested in more than 800 rape ...

L.A. fingerprint exams falsely implicated suspects; 945 other cases under review

By Richard Winton Los Angeles TimesLOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Police Department fingerprint examiners who falsely implicated at least two people in crimes have been linked to nearly 1,000 other criminal ...

European court makes landmark ruling on DNA rights

By Paisley Dodds Associated PressLONDON — Europe's top human rights court Thursday struck down a British law that allows the government to store DNA and fingerprints from people with no criminal ...