Biometrics: Facing Up to Terrorism

• NCJ Number: 193151
• Author(s): John D. Woodward Jr.
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Rand Corporation
• Sale Source: Rand Corporation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research Paper
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded on 02/21/2002

Annotation

This paper offered recommendations as to how biometric technologies could be used to improve security, safeguarding communities against future terrorist attacks, discussed the use of biometric technologies in preventing terrorism, and reviewed the counterterrorist application of facial recognition.

Abstract

The use of biometric technologies is seen as having the potential to help counter terrorism in America. Biometrics is the use of a person’s physical characteristics or personal traits to identify or verify the claimed identity of a person, such as fingerprints, faces, voices, and signatures. Biometric systems provide an immediate identification of a person. Biometric technologies could be utilized to control terrorism in three areas. First, biometrics can control the access to sensitive facilities at airports. This system combines something a person must physically possess with something a person must know, such as a password or personal identification number. Second, biometrics can prevent identity theft and immigration fraud in the use of travel documents. A biometric template of one’s fingerprint would be attached to the document, such as a passport or visa, on a bar code, chip, or magnetic strip. This would make it difficult for someone to assume another’s identity. Thirdly, biometric systems could identify known or suspected terrorists. The use of biometric facial recognition or the FaceCheck method is used to make these identifications when a photograph is available of the suspected terrorist. This method uses a camera to capture an image of a person’s face as a digital photograph. Then, the image is reduced to a set of numbers or a template. This is searched against a watchlist or database of suspected terrorists’ templates. The facial recognition method has been identified with technological imperfections and weaknesses, but can be used operationally to minimize its weaknesses. As the technology improves, it will be able to identify faces in a crowd, as well as faces scanned under controlled circumstances. Biometrics is viewed as one technology that can make terrorism more difficult in the future and aid in a safer America. Notes