DEVELOPMENT OF A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA FOR THE CALCULATION OF FINGERPRINT PROBABILITIES BASED ON INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

• NCJ Number: 44928
• Author(s): J W OSTERBURG; T PARTHASARATHY; T E S RAGHAVAN; S L SCLOVE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Illinois, Chicago Circle
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION, V 72, N 360 (DECEMBER 1977), P 772-778 PORTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE WERE PRESENTED BY SCLOVE AT THE NATIONAL MEETING OF THE OPERATIONS RESEARCH SOCIETY OF AMERICA, BOSTON, APRIL 22-24, 1974, AND BY OSTERBURG AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR IDENTIFICATION, WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 28- AUGUST 1, 1974

Annotation

A METHOD IS DEVELOPED FOR ASSIGNING A PROBABILITY TO A FINGERPRINT, INCLUDING A PARTIAL PRINT, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL (GALTON) CHARACTERISTICS PRESENT.

Abstract

A MULTINOMIAL MODEL IS USED, THE CATEGORIES OF WHICH ARE THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS AND COMBINATIONS OF THEM. THE NEGATIVE OF THE LOGARITHM OF THE PROBABILITY OF ANY PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION IS RELATED TO THE ENTROPY FUNCTION OF INFORMATION THEORY. THE PARAMETERS OF THE MODEL ARE ESTIMATED FROM DATA (FINGERPRINTS). CONFIDENCE BOUNDS ARE OBTAINED FOR THE NEGATIVE LOG PROBABILITY OF ANY CONFIGURATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT).