NCJ Number
162121
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 23 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1996) Pages: 46-51
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the benefits and logistics of implementing digital imaging for a police agency's forensic unit.
Abstract
The Newport Beach Police Department (Orange County, Calif.) explored the benefits of digital imaging 3 years ago with the purchase of a desktop computer, a $600 imaging program, and a digital camera. The primary purpose for this system was to enhance fingerprints and prepare them for entry into the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS). As a direct result, the AFIS hit-rate more than tripled, from less than 8 percent to over 24 percent. There are two primary benefits of digital imaging. First, digital imaging allows for greater enhancement capabilities than ever before. Second, sizing and tracings can be more accurate than with conventional methods. By capturing the image with a digital camera, a high resolution image can be worked with on the computer. Once the fingerprint is photographed digitally, this image can be brought into a software application for enhancement. The enhancement can include global changes, including eliminating distracting backgrounds, adjusting contrast and gamma curves, and isolating specific hues in the image to bring out more detail. In addition to discussing the purposes and benefits of digital imaging, this article addresses filters and fluorescing, court displays, elimination of the photo lab, the development of the complete set-up, and the costs of purchasing and setting up a system.