fingerprinting news stories on Newser

Deportation Program May Raise Crime: Report

Matt Cantor — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:14:38 CDT

A federal panel reviewing a contentious US deportation program found that it hurt community policing, potentially leading to “greater levels of crime.” The stated goal of the Secure Communities program, which provides immigration officials with police-obtained fingerprints, was to deport serious criminals. But the program has cracked down on many...

Feds Push Fingerprint 'Dragnet' for Illegal Immigrants

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:27:22 CDT

The federal government is quietly expanding a program that could have a bigger impact on immigrants' rights than the controversial Arizona law that goes into effect this week. Under the program, the fingerprints of everyone who is booked into jail for any crime—whether or not they are convicted—are...

Bacteria on Skin May Be Used to ID Criminals

Emily Rauhala — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:45:50 CDT

Forget fingerprints: The latest crime fighting tool may be the traces of bacteria we carry on our skin. A new study shows it is possible to identify people based on their personal brand of bacteria. "Each one of us leaves a unique trail of bugs behind," a researcher says. By...

Fingerprint Surgery Fools Japanese Immigration

Rob Quinn — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:39:00 CST

An illegal immigrant slipped past Japan's biometric security system by having surgery to swap her fingerprints, according to Japanese authorities. The Chinese woman, deported after overstaying her visa last year, had skin patches on thumbs and index fingers removed and regrafted onto the opposite hands, the BBC reports.

How Blago Celebrated Inauguration

Gabriel Winant — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:29:42 CST

Yesterday was special for a certain Illinois politician—and not just the one you’re thinking of. While Barack Obama was being sworn in, Gov. Rod Blagojevich was getting his fingerprints taken, reports the Chicago Tribune . Blagojevich also failed to enter a plea in his state Senate impeachment trial; he’s considering...

Tech Helps Prints Tell More of the Story

Harry Kimball — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:24:55 CDT

Advances in fingerprint technology are making the century-old forensic tool even more vital, the Boston Globe reports. Scientists have developed methods that can not only detect traces of food or chemicals in prints, but also single out targets at a confused crime scene. “We're using fingerprints to learn more about...

Fingerprint Test Can Now ID What Person Has Touched

Rob Quinn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:35:44 CDT

Cutting-edge technology now means fingerprints can reveal much more than just a person's identity, the New York Times reports. A spray developed by US researchers can analyze tiny molecular compounds left behind by the print and tell what materials a person has recently handled—including drugs or explosives. It can...

B-Schools Use Palm Scans to Catch Cheats

Dustin Lushing — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:58:14 CDT

In an effort to foil cheaters, top American business schools will require a high-tech identity check of applicants taking the standardized admissions test, reports the Wall Street Journal . The crackdown on the use of paid impostors will require GMAT takers to undergo a "palm vein" scan, which is unique to...

EU Blasts Italy Over Gypsy Fingerprinting

Nick McMaster — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:00:00 CDT

Italy’s mandatory fingerprinting of its Gypsy minority is "an act of discrimination based on race and ethnic origin" and should be stopped, the European Parliament said in a resolution passed today. The assembly voted 336-220, with 77 abstentions, to condemn the practice—though the resolution is not binding, the AP...