Is Cardscan Still Available

[Claribel Szwaja]

NewYork State law enforcement agencies normally are required to fingerprint arrested individuals multiple times to meet local, state and federal requirements. Some law enforcement agencies may have to enter the same data on multiple cards. Corrections institutions may also want to submit sentenced admission (incarceration) transactions. Many agencies, both criminal justice and/or state or local organizations and departments, may wish to submit various employment and/or permit application transactions.

Livescan and cardscan devices allow agencies to acquire fingerprints only once, with each finger and associated slap impression being analyzed for acceptable quality and uniqueness in real-time fashion. The fingerprints can then be transmitted and/or printed (if desired) on multiple copies as digital images. Agencies using a cardscan device will ink-and-roll an individual's fingerprints on a single fingerprint card, which is then scanned and which generates fourteen separate digitized fingerprint images. Livescan systems capture digital fingerprint images directly using a photo-optical device. Linking of an arrest booking module (RMS) or other computerized information system with a livescan or cardscan device allows the marrying of fingerprint images with biographic and related data and photo for the transmission of the combined information packet to DCJS. If using livescan technology, a local fingerprint card can be printed out, if desired, but must be printed on an FBI-certified printer. Photos sent to DCJS will be included in both the DCJS and FBI databases, when applicable.

To enable the livescan or cardscan system to operate as intended, it should be integrated with any existing or proposed automated booking, records management, or information system for data entry. This integration avoids duplicative data entry, helps to ensure accuracy and completeness, and minimizes data entry errors.

The costs and overhead associated with maintaining chemical-based photographic systems have been increasing while the cost of digital imaging systems is steadily decreasing. Chemical-based systems also have intrinsic safety issues involved with the safe storage and use of chemicals. Digital imaging is setting the stage for many computer-based applications, e.g., computerized line ups, rapid retrieval of high quality images, transmission of images between agencies, facial identification processes, and special computer enhancement techniques such as "aging."

A statewide mugshot policy benefits agencies purchasing or upgrading photo imaging systems. It will also aid those departments that wish to exchange digitized images with other agencies. While all mugshots taken in a given agency might be uniform in their appearance, the uniformity may not be consistent with photos compared from different agencies. (Varying background, image aspect ratio, digital resolution, etc. could limit the value and result in defense challenges to mugshot line ups. Poor lighting, for instance, can create shadows causing facial images to look more sinister.) To ensure compatibility, a set of common standards is needed.

DCJS is considering a statewide investigative database with SMT information that would, when operational, allow a statewide database search based on SMT descriptors. For example, an agency could ask DCJS for a list of individuals with a blue eagle tattoo on the right arm. To build the database, SMT information would have to be provided to DCJS by criminal justice agencies when submitting arrest and other criminal justice data. This project is not currently funded for implementation.

Adherence to these mandates will ensure that photo images are comparable between agencies. This compatibility will be particularly important for those agencies wishing to make photo comparisons with images from other agencies and/or to use such images in photo line-ups.

Agencies that wish to transmit facial images to DCJS or receive facial images from DCJS in the future will be required to comply with this standard. DCJS will also utilize this standard for transmission of mugshot images to the FBI.

Agencies that contract for mugshot systems need to ensure that the vendor complies with the current ANSI/NIST standard and the addendum, as referenced by the latest release of the New York State Criminal Justice Electronic Biometric Transmission Standard (NYSCJEBTS).

The suite of messages required as a standard to support the statewide transfer of basic mugshot system capabilities between agencies with different vendors is contained in the NYSCJEBTS. The suite includes messages to request services, respond to requests, give verifications of message receipt, and provide error notifications.

It is recommended that if a local government wishes to purchase equipment off the SAFIS contract, that such local government send a letter to DCJS requesting authority to so purchase. The letter should be addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Systems and Operations. The letter should clearly state the anticipated usage of the equipment. The request should also clearly state that the obtained software and hardware will be tied into the SAFIS system, as distinguished from standing alone.

If the agency does not wish to purchase off the State contract, the department can seek to justify a sole source acquisition. To justify a sole source acquisition, the agency needs to develop a rationale why competitive bidding would not be necessary. A sole source justification might indicate that:

In developing and justifying a sole source justification, the agency should consult with your local counsel and MIS staff to identify any local practices or requirements, and to obtain advice about the adequacy of the rationale provided. Acquisitions based upon sole source justifications would probably be completed more quickly than the RFP process, but more slowly than a purchase off of State contract.

DCJS staff should be contacted for clarification about the mandatory and desirable features. Local counsel should be consulted for information on the RFP format and other provisions that must be included in the RFP. Issuance and evaluation of an RFP would take the longest period before the equipment can be purchased and installed.

Once a vendor has been selected, a contract must be executed between the vendor and the municipality, unless a State contract purchase is involved. In working out the contract provisions, the agency needs to consider the following issues:

Once the system successfully passes these tests, the system can be moved into production. From DCJS' experience, the agency should be aware of the following post-installation issues that may occasionally occur:

DCJS requires that agencies installing Store and Forward systems should use eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal for delivery of rap sheets. Any exception to this policy requires prior approval by DCJS. Utilization of eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal also permits tracking the progress of submissions made to DCJS, and ascertaining their status in the DCJS processing stream. eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal is also mandatory in order to receive responses electronically from the FBI and possibly other states. If you are not yet signed up for this free service from DCJS, you should request access and enrollment information by contacting the DCJS Customer Contact Center at 518-457-5837 or 1-800-262-3257.

Note: eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal enrollment and utilization is independent of Store and Forward participation, though the two technologies greatly complement each other. DCJS encourages eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal enrollment for all criminal justice agencies regardless of livescan or cardscan intentions, and requires eJusticeNY Integrated Justice Portal participation for all civil submissions.

The system must adhere to the protocol standards set forth in the CJIS Wide Area Network Interface Specification CJIS-IC-0020 dated November 1995 for both transmission and receipt of transactions. The following will apply:

DCJS will permit the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution in conjunction with Internet connectivity in certain instances, with specified devices and protocols. Anyone wishing to utilize this technology is requested to contact DCJS for additional information.

The original version of the "Best Practice Recommendation" was initiated at the Mugshot and Facial Image Workshop which was held in Gaithersburg, MD on October 23-25, 1995. Developed as a recommendation, the implementation of the practices and principles described in that document makes the conversion of existing and ongoing photographic collections more uniform. It contains a suggested set of procedures and equipment specifications for organizations considering the purchase of new systems or the upgrade of current systems. The recommendation is not designed to render current and legacy mugshot collections unacceptable. Rather, it is intended as a means of establishing or improving interoperability between mugshot systems.

The information contained in this updated revision of the "Best Practice Recommendation", Version 2.0, does not alter any of the individual points that were consensually agreed upon and included in the original version of this recommendation. It does provide additional details and clarifications for many of those points and has been supplemented with information regarding depth-of-field and exposure considerations.

This recommendation reflects a minimum set of common denominators. The provisions of this recommendation are keyed to the quality aspects associated with the unaltered captured mugshot image. For new mugshot images being captured, the specifications contained in this recommendation are equally applicable to real-time electronic capture of mugshots as well as the electronic conversion of photographic images. For conversion of legacy files of photographs, most of the provisions of this recommendation are also still applicable. In the future, it should be possible to add additional specifications without contradicting any of the current contents of the recommendation.

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