title: Use of AFIS for linking scenes of crime.
abstract: Forensic intelligence can provide critical information in criminal investigations - the linkage of crime scenes. The Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is an example of a technological improvement that has advanced the entire forensic identification field to strive for new goals and achievements. In one example using AFIS, a series of burglaries into private apartments enabled a fingerprint examiner to search latent prints from different burglary scenes against an unsolved latent print database. Latent finger and palm prints coming from the same source were associated with over than 20 cases. Then, by forensic intelligence and profile analysis the offender's behavior could be anticipated. He was caught, identified, and arrested. It is recommended to perform an AFIS search of LT/UL prints against current crimes automatically as part of laboratory protocol and not by an examiner's discretion. This approach may link different crime scenes.
authors.affiliation: Fingerprint Identification and AFIS Laboratory, Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police, National Headquarters, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: idohefez@walla.com.
authors.forename: Ido
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hefetz
authors.affiliation: Fingerprint Identification and AFIS Laboratory, Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police, National Headquarters, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yakir
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liptz
authors.affiliation: Field Technician Unit, Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police, National Headquarters, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaturi
authors.affiliation: Fingerprint Identification and AFIS Laboratory, Division of Identification and Forensic Science (DIFS), Israel Police, National Headquarters, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Attias
mesh_terms: D003415:Crime; D000066479:Criminal Behavior; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: AFIS; Crime scene investigation; Crime scene linking; Fingerprints; Forensic intelligence; Serial crime