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Let Your Fingers Do the Locking

NCJ Number
200428
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 30 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2003 Pages: 14-16,19,20
Author(s)
Greg Gerber
Editor(s)
Ronnie Garrett
Date Published
May 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article examines various uses of biometric devices in law enforcement and correctional agencies to control and/or restrict access to sensitive areas within a facility or the entire facility, track employees and detainees, and control data.
Abstract
Most law enforcement and correctional facilities and buildings require more secure access than most buildings or facilities in a community with stored evidence, weapons, controlled substances, investigative documents, and other sensitive personal information. This article explores the use of biometrics as a means by which to restrict and secure access to sensitive areas. Biometrics uses machines and computers to identify an individual’s unique characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris pattern, or voice pattern. In addition, biometrics can be used in conjunction with existing security options offering layers of security. However, biometric access control is not inexpensive, costing from $2,500 to $3,000 per door. Yet, long-term cost savings have public officials looking seriously at this emerging technology. The actual readers of the biometric devices have the potential to render false negative or false positive decisions and grant unauthorized access or prevent authorized access. Biometric security controls and devices can also be used to identify and track employees, as well as assuring that the individual booked into a correctional facility is the same person taken to court and released from custody. Using biometric devices as access control technology provides an audit trail showing who was on a particular computer using a specific application at a specific time. In assessing the use of biometric security systems, departments must evaluate the cost savings, as well as the security benefits.