Head counts are a part of daily life in correctional facilities. Several times a day, officers must conduct head counts in each cell block to verify that all inmates are there. If the number of inmates comes up short, another head count must be performed, and then a roll call to determine who is missing. This is a time-consuming and inefficient task if an inmate has actually escaped. However, a newly developed portable biometric identification scanner will drastically increase the efficiency of the daily head counts. The biometric counting system works by scanning the fingerprints of inmates and matching them to the fingerprints and mug shot of the inmate which are housed in a central database. The mug shot is sent back to the portable scanner within 5 seconds for visual verification. While the time for the initial headcount is not shorter, if the count comes back short the system immediately finds the identity of the missing inmate, eliminating the need for second counts and roll calls. The article describes the development of the system and its capabilities. It is expected that new uses for the technology will continue to emerge after the system is in place in correctional facilities across the country.