FINGERPRINT QUALITY

Regardless of the type of fingerprint, good, clear impressions of the ridge patterns are essential for accurate comparisons. While the quality of latent prints is generally beyond law enforcement's control, the responsibility for acceptable criminal and applicant prints rests with the person taking the fingerprints. Ten print cards (both applicant and criminal) should include a full set of ten rolled fingerprints and a set of simultaneous fingerprints which are used to verify the correct position of the individual rolled prints. Each rolled fingerprint should show clear, distinct impressions of the ridges from the first knuckle to the tip of the finger, and from one edge of the fingernail to the opposite edge.

Fingerprints that are smudged, not rolled completely, or otherwise do not clearly show enough detail are rejected and sent back to the submitting agency. If it is not possible to reprint the individual, the information from that arrest is lost or a thorough background check can not be done.

If an applicant's fingerprints have been rejected *two (2) or more times, they may be reprinted at BCI free of charge. (All rejected cards must be brought to BCI at the time of the reprint.)

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