CLPEX Chat Board

How many agencies are currently verifying AFIS non-hits? For example, I search a latent prints through AFIS, I do not identify the print in AFIS, and I write my report as such (and, because I'm a good boy, I include my respondent list). Should my reviewer go back and verify that I didn't miss a hit in AFIS based on my respondent list? Or, would we be verifying a non-identification (not necessarily an exclusion--we weren't given a suspect) and by doing so wouldn't add anything to the 'process'?

Maybe the better question would be, what do agencies do during the verification process when a print has been submitted to AFIS that resulted in no hits?

We do not consider marking a "No Hit" as a conclusion that requires a verification. It's not an exclusion, so we don't verify it. It's not even a full-on comparison for a variety of reasons.

That said. Having "No Hits" verified would catch missed ID's. I'm certain of it. The better question is whether your agency considers the benefit of finding a few more AFIS hits worth the cost of additional personnel to implement this check. Another question might be whether there are other processes besides verification that might also reduce the chance of missing the ID on an AFIS search.

ER wrote: Another question might be whether there are other processes besides verification that might also reduce the chance of missing the ID on an AFIS search.

With latents of minimal AFIS value, I have developed the personal tactic of running the latent twice -- once with auto-plot and once with manual plot. I catch a few extra that way when one hits but not the other.