The Latest in IT Security

Before DNA evidence took center stage on TV shows like CSI and Bones, fingerprint evidence was prized above all other forms — as far as the public was concerned, prints were the cornerstone of forensic science. In many respects, they still are: most lawyers and judges still consider fingerprints the easiest form of forensic evidence for juries to understand, and they still appear in more criminal court cases than most other types of forensic evidence. But the strength of this fingerprint evidence, and its standing in the forensic community, is far less cut and dry. And despite its use in criminal cases since the late 19th century, scientists have only just begun to examine how unique our fingerprints truly are — and how good forensic examiners are at telling them apart.