Attorney General Headshot

Attorney General Marty Jackley

Attorney General Seal

Latent Print Services

Services:

Examinations conducted in the Latent Print section of the lab include:

  • Process evidence from crime scenes for the presence of latent prints.
  • Examine latent fingerprint lifts from crime scenes for the presence of latent prints.
  • Photograph developed latent prints.
  • Compare latent prints to known suspect's and/or victim's prints.
  • Utilize AFIS and IAFIS for no suspect cases.
  • Compare known (record) fingerprint cards in habitual cases.

AFIS

Fingerprints and palm prints can be searched in a computerized database called the Automatic Fingerprint Identification System, also known as AFIS.

Forensic Scientists in the Latent Print section can search MAFIN (Midwest Automated Fingerprint Identification Network), which searches all record fingerprint cards on file in the states of South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota.

IAFIS

When a candidate is not identified through an AFIS search, a suitable latent print may be searched through the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division's. Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) database. This database includes all record prints maintained by the FBI.