The U.S. government is helping prisons pay for the installation of iris scanning systems intended to hinder escape attempts such as the recent escape by a Baltimore inmate who simply talked his way out, according to a Security Info Watch article.
The escape in Baltimore occurred when the inmate, who was serving three life sentences for multiple murders, impersonated his cellmate.
While the escapee was apprehended in West Virginia the day after his escape, officials from the Maryland Division of Corrections have come out to say that they will be making changes to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again, acknowledging the potential that iris scanners could help prevent this sort of incident from happening. While iris biometrics are not in as much wide-spread use as fingerprint or some other biometric technologies due to the higher cost, U.S. Justice Department grants given through the National Sheriffs’ Association are slowly changing that.
The grants, which are doled out in $10,000 increments to various agencies in the U.S., seek to equip law enforcement personnel with iris scanners as well as build a biometric database of inmates around the country. While many of the recipients of the grants have put the technology to use primarily in their squads, places like Story County in Iowa are moving to implement the technology at the Story County jail.
While law enforcement personnel already using the iris technology have praised it for its speed and accuracy, it is not a complete replacement for fingerprints in law enforcement. The fingerprint databases will continue to serve a purpose as iris scanners will only work on living people as the iris breaks down significantly after death. Due to this, fingerprints will continue to be needed by law enforcement personnel attempting to verify a deceased individual’s identity.
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