ULW/IAFIS/JABS

[josher89]

I would like to address a few things regarding the ULW software and the leo.gov website for latent print examiners. I hope that the last few months of my exploring leo.gov have been worthwhile and I want to share that with you all.

Fisrt off, the new version of ULW (5.1.5) is now available. It has several bug fixes from 5.0 and still includes all of the new features like image enhancements and the uPrint feature. If one wishes to get the newest version of ULW, send an email with your company's address (so they can mail you the disc) to ulw@leo.gov (that's ulw [at] leo dot gov). They should get you one in the mail immediately. It's designed to be a stand-alone program that one can install on any computer, import, enhance, and mark features on a latent print. If one has a leo.gov email address, the search can be sent off and the results will be emailed back to you in the format the ULW recognizes. That's where leo.gov comes in to play.

If you don't have a leo.gov access, you need to get one. It is basically a secure website that contains a ton of information on many different areas of law enforcement and forensics, including latent fingerprint examinations. Although this area, when compared to the rest of the leo.gov website is somewhat lacking, we as latent examiners can change that relatively quickly. Anyway, through the leo.gov web site, one can access JABS (Joint Automated Booking System-another application process but worth it!). JABS has the ability to pull a suspect's fingerprints using only their FBI number. It provides a disclaimer that this shouldn't be considered an official record, but it can be used for a quick and dirty comparison. If you send an IAFIS request for the person's 10-prints, it will be forwarded to your JABS/IAFIS request portal where you can print the card. Along with 10-prints, JABS also provides mugshots, tattoos, and other demographic and PCH on the suspects. It's very useful.

Also within leo.gov is the IAFIS searching of latent fingerprints. Again, if you have the leo.gov email, you can search straight through IAFIS. It won't accept searches from anything but a leo.gov account. My state (Nebraska) has a direct WAN link to the FBI so I can get results IAFIS sometimes faster than my state search (maybe it's because I work nights now, I don't know?!?!) but during the day, I can get faster IAFIS results through leo.gov than through our state portal. Just an FYI.

So, if anyone has any questions regarding ULW, leo.gv, or anything else I mentioned in this post, reply to this post or email me at jconnel6@leo.gov (jconnel6 [at] leo dot gov). Hope this all makes sense.

I'm going to add a poll to this post for a few days to see what you all are using for IAFIS searches. Thanks in advance for replying.

Josh

[PGalletta]

First, thanks for the info on ULW 5.1.5. I've been using 5.0 and recently switched back to 3.30 to avoid all of the bugs with 5.0. I just ordered 5.1.5 and should have it within a week.

I see that you mention accessing fingerprints through JABS - probably "JABS via LEO" from the LEO Hompage. I've used this also, but it does have the disclaimer that you mention. Have you tried sending an IRQ file (image request) from ULW to IAFIS via JABS? This will give you an IRR (image request response) file back that you can save with uPrint and open / print on any printer through Photoshop.

If you're in "JABS via LEO" and request the booking package be forwarded to your LEO account, you can open this .eft file with uPrint also, but it is a different set fingerprint images than what you recieve by sending an IRQ - at least it is the few times I've compared both sets of tenprints.
Pete

[josher89]

Pete,
Thanks for the info. I will try that this week (I've been working some local stuff right now but when I get around to opening a new file, I will try that!). It's good to hear that other examiners are using not only leo.gov as a search tool but technology in general.

It sounds like uPrint was designed to be a more effective way of printing fingerprint cards. By going the route you mention, should there be(or have you have) any problems with using those fingerprint cards in court?

In Nebraska we have Motorola and part of that system creates a "composite' card that basically takes (what it thinks are) the best fingerprint images and dumps them on a card. We can still access all of the old cards, but the composite record is what's searched when searching latents. It also becomes a hassle when you are searching by name and the person's name is misspelled (yes it happens) from one card to another and the name you are searching is spelled incorrectly on the composite card and that person doesn't seem to exist although you know they do. Just some slight annoyances. I guess that way we get around the composite card thing now is after we make an ident, we write a report with a big disclaimer that if that person is arrested we will need to re-fingerprint them and make a new fingerprint chart with the fingerprints obtained from that arrest so as to avoid a potential 'double jeopardy' (using old fingerprint cards, although that defense is of course silly by nature). What are other agency's protocols? Thanks again Pete for the reply.

[josher89]

I don't think this had been adequately discussed in any other posts so I want to pose the question using this thread.

What are people's experiences with searching the military fingerprint database, the FBI's civil fingerprint database, and DHS's fingerprint database on deportee's or illegal entry folks? I'm wondering this because we have had several large arrests of illegals where their fingerprints are not being taken while in holding at local jails as they aren't being held on local charges, only federal ones. Do they get fingerprinted prior to deportation and get entered into IAFIS or are they kept in a separate database? We have a particular case in which an individual is applying for a gun permit but has a prior deportation...we need to confirm who this person is and if it was him that was deported (thus preventing him from getting the gun permit).

Anyone had experiences with this and if so, what are the channels to go through to make these database searches happen? Thanks in advance.

[Anna]

Latent prints may be searched with DHS using their Biometric Support Center. If you would like more information, the fine gentleman to contact is Ed Sears, Supervisory Fingerprint Examiner, 202-298-5197. You can email the latent prints to him. He is very timely.
Also, I have the 5.8 version of ULW. So, the 5.1.5 seems to be outdated.
Sorry to be so short, I am in a hurry.

[josher89]

I'm gonna be a nerd for a minute and say something:

I LOVE CPLEX.COM and THIS MESSAGE BOARD!!!

Anna, thank you so much for the contact info; I was able to get in touch with Mr. Sears and we were able to establish the person's true identity!!! Score one for the good guys.

Thanks again!

If anyone has any other federal contacts for searching the other databases, this is the place to let it be known!

[Anna]

Hi Josh,
I am so glad I was able to help. That makes my day !!!!
And, I guess I owed you one from when you helped me with the Fed Ex envelope not too long ago.
I check this site everyday I am at work and I am also grateful that we have this resource. It keeps my sanity.
I can now leave work with a smile on my face.
Anna

[NYSLPE]

Hey Josh,

Did you send the print through LEO?

Becky

[josher89]

Hey Josh,

Did you send the print through LEO?

Becky

Do you mean using ULW and sending the request through LEO or is there another way to submit a latent using LEO?