There are temporary disabilities affecting an individual's hand which are sometimes beyond the control of the identification officer. These can be fresh cuts, wounds, bandaged fingers, or blisters. An indication on the fingerprint card to the effect "fresh cut or bandaged" is not sufficient to retain in the AFIS data base. The same situation would occur if there were a blister on an individual's finger. The blister temporarily disfigures the ridge detail. When an injury is temporary, the prints, if at all possible, should be obtained after the injury has healed.
When a finger cannot be printed, a corresponding code should be entered in the fingerprint block of the missing finger. These codes are:
|
Reason |
Code |
|
Amputation |
XX |
|
Unable to print (bandaged, etc.) |
UP |
A partially scarred finger should be printed. If the forwarding agency is not sure of the reason a finger's image is missing, the UP code should be used. If an amputation is noted in the fingerprint block a corresponding entry should also appear as a missing finger or missing finger joint in Scars, Marks and Tattoos.
When a fingerprint card is received at the CIB with an indication in one or more of the fingerprint blocks that a finger was cut, bandaged, blistered, or otherwise temporarily disabled, the card will be "name searched" through the master name file and a search of the AFIS data base is performed. Should the search conducted not result in identification, the fingerprint card will not be retained in the AFIS data base if the index and middle fingers are cut, bandaged, etc. Under all circumstances the arrest information will be placed in the CCH data base. A copy of the fingerprint card showing the reasons why the fingerprint card was unsuitable for AFIS will be sent back to the contributing agency. The contributing agency should make an effort when possible to reprint the individual after the temporary disability has healed.