ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System

An integrated automated fingerprint identification system (IAFIS) is like a really cool puzzle game for the police.

When someone commits a crime, they often leave behind fingerprints. A fingerprint is the unique pattern on someone's fingertips. Just like how no two people have the same face, no two people have the same fingerprints! So, if the police find fingerprints at a crime scene, they can use IAFIS to try to figure out who left them there.

IAFIS works by taking a picture of the fingerprint and then scanning it into a computer. The computer then compares the picture to millions of other fingerprints that are stored in a giant database. The database has all the fingerprints from people who have been arrested or had their fingerprints taken for other reasons (like getting a job that requires a background check).

The computer looks for matches between the fingerprint at the crime scene and the fingerprints in the database. If it finds a match, it tells the police who that person is and where they are.

IAFIS is super helpful because it can quickly compare fingerprints and find matches that a human might miss. This helps the police solve crimes faster and catch the bad guys!