Why is the police fingerprint and database only those of criminals...?
814322
Civil rights- we are innocent until proved guilty, and having everyone on a database would be taking the opposite stance- like, 'you are a criminal waiting to step out of line'- terrible! It could even have a reverse effect- like, 'they reckon I'm a criminal already, so why not do crime?' We still have the right to privacy to an extent, and having all our details on a database, microchipping us when we haven't done anything wrong, that be a huge violation of personal rights.\n\n Still, the biometric ID card will be similar to the system you are suggesting. We'll see if the crime rate goes down... Even if you have everyone on a database, who will monitor the people who monitor the database?
153614
More important than the key codes is the record of who gets them and when.  This is done to prevent possible criminal activity.
988849
If I'm not mistaken, SevenPoints (above me) is one of my brethren, and is absolutely correct.\n\nA few of the other people here have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, and should keep their keyboards to themselves.  \n\nThe police do not need "reasonable cause" to ask people to identify themselves in a car.\n\nThe Patriot Act has nothing to do with cops asking people to identify themselves when they're in a vehicle.\n\nIt is most certainly not a 4th Amendment violation to ask someone to identify themselves.  What a ridiculous notion...exactly where is the search and seizure in a request to tell me what your name is?  The rest of that answer is generally very mistaken as well.  \n\nThe key here is that the asker wants to know if the police can ask for passengers to identify themselves.  Of course they can.  The police can ask the passengers to stand on their head, too.  If they're *asking*, then nobody is under any obligation to do anything.  \n\nAnd really, I'd disagree with SevenPoints only as to one thing...I'd suggest the police *can* demand identification, they just can't do anything about it under these circumstances if the demand isn't met.
1043589
Hey "pat o" ... if it's so damn easy to find one person mixed in with 6 billion others why can't we find the FBI's Ten Most Wanted when they're right here in the United States?
876597
You can't touch anything that's part of a crime scene until the whole scene has been processed.  If there are fingerprints on the light switch, for instance, you don't want to risk smudging them until after the print people have been through.  First on scene can't touch anything unless they are processing it.
489427
Every person in the world has unique genetic code.  This code is present in all cells.  So if criminals are arrested and their genetic fingerprints put on record, then if they commit another crime, they can be identified by any blood, saliva, etc. that they leave behind.  That way, we're not limited by needing to get an actual thumbprint on the scene of the crime - any bodily fluid or tissue will do.  And the genetic match, if done right, is extremely accurate.
760864
In the post 9-11 world, fingerprinting and background checks are becoming the norm instead of the exception.  I had to have my fingerprints taken and an F.B.I. background check to get my job.\n\nI don't think you get fingerprinted for traffic tickets, unless of course the violation was an arrestable offense.  \n\nShould people entering our country be fingerprinted.  You bet.  Its high time America had some type of control over our borders.
965128
i think you are correct and it is getting to that point, the police in my opinion have way to much leeway!! the other day, i was in a car with my friend who was speeding, she got pulled over and the officer wanted my ID also!!! why, i was not driving the car, i did not break the law at all, yet if i don't turn over my ID i can go to jail for failure to provide ID. this is terrible and i feel it is not right.
929764
If people want to cover thier faces, they can, if they don't, they don't have to. It's their face!!! If it makes it difficult for the police to identify people and arrest them, then they can nicely ask the men to remove the facial covering for them. But what police officer is gonna know the face of a criminal from memory or picture? In the world where plastic surgery is possible how does the face even give a clue to who a person might be? The real clue is DNA, so go with the fingerprints!!\n      I always thougt that just because a few people from a group did something, it did not mean that the rest did it too. That's called being prejudiced. Being American [and i'm not saying that Americans are the only ones that believe this] I believe that you are innocent until proven guilty.
1126486
They have to do this because only certain parts of DNA are used to ID people. And so much of DNA is similar they prove identity with statistics. So the likelihood of the DNA being the specific person is 1 in 20000 and that linked with other evidence is often more than enough to prove guilt or whatever. There is a law of probability and when things are put together it is very reliable.\n\nOk I am adding on in response to your question. I have consulted a textbook and think that the test described above is pretty conclusive. The textbook describes running a gel with the DNA fragments on it. They space out and are very obviously different to each other and are compared to the original. (see example of gel here http://gallery.hd.org/_c/natural-science/_more1999/_more05/DNA-genetic-fingerprinting-dark-bands-in-gel-are-almost-unique-for-a-given-individual-tweaked-1-AJHD.jpg.html) . Another thing mentioned in my textbook is taking samples from commnunities to compare blood samples. So one could suggest that they took samples of blood from 20000 people in the neighbourhood and only the one persons blood dna fingerprint matched up.
423228
Only identical twins have similar fingerprints.\n\nOtherwise all of us have different fingerprints.
328824
Because, in my experience, most cops are thugs.  But in their defense, they work with the scum of society and they believe that they have a ESP when it comes to picking out criminals.  Or at the very least they are seriously scarred from those people they deal with every day.\n\nPersonally, I think we need to clamp down on them and force them to behave in a way worthy of a role model, and not a loose canon.
671171
Best possible advice: find out personally:\n\nhttp://ag.ca.gov/fingerprints/security.htm
90643
How about the U.S. Census?  \n\nA database of everyone would not be feasible to update and maintain and impossible to verify.  If people are going to defraud the government, they will find ways to do so.
1043712
Fingerprinting has come a long way today, the systems are automated through computers linked straight to data bases for law enforcement. In most cases if the agency is automated it will check your info against what is on file, this is easily done and will tell the last time you were printed. If it is old, they may re-print you. For no automated agencies they will generally re-print each time.
928539
that would depend on where the person's criminal background is. in some places it is available for free, other places you have to pay, and there are still other places that the information is not considered public record, and therefore not available to the general public.
1165008
Because of all of the criminals....:)