Is there really a fast, automated computerized fingerprint database for police use,...

[DarkSerge5]

...as seen on the TV? On TV shows, video games, and such, you're always seeing these databases where all the police have to do is lift a fingerprint, whether it be from a murder weapon or a stolen bicycle, and scan it into a computer that looks through the fingerprints of the population of the country/world, at which point they can make a match in seconds. I've heard of the FBI's IAFIS, but does that work any way like I described? Do any databases really work like that?

 

[Leslie S]

Taking a fingerprint with a "live scan" system can get the persons prints checked very quickly.
If the department has or has access to such full AFIS systems. Not all do yet and not all are hooked up to all of the systems.
For example in Northern Illinois Cook, Lake, Mc Henry and Du page counties adn most of the towns and cities in those counties, are all hooked into the Chicago system. They all share their data bases. Chicago runs all prints through their data bases first and then if nothing found sends it along to (via compute systems) to the FBI data bases.
The computer does not make an exact match, like on TV. No flashing signs "match match"or anything like that.
The computer system spits out 10 or more possible matches and a real live human being fingerprint technician has to compare them to what was scanned.

Also a latent print has to be photographed and digitized before the computer system can understand it.

So right now in some towns an officer can scan a print on a suspect right in the police car. The system send back the possibilities, if any, with the last photos of the person taken when they last hit the corrections system.
The office then can compare the photos to the person and if they are wanted take him in. The arrest is not official, not charged, until a new full live scan is done and a real technician compares the prints.