An exploration of the use of fingerprints identification systems on latent prints of first-time offenders in South Africa

Abstract

The South African Police Service`s fingerprints system cannot identify latent prints of innocent people or first-time offenders, it can only identify persons who had previously been charged. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the use of fingerprint systems to identify latent prints of first-time offenders. A literature review was conducted to provide a background to the topic and to highlight international standards when identifying offenders by means of fingerprints uplifted from the crime scene. The research approach used in this study is a qualitative approach with a case study research design to investigate the study topic through the experiences of officials who are working with the fingerprint system. Nineteen interviews were conducted in this study. The sample used was small because of the shortage of fingerprint experts. The findings of this study revealed that the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) cannot identify latent prints of first-time offenders and that many case dockets are still closed with positive fingerprints because of the lack of identification information. The implemented Person Identity Verification Application (PIVA) system which integrates the fingerprint systems from a few government departments cannot identify latent prints. The PIVA system is placed in police stations not in the LCRC as its aim is to assist the criminal justice system (mainly the courts) with case management and the movement of the offender. The study therefore recommended the implementation of a system that will allow LCRC experts to identify first-time offenders who are not on LCRC database. It also recommended that the SAPS should have a database of fingerprints information from the citizens who are applying for security checks. This database can store information separately from that of the criminal records and will be accessed to search fingerprints information not found on the Automated Fingerprints Identification System (AFIS). To avoid poorly obtained fingerprints as it has been a concern of all participants, police stations should be issued with digital fingerprints scanners.

Sestemo ya dikgatiso tsa menwana ya Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa ga e kgone go hlaola dikgatiso tse di utilwego tsa batho bao ba se nago molato goba basenyi ba mathomo, e ka hlaola fela batho bao ba kilego ba latofatswa peleng. Ka fao, morero wa nyakisiso ye e be e le go nyakisisa tshomiso ya disestemo tsa dikgatiso tsa menwana go supa dikgatiso tse di utilwego tsa basenyi ba lekga la mathomo. Go dirilwe tshekatsheko ya dingwalo go fa setlogo sa hlogotaba le go gatelela maemo a boditshabatshaba ge go hlaolwa basenyi ka dikgatiso tsa menwana tseo di tseerwego lefelong la bosenyi. Mokgwa wa nyakisiso wo o somisitswego mo nyakisisong ye ke mokgwa wa khwalithethifi wo o nago le tlhamo ya kheisisetati ya nyakisiso go nyakisisa hlogotaba ya nyakisiso ka maitemogelo a bahlankedi bao ba somago ka sestemo ya dikgatiso tsa menwana. Dipoledisano tse lesomesenyane di dirilwe mo nyakisisong ye. Sampole yeo e somisitswego e be e le e nnyane ka baka la tlhaelelo ya ditsebi tsa dikgatiso tsa menwana. Dikutollo tsa nyakisiso ye di utollotse gore Senthara ya Direkoto tsa Bosenyi ya Selegae (LCRC) ga e kgone go hlaola dikgatiso tse di utilwego tsa basenyi ba lekga la mathomo le gore ditokete tse ntsi tsa melato di sa tswalelwa ka dikgatiso tsa menwana tse phosethifi ka lebaka la go hloka tshedimoso ya tlhaolo. Sestemo ye e phethagaditswego ya Kgopelo ya Netefatso ya Boitsebiso bja Motho (PIVA) yeo e kopanyago disestemo tsa dikgatiso tsa menwana go tswa dikgorong tse mmalwa tsa mmuso ga e kgone go hlaola dikgatiso tse di utilwego. Sestemo ya PIVA e bewa ka diteiseneng tsa maphodisa e sego ka LCRC ka ge maikemisetso a yona e le go thusa tshepediso ya toka ya bosenyi (kudukudu dikgorotsheko) ka taolo ya melato le tshepetso ya mosenyi. Bjalo nyakisiso e sisinya phethagatso ya sestemo yeo e tlago dumelela ditsebi tsa LCRC go supa basenyi ba lekga la mathomo bao ba sego tatapeising ya tshedimoso ya LCRC. E sisinya gape gore SAPS e swanetse go ba le tatapeisi ya tshedimoso ya dikgatiso tsa menwana go tswa go badudi bao ba dirago dikgopelo tsa ditlhahlobo tsa tshireletso. Tatapeisi ye e ka boloka tshedimoso ka thoko go ya direkoto tsa bosenyi gomme e tla somiswa go nyaka tshedimoso ya dikgatiso tsa menwana tseo di sa hwetswego go Sestemo ya Boitsebiso ya Dikgatiso tsa Menwana ya go Itirisa (AFIS). Go efoga dikgatiso tsa menwana tseo di sa hwetswego gabotse ka ge e bile taba yeo e tshwenyago bakgathatema ka moka, diteisene tsa maphodisa di swanetse go fiwa disekena tsa dikgatiso tsa menwana tsa titsithale.

Uhlelo lwezigxivizo zeminwe loMbutho Wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Afrika (eyaziwa ngokuthi yi-SAPS) alukwazi ukukhomba imibhalo-ecashile yabantu abangenacala noma abaphula umthetho okokuqala ngqa, lungakwazi kuphela ukukhomba abantu ababebekwe amacala ngaphambilini. Ngakho-ke, inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuhlola ukusetshenziswa kwezinhlelo zokugxivizwa kweminwe ukuze kutholakale imibhalo-ecashile yalabo abaqala ngqa ukuphula umthetho. Ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo kwenziwa ukuze kuhlinzekwe isizinda esihlokweni kanye nokugqamisa izindinganiso zamazwe ngamazwe lapho kuhlonzwa izephula-mthetho ngokusebenzisa izigxivizo zeminwe ephakanyiswe endaweni yesigameko. Indlela yocwaningo esetshenziswe kulolu cwaningo iyindlela esezingeni eliphezulu enomklamo wocwaningo lwesihloko ukuze kuphenywe isihloko socwaningo ngokusebenzisa ulwazi lwezikhulu ezisebenza ngohlelo lweminwe. Kulolu cwaningo kwenziwa izinhlolokhono eziyishumi nesishiyagalolunye. Isampula esetshenzisiwe ibincane ngenxa yokushoda kochwepheshe bezigxivizo zeminwe. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kuveze ukuthi i-Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) ayikwazi ukuhlonza imibhalo-ecashile yalabo abaqala ukuphula umthetho nokuthi amadokodo amaningi asavaliwe aneminwe emihle ngenxa yokushoda kwemininingwane yawo. Uhlelo olusetshenziswayo lwe-Person Identity Verification Application (PIVA) oluhlanganisa izinhlelo zezigxivizo zeminwe ezivela eminyangweni embalwa kahulumeni azikwazi ukuhlonza amaphrinti acashile. Uhlelo lwe-PIVA lubekwe eziteshini zamaphoyisa ezingekho kwi-LCRC njengoba inhloso yalo iwukusiza uhlelo lwezobulungiswa bobugebengu (ikakhulukazi izinkantolo) ngokuphathwa kwamacala kanye nokuhanjiswa kwabephuli mthetho. Ngakho-ke lolu cwaningo luncome ukuqaliswa kohlelo oluzovumela ochwepheshe be-LCRC ukuthi bahlonze abaphula umthetho okokuqala ngqa abangekho kusizindalwazi se-LCRC. Iphinde yancoma ukuthi i-SAPS kufanele ibe nesizindalwazi solwazi lwezigxivizo zeminwe ezakhamuzini ezifaka izicelo zokuhlolwa ezokuphepha. Lesi sizindalwazi singagcina imininingwane ngokuhlukene naleyo yamarekhodi obugebengu futhi izofinyelelwa ukuze kuseshwe ulwazi lwezigxivizo zeminwe olungatholakali Ohlelweni Lokuhlonza Izigxivizo Zeminwe Ezizenzakalelayo (eyaziwa nge-AFIS). Ukuze kugwenywe izigxivizo zeminwe ezingatholakalanga kahle njengoba kube ukukhathazeka kwabo bonke ababambiqhaza, iziteshi zamaphoyisa kufanele zinikezwe izithwebuli zeminwe zedijithali.