Biometric Prisoner Management

Facing logistic and administrative issues caused by a burgeoning prison population, the Yerwada Jail administration decided to implement biometric based prisoner identification system, helping streamline record keeping activities and prisoner identification processes. With over 3000 inmates lodged within its prison compound, Yerwada Jail-the second largest in India-faced serious administrative and logistic issues on a daily basis. Prisoner identification is an integral part of any prison system, but with so many prisoners lodged in the Yerwada Jail, the authorities found it increasingly difficult to keep tab on the prisoners, so necessary for an efficient jail system. This, according to experts, could give rise to serious security issues with prisoners dodging their sentence by forging, cheating and bullying their way out of the jail premises.

The need for an efficient identification system was felt because the current system with its preponderance towards physical prisoner identification can lead to inefficiencies stealthily creeping into the system, without anybody getting any wiser. This loophole can be exploited by the criminals, helping them get out, before serving their sentence by impersonating others. There is a growing fear in the legal community that the absence of a proper prisoner identification system could give rise to instances where criminals with clout and money would force lesser criminals to hide their identification, taking their identity to obtain release before serving their sentence.

The old system of identifying prisoners on the basis of visual characteristics and birthmarks is not fool proof as visual characteristics’ can be mistaken and birthmarks can be created or feigned. There is evidence that the current system based on physical verification of prisoners is not infallible, and can be misused to secure acquittals based on incorrect identification.

Proper identification is very necessary for proper placement of the prisoner, for securing identifications and affiliations, for calculating prison benefits and for tracking purposes. It also takes care of administrative procedures as the inmate may have previous involvement in a case, or a judicial history.

Recognizing the need to implement a modern prisoner identification system, Yerwada Jail Administration consulted Bayometric, who recommended the Biometric Fingerprint & Face Recognition Technology. This system uses a computer, web-cam, and a finger print scanner to create a new platform, based on fingerprint identification and facial recognition, helping create reports and help install a modern biometric based identification system.

Admission

The Biometric Fingerprint & Face Recognition system follows the typical Biometric Security protocol of enrolment followed by identification. The first step is known as the Admission process or enrolment and includes recording of fingerprint data with the help of a fingerprint scanner. Photographs are also taken which can be used in conjunction with the fingerprints or separately to identify a person.

Identification

The identification process uses this recorded fingerprint data to draw up the prisoners details. Once the prisoners detail come up on the screen the record keeper can use it to enter additional details. This information can be used to print reports, forms and identity cards and information booklets for future use.

Solution Architecture Advantages

The new prisoner identification system can be used to create a centralized system which can then be used to facilitate collection and retrieval of information from different jails and blocks within a jail. Customized software can be created for City-wide, District-wide and even State-wide collection and retrieval of data. This system can be used to create a centralized recordkeeping system that would facilitate better monitoring of prisoner records. System Benefits

The prisoner identification system is efficient, fool proof, free from human intervention, and facilitates maintenance of infinite data sets with quick retrieval abilities. The implementation of this system leads to a paperless environment and centralized access.

Benefits of the new system

The new biometric system of prisoner identification has a clear edge over the archaic physical identification system as it eliminates the human factor in the identification process. The system can be easily be assimilated in the existing system with all information kept at on a central server, facilitating ease of retrieval by other computers for identification purposes. The system reduces administrative difficulties and leads to a hassle free identification process. The Yerwada Jail administration reported negligible cases of mistaken identity release after the new biometric system was implemented. The administration benefited from ease of access to reports and data about the prisoner.