The IT Law Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Department of Defense[]

Definition[]

The Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is a

Department of Defense (DOD) system implemented to improve the U.S. government's ability to track and identify national security threats. The system includes mandatory collection of ten rolled fingerprints, a minimum of five mug shots from varying angles, and an oral swab to collect DNA.[1]

Overview[]

The DoD ABIS is an electronic database and an associated set of software applications that support the storage, retrieval, and searching of fingerprint and latent data collected from persons of national security interest. The DoD ABIS was designed to be similar to the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and therefore its interface was based on the FBI's Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specification (EFTS). Because of the different nature of DoD encounters and detainment circumstances, the DoD has additional operational requirements beyond those defined in the FBI EFTS. The DoD-unique capabilities are defined in the DoD EBTS.

Department of Homeland Security[]

Definition[]

IDENT

An IDENT terminal

The Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) is a Department of Homeland Security system for the storage and processing of biometric and limited biographic information for DHS national security, law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, and other DHS mission-related functions, and to provide associated testing, training, management reporting, planning and analysis, or other administrative uses.

Overview[]

IDENT was originally developed in 1994 as a biometrics collection and processing system for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Since that time, the INS, as well as numerous other organizations, were subsumed and reorganized into DHS. This change meant that the intended use of IDENT expanded beyond that for which it was initially designed. Today, IDENT is the primary DHS-wide system for the biometric identification and verification of individuals encountered in DHS mission-related processes. IDENT is primarily a back-end system that conducts identification or verification services on behalf of numerous government programs that collect biometric and associated biographic data as part of their mission. These government programs are essentially "users" of IDENT biometric identification and verification services.

The DHS's Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) manages the Automated Biometric Identification System.

References[]

  1. Biometrics Identity Management Agency, Biometrics Glossary, at 34 (Ver. 5) (Oct. 2010) (full-text).

Sources[]

Advertisement