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Glossary

A short list of terms used throughout this document set.

ABIS​

Automated Biometric Identification System – a system for storing, comparing and managing biometric data (fingerprint, face, iris, DNA) used in identification or verification scenarios.

ACE-V​

Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification – the methodology used in forensic friction-ridge examination. See ACE-V methodology.

AFIS​

Automated Fingerprint Identification System – a biometric system that uses fingerprints for identification or verification.

Applicant​

The basic data entity representing one biometric enrolment of a person. In the criminal context, an applicant is a record of a known suspect, person in custody, person of interest or wanted person. See Criminal records.

Biometric Individual (BI)​

An envelope grouping one or more applicant records that biometrically belong to the same person. Each valid BI has exactly one primary applicant.

Candidate​

The result of an identification (1:N) request – a reference whose matching score with the probe is above the threshold.

Case​

The top-level container of an investigation. Contains evidences and examinations. See Cases and Evidence.

The pool of all evidences across every case. Selectable as a search target during identification.

Evidence​

A single forensic artefact – latent print, face image, video, DNA profile, supporting document – stored under a case.

Examination​

The unit of analytical work performed on an evidence. Examinations track the ACE-V phases (Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, Verification) and apply to fingerprint, latent and face evidence. Video evidence uses a specialised, auto-generated examination per detected person tracklet. See Examinations and Hits.

Fused score​

The aggregated matching score across all modalities in a request.

Hit​

A record of the relationship between a probe and a candidate after the examiner has reached a decision (Individualized / Excluded / Inconclusive).

Hitlist​

A higher-level construct grouping one or more hits awaiting human resolution; types include Duplicate, Mismatched, Split, Merge.

Identification​

A 1:N biometric matching operation – one probe is compared against many references. Returns a ranked list of candidates above a configured threshold.

Latent print​

A friction-ridge impression collected from a crime scene (typically partial, with imperfect quality).

Matching score​

A numeric value produced by the matcher quantifying the similarity between two biometric records. Composed of partial scores, modality scores and a fused score.

Probe​

The record (or piece of evidence) that is being identified or verified. The "input" of a matching request.

Reference​

The known record (or set of records) against which the probe is compared.

Resolve queue​

A queue holding hitlists waiting for human resolution. Each hitlist type has its own queue.

Snapshot​

A named, time-stamped checkpoint of the current state of the working image of an examination. Used by the Latent Editor and the Comparison Tool.

SMT​

Scars, Marks and Tattoos – NCIC-coded descriptors that can be assigned to evidence of type Other and used as a search criterion when biometric identification is not possible.

Verification​

A 1:1 (or 1:few) biometric matching operation – one probe is compared against one (or a small enumerated set of) references.

Visual annotation​

A drawing layered over an image (rectangle, ellipse, freehand stroke, arrow, text) used to highlight features. Annotations can be linked between probe and reference to mark matching features.