Citation

Dror IE, Wertheim K, Fraser-Mackenzie P, Walajtys J. J. Forensic Sci. 2011; 57(2): 343-352.

Affiliation

Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London (UCL), London, U.K. Cognitive Consultants International (CCI), London, U.K. Complete Consultants Worldwide (CCW), Bridgeport, WV. School of Management, University of Southampton, Southampton, U.K.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.02013.x

PMID

22212067

Abstract

Experts play a critical role in forensic decision making, even when cognition is offloaded and distributed between human and machine. In this paper, we investigated the impact of using Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) on human decision makers. We provided 3680 AFIS lists (a total of 55,200 comparisons) to 23 latent fingerprint examiners as part of their normal casework. We manipulated the position of the matching print in the AFIS list. The data showed that latent fingerprint examiners were affected by the position of the matching print in terms of false exclusions and false inconclusives. Furthermore, the data showed that false identification errors were more likely at the top of the list and that such errors occurred even when the correct match was present further down the list. These effects need to be studied and considered carefully, so as to optimize human decision making when using technologies such as AFIS.

Language: en