Eyes Opened to Find the Missing
The Worcester County, MA, sheriff’s office has launched Iris Recognition Biometric Technology, which allows individuals to be identified by a unique eye scan.
Sheriff Guy W. Glodis says the technology will be especially helpful in identifying missing children and seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
The iris scans could be loaded into a database much the same way fingerprint information is now, but Glodis says the iris scans are more effective for identification because they are less susceptible to manipulation and can even distinguish between identical twins.
Because many kidnapped children are susceptible to entering altered mental states, they may not know they have been kidnapped or their original identity when they are recovered. Therefore, such a database would be important in making a positive identification.
In addition, dementia-affected seniors who wander away from their homes and then become lost could also be identified with the technology.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) from the Worcester (MA) Telegram and Gazette (05/31/07); P. B4; Valencia, Milton J.
