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What do you think about the use of electronic fingerprint scanners? Are they allowed by the DPS? I recently was hired on to a company that performs fingerprint background checks and they used a very small device with a glass panel on top. It was hooked up to a computer with a direct live feed of the scanner. As my finger was pressed to the glass, a real-time scanner was reading my print. Looking at the computer monitor I could see exactly how it was reading it and the quality is 1000 times better than how my ink prints came out in my CHL class. And the best part, no messy clean up or stains.

I actually found the company that makes the scanner. They are www.electronicfingerprinting.com.
And this is a picture of the exact device that I was printed with:


And if your wondering about how the printout would look, the computer monitor shows the prints being placed onto the same grid-like format as the fingerprint cards in the CHL packet. And their site specifically states that "If you need your fingerprints printed on a fingerprint card provided to you by your work, FBI, or law enforcement agency, your scanned prints can be printed directly onto whatever card you provide."

You have to use the print cards inserted into the packages or go to one of the authorized electronic FP locations.

That said, I do like it.

Like I posted in my last sentence, the system can print on ANY cards provided. It states it on their site.

It appears that by printing on cards provided, they may take a crack at competing with Identix - who I believe has a (relatively short-term) exclusive contract with DPS for providing fingerprints (for non-criminals) electronically. But, last I heard, they were still printing them out on their own two (FBI) cards.

What does that cost?

There may be a problem. Looks like it will only print 2 fingers at a time. There is a chance I could get the fingers out of order while printing someone.

How long does it take? If I am printing a large class, will it slow things down?

I think the benifits are good as long as the prints could be stored digitally. It may be faster to just ink and roll each finger, but the clarity and ability to send them digitally or print them out looks like a great option.

I jsut went to that site. Looks like they offer a fingerprinting service. I could not find where they sold the scanner.

However, it looked like they were scanning 4 fingers at once so that would eliminate one possible objection.