[Poohbah]

Do they still take footprints and handprints of newborns? I think they used to, to prevent mixups, as all newborns look pretty much alike. Could those prints even possibly be used to confirm identity of an older child or adult? And if so, who is keeping the print records?

The separate states keep the records per their own laws.

And those prints have been used to confirm the identities of children abducted by their parents in custody disputes, IIRC. Not sure if they can ID an adult from them.

[kaylar]

Maybe computer imaging...Take a copy of the print and enlarge it to a size consistent with an adult wo/man's hand, and see how the lines change, like with computer ageing. But any interest in something like that went out the window with DNA, I'm sure,as the DNA is so reliable.

When I worked for the state of MO, they took my prints. It disgusted me, having my prints taken, and having to provide a urine sample....and the woman taking the sample was in the restroom with me. But I wanted the job, so I overlooked feeling like I was being judged as a probable scumbag. Wonder how long before any job-except for the most menial, perhaps-will require a print and a DNA sample? 10 years, 20 years-?