CONFIRMING IDENTITY

Introduction

Throughout history, people have had a need to confirm a stranger’s identity. During wartime, a messenger might be sent to deliver important information to an ally. If the messenger was not known to the ally in advance, how could the ally be sure the information was trustworthy? The same problem could occur in cases of inheritance. Lawyers settling an estate had to be sure they were giving the money to the right people.

Identification of criminals posed similar problems. No one wanted to see an innocent person go to jail just because he or she resembled the real culprit. It became necessary to develop ways of distinguishing between the innocent and the guilty.

Biometrics, the science of measurable physical characteristics, is used to identify individuals. Fingerprinting, iris scans, and DNA analysis are all important biometric methods used today, but they were not always available. What methods were used in the past, and what do you think might be used in the future?

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Task

For this WebQuest, your job is to investigate ways in which identities have been confirmed in the past and are being confirmed now. You will also make predictions of how identification might be handled in the future. To demonstrate what you have learned, you will answer the questions included here. You will also complete one of the activities described at the end of this WebQuest.

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Process

Read through the following questions. Then research the Internet resources that are provided for you. As you explore the sites, look for answers to the questions. Keep a record of any sites where you find answers by noting the title and URL (Internet address). For example:

            (title) Technology Student Association
            (URL) http://www.tsaweb.org

1. How did the ancient Romans identify mercenary soldiers to discourage them from running away?
   
   
2. What biometric method was used in ancient China to identify young children?
   
   
3. What did the Bertillon system measure?
   
   
4. What two characteristics of fingerprints have made fingerprinting so popular as a system of identification?
   
   
5. Which three biometric identifiers are considered the most difficult for someone to falsify?
   
   
6. Which two biometric systems are being used by some schools today to identify students paying for school lunches?


7. Why is using the iris of the eye as an identifier not always reliable?
   
   
8. Why are some people concerned about the use of biometrics to identify ordinary people?
   
   
9. Based on what you have read, how do you think the use of biometric systems will evolve over the next 20 years?

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Resources

Visit the Web sites listed here to find information that will enable you to answer the questions. You may use additional sites if you wish. Be sure to keep a record of any sites you use.

• National Center for State Courts: An Overview of Biometrics has lots of general information about the different kinds of biometric systems, including iris scans and DNA identification.

• Face Recognition Technology Means Kids Get Lunch for a Smile is an article on new technologies used by schools to identify students.

• Science and Technology: New Type of Identification is an article on biometrics that discusses what European countries are doing to establish identity confirmation.

• Vermont High School Goes to Touch Pay Lunch System is an article on fingerprint scanning being used to identify students.

• A Brief History of Biometrics is a general article on the history of different biometric systems.

• Biometrics Comparison Chart rates the different systems.

• Eye Scans Unlock the Future discusses the disadvantages of eye scans.

• Personal Identification by the Iris of the Eye explains the history and development of iris scans and tells how they work.

• CrimTrac: Fingerprint Analysis--The Basics shows the fingerprint features looked for by professional crime fighters and defines many of the terms used.

• Science News for Kids: Crime Lab gives general information about the work done by crime labs, including fingerprinting and DNA analysis.

• The History of Fingerprints provides a general history and some interesting facts.

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Activities

Complete one of these activities (your choice) to demonstrate understandings you’ve gained by going on this WebQuest.

• Classify the members of your class by means of a number of physical characteristics, such as height, eye color, hair color, length of forearm from elbow to fingertip, and so on.
  (Choose characteristics that will not embarrass anyone.)
• Are any two people alike in more than one or two categories?
• How many categories would be required to ensure that there were no matches in more than one or two categories?
• Take hand measurements of members of the class. Establish a range of measures typical of males and females.

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