Identix Inc.

On its website, Identix Inc. describes itself as "the world's leading multi-biometric security technology company, offering fingerprint and facial technologies and products that empower the identification of individuals." 

Identix Biometric Business
Identix, are one of the companies that make Identity Cards that have biometric data such as iris or fingerprint scans. Other companies involved in the same technology include Cogent Inc. and Sagem S.A.

Identix took part in a six month trial of biometric technology for the UK Passport Service, which began in April 2004. Laura Rohde of IDG News Service reported that "Identix is providing the fingerprint capture and facial matching technology". 

However, the reliability of Identix's electronic fingerprinting system has been questioned in the US courts. John Lettice of The Register reported in May 2004 that "Plaintiffs Roger Benson and Miguel Espinoza are seeking restitution for the damage inflicted on them by duplication in police records which gave them other people's criminal records. Benson was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 days for carrying a firearm when a convicted felon, although the felony on his record had been committed by someone else, while Espinoza, had his restaurant business destroyed by a false record of a criminally negligent homicide conviction. The plaintiffs claim that their problems stemmed from Identix's Livescan 10-print, a fingerprint scanner used to enter fingerprint data into police systems... The plaintiffs' complaint alleges that the defendants have known since 1996 'that Livescan machines had the identified propensity of creating defective EFCs [Electronic Fingerprint Cards],' and that they therefore knew that this was corrupting criminal justice databases and court records." 

On October 4, 2005, On October 4, 2005, Identix received orders worth a total of $US 1.3 million from two unnamed U.S. government agencies for its fingerprinting technology. The agencies ordered technology will be used primarily for background checks on government and contract employees working on specific federal programs. 

On October 6, 2005, Identix received an order valued at more than $US 900,000 from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office to expand the department's identification network. It has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice. 

On November 3, 2005, it was revealed that Identix has received a follow-up order for its fingerprint-matching technology from an unnamed Middle Eastern nation, for a deal, valued at around $US 800,000. The technology will be used to take fingerprints and match them against a database, as people enter and exit the country. The unnamed Middle Eastern nation also plans to greatly expand the use of the technology from a few ports of entry to around 100. 

Contact details
Identix corporate headquarters :

5600 Rowland Road, Minnetonka, MN 55343 Tel: (952) 932-0888 Fax: (952) 932-7181 Email: info AT identix.com Website: http://www.identix.com/

SourceWatch resources

 * David Blunkett
 * UK biometrics technology companies
 * UK National Identity Cards Scheme
 * Joseph Atick

Articles

 * Laura Rohde, "U.K. passport agency begins trial on biometric IDs", IDG News Service, 26 April, 2004. Mentions Identix's participation in the trial.
 * "Victims of Police Fingerprint Debacle Claim Slander", EMEDIAWIRE.com, 7 May, 2004.
 * John Lettice, "DHS and UK ID card biometric vendor in false ID lawsuit", The Register, 11 May 2004.
 * "Fingerprint Misidentification Victims File Class Action Lawsuit Against Identix, Oregon and Top State Law Enforcement Officials", Press Release, prweb.com, July 30, 2004.