Focusing Knowledge

Our business is designing and developing custom software for clients for whom we consult.  Over the past 20 years, we have developed such diverse things as industrial robots, currency hedging systems, accounting systems for major private equity firms, and statistical forecasting system, to name only a few applications.

Last year, we were contacted by a statewide law enforcement group who had adopted as their project a campaign to teach kids simple steps they could take to make themselves safe from predators.  AS part of their campaign, they contacted us to see if we would be interested in developing a computer program which would provide positive identification for sizeable batches of school children, including photo identification and fingerprinting.  Although a number of police departments fingerprint children, it is usually done in small groups, or with individual visits to the police department, because it is so labor intensive.  It takes about 10 minutes per child to ink up the pad, fingerprint the kid, and then help him/her wash up.

We proposed a digital system for capturing the fingerprints, and integrated the camera aspect into the system, so that under our system, we can process up to 300 children in an hour in a very cost effective way.  We spent about a month specifying, developing, and testing the syste, for which we were paid a small stipend.  But it was for a good cause, and we’re glad we did it.

Here are some statistics from the FBI and the National Crime Information Center which convinced us that this was the right thing to do:

1. An average of 2,185 children under the age of 18 were reported missing each day….or 797,000 annually.
2. Every 40 seconds, a child becomes missing or is abducted in the United States.
3. In 2001, 840,279 people (adults and children) were reported missing to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Almost 90% of all missing persons (roughly 750,000 people or 2,000 per day) were children.  Of these, 152,265 were classified as either endangered, or involuntary.
4. In the past 20 year period the incidence of abductions/missing persons has grown 444%
5. Only about one child in 10,000 missing children reported to the local police is not found alive. However, about 20 percent of the children in nonfamily abductions are not found alive.
6. Most abductions take place close to home.  In 80 percent of abductions by strangers, the first contact between the child and the abductor occurs within a quarter mile of the child’s home.
7. Acting quickly is critical. When a child abduction results in murder, 74% of the deaths occur within three hours.

Pretty sobering, eh?

So, it turns out that the software is only one component of the process.  The system needs a camera with certain specifications, a digital fingerprint reader with appropriate drivers, a router, a printer with sufficient definition to render the fingerprints with sufficient detail that the are faxable, and, a computer running Windows XP, or better.  And they all have to be able to talk to each other seamlessly.  We decided to offer the system to anyone who had an interest, and named it SKID, an acronym for Safe Kid I.D.

Fingerprinting and Photo Identification System for Kids

Once setup properly, the system is so simple that anyone can operate it after about 5 minutes of instruction.  Just line the kids up, and one-by-one shoot their picture, and take their prints.  And the ID docket flies out of the printer, which it is sent home to the parent.  Because of security concerns, the system keeps no records of the fingerprints, but the parent keeps the docket and identity card in case the child goes missing.

The advantages of such a system are:

1. SKID is a complete solution.  It is ‘turnkey…’.  Everything you need to make a complete ID record for every child in your school year after year is included.
2. SKID is the most user friendly system on the market today. With less than an hour of training- which is included with your purchase- two people can produce up to 300 identification records per hour.
3. SKID is Amber Alert ready.  All of the information needed by law enforcement has been recorded in each ID.
4. SKID uses a state-of-the-art technology.  Fingerprinting used to require highly trained law enforcement personnel.   With biometric scanning technology you will use the most effective and efficient technology to record fingerprints.
5. SKID is yours to use year after year.  The only ongoing costs are paper and ink. Your kit contains a laptop computer and the SKID software, a camera, networking equipment, height chart, printer, and electronic fingerprint scanner.
6. SKID educates and protects our children.  Implementing this program can involve your entire community, and through education you can provide one of the best defenses against the possibility of abduction.
7. SKID can pay for itself.  Sponsorship space is available on each identification record.  You can raise funds for your school or organization year after year and increase community awareness in the process.
8. The uniqueness of our SKID process, allows school organizations an opportunity to sell sponsorship space on the actual ID Docket which allows the school to not only pay for the SKID, but to continue raising funds for school organizations year after year.

SKID is comprehensive.  More than the hardware and software that provides an identification record, SKID provides multiple opportunities to educate.

We’ve designed a comprehensive system to combat this growing threat in our society.

SKID educates children.   A lesson plan is included in your SKID package that was developed by law enforcement experts.  This tool can be presented by teachers, community leaders, or public servants and provides easy to understand rules for safety.  Your children will learn these rules in a natural and unthreatening setting from people they trust.

SKID educates parents.  Parents receive the identification records to keep in case they are ever needed.  Since SKID keeps no central records, no privacy issues apply.  Completing the SKID record supplies an opportunity for a family discussion about safety.

SKID educates the community.  Involving your community – through sponsorships, delivery of the safety rules training, and publicity about the supporters of the program – fosters a “hostile” environment for potential abductors.  When your community is aware of dangers, successful abductions will be harder to complete.