Stark County Common Pleas Court getting new fingerprint scanner

Stark County Common Pleas Court is getting a device to capture fingerprints for automated submission to the state’s criminal records database thanks to a National Criminal History Improvement Program grant.

The federal grant will buy 77 new LiveScan fingerprint scanners for courts across Ohio to make the state’s criminal records repository more accurate and complete, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. His office administers the grant.

Ohio law requires the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to maintain a database of fingerprints and criminal records based on information supplied by more than 200 courts statewide. These records are relied upon for criminal investigations; prosecutorial charges; sentencing decisions; correctional supervision and release; and background checks for those applying for licenses or firearms purchases, and those who work with children, older Ohioans or people with disabilities.

The new machines, which cost $898,450, will be distributed to courts in 42 counties.

“Fingerprints are a critical piece of the puzzle when verifying someone’s identity and checking their criminal backgrounds,” Yost said in a prepared statement. “These grant funds are being invested in the courts to further modernize the recordkeeping system by building in a more fail-safe process to collect fingerprints. In doing this, law enforcement, employers and even everyday Ohioans can have greater confidence in the system.”

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County Common Pleas Court getting new fingerprint scanner