Jails in Yavapai County to begin scanning inmates' irises

Yavapai County is rolling out some new technology to keep track of inmates. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office is installing equipment to identify prisoners by scanning their irises. The technology will replace fingerprint identification at the Camp Verde and Prescott jails. Dwight D’Evelyn of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office says the new equipment will make the jail safer and more efficient.

“This will help us prevent releasing the wrong inmate, and it’s very quick, it’s non-intrusive, which is an advantage in a jail setting because we don’t have to hold or touch an inmate to confirm an identity," he said.

The Y.C.S.O. also bought field equipment for iris scanning and facial recognition. D’Evelyn says it’s a test, but he expects the trend of iris scanning to continue. "As we see its success," D'Evelyn said, "I expect we would expand on it at some point."

The company that make the scanners says more than 300 law enforcement agencies in 48 states use iris scanning technology, including the Pinal County Sheriff.