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<p>This thesis investigates the ties between biometrics and state security by analyzing biometric identification and  screening programs, their structural elements, and ultimately their effectiveness. Although biometric identification is  rapidly becoming an international norm, quantitative assessments of biometric identification programs within the  larger context of state and international security are non-existent. This thesis discusses the idea of identity, defines  the identity problem, addresses identity's role in state security, and addresses how biometric identification contributes to this end. Individual characteristics of the most prominently used biometric identifiers are discussed in detail (face, fingerprint, and iris), as well as the overall concept of biometric identification. The ICAO e-Passport program and the U.S. specific screening functions are presented to illuminate how biometric identifiers are used in practical  applications. These programs, in turn, serve as the basis for the investigation of the effectiveness of biometric identification as it pertains to state security, focusing first on U.S. immigration and then on the broader context of international terrorism.  Biometric identification has been largely credited with producing tangible security gains. This thesis seeks  to tie a quantitative measure to that assertion and generate future discussion about the merits of biometrically based  identification and screening.
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<br>Subjects: Border security; National security; Identification</div>
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Moore, Todd M.</div>
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