Academy of Investigational Services 

Fingerprint professionals link suspects with a crime scene, establish the identity of a victim or suspect, exonerate the innocent. Would you like to identify victims, missing persons and lawbreakers engage in criminal activity, and more? Are you interested in a serious profession that rewards initiative and skill? Would you like to understand crime scene investigations (CSI)? If so, the Academy of Investigational Services (AIS) is the convenient home study fingerprint course that is right for you. Gain the skills you need to begin or advance your career as a Fingerprint Professional, offered through the AIS fingerprint course. Our highly specialized, distance-learning curriculum is designed around you and your demanding work and home-life schedule. Our forensic fingerprint certification can make all the difference in various CSI fingerprint employment opportunities with national law enforcement agencies and local police departments. We will teach you the knowledge and techniques used by real-world law enforcement fingerprint professionals. Practical home study training from AIS makes learning fingerprint classification and comparison possible for you whenever you have time to study. You will receive the same training as students attending a school or college course on fingerprints. Fingerprint graduates can consider entry-level employment opportunities as Fingerprint Technicians. Job salaries for these positions start at an average of $65,000 per year, depending on state and city locations. With experience, salaries average approximately $75,000 - $95,000 per year depending on state and city location. Experience is not required for an entry-level fingerprint expert as long as the job candidate has the appropriate education for the position. 

When you study with AIST, you will learn the proper forensic techniques of CSI of fingerprints. You will learn how to identify fingerprint patterns such as arches, loops, and whorls. This comprehensive program also teaches you to understand the principles of classifying, searching, and comparing specific types of fingerprints. You will learn how AFIS, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System operates. The AFIS computer scans and encodes fingerprint records into a database. It can match a fingerprint sample, either a partial fingerprint or a single fingerprint, or a ten-print set, by searching the database. It can search thousands of prints a second. More than 20,000 local, state, federal, and international agencies electronically submit to AFIS. By the time you complete the AIST Fingerprint Course, you can conduct ACE-V, an acronym for Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification used for identification or exclusion of an individual fingerprint. You will learn how to present your fingerprint examination as evidence in a court of law. Our fingerprint course will give you all of the knowledge and ability to follow these scientific forensic directions in fingerprint identification. Our forensic fingerprint students need to pass the AIST proficiency fingerprint examination to receive certification. Passing proficiency fingerprint examination will give students the knowledge to take the test for entry-level positions in forensic CSI of fingerprints. The AIST curriculum is a proven way to secure a career in fingerprint classification and comparison. Learn and earn your Fingerprint Certificate at home, and you can design your study time around your schedule. Look at our online Fingerprint Course and FAQ for more information below.

The Academy of Investigational Services curriculum has one workbook and two textbooks concerning the science of fingerprints that professionals have prepared. The fingerprint course will teach students about the historical background of the science of fingerprints. The course acquaints students with sufficient knowledge necessary to identity, understand, and implement the eight basic fingerprint patterns according to the Henry System of Fingerprint Classification, as prepared by the FBI. Sir Edward Henry was an Assistant Commissioner of Police at Scotland Yard in 1901 that first developed the eight basic fingerprint patterns classification system that the FBI is still using, Scotland Yard, and law enforcement agencies throughout the world. AIST students will learn to classify fingerprints according to the Henry System. A significant portion of the study concentration will be on prints' orientation, detailed instructions, and practical applications of fingerprint patterns, ridge counting, whorl tracing, and interpretation; the study and evaluation of loops, whorls, and arch pattern characteristics; and comparison of prints.

The AIS fingerprint course is to acquaint students with sufficient knowledge to identify, understand, and implement the Henry System of the Fingerprint Classification Formula (FPC) currently used on all law enforcement fingerprint cards for classification. A significant portion of the course will be on detailed instructions and practical applications of the classification formula, which comprises the following six divisions: Key, Mayor, Primary, Secondary, Sub-secondary, and Final. Students will learn to classify and take ink prints on fingerprint cards according to the proper FPC formula. Students will learn how to obtain fingerprints for classification and comparison physically. Students will also learn, understand, and know-how to conduct ACE-V (An acronym for Analyze, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification) methodology, which is the most current method for identifying or excluding an individual fingerprint. Students will learn how to present ACE-V examinations as evidence in a court of law.

The course will provide students with sufficient knowledge to identify, understand, and implement the codes used by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which is a computerized information system established to service all law enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal governments. Understanding the NCIC is crucial. It is a widely used system developed to meet the needs of police and those of prosecutors, courts, and correctional institutions, for prompt, up-to-date information concerning an individual; past criminal history. As part of AIS, all students will learn to classify fingerprints according to the proper NCIC codes. Upon completion of the AIS Fingerprint Course, students will complete an examination.

1.  What is distance learning? Distance learning is completing fingerprint studies without being present in a classroom. The quality of education is usually better than that of a school since most individuals who choose distance learning to obtain their training are self-motivated. Due to today's technology, more people than ever before choose distance learning over traditional classroom settings as the vehicle of choice to obtain their training. Convenience and costs associated with a more conventional environment are just why more students are taking coursework through distance education.

2. Is it a distance learning course? Yes, this is a unique fingerprint course that recognizes the advantages of learning at home for working professionals.

3. Is the Fingerprint Certificate training earned via this distance learning program the same as the Fingerprint Certificate training learned by students attending classes on campus at a college or police department? Yes. You will receive the same Fingerprint Certificate Training as students attending a college or police department.

4. Will my certificate indicate it was obtained by distance learning? No, your certificate will not look any different than someone who took a more conventional course of study, nor will it indicate it was earned by distance learning.

5. Do I need fingerprint certification? It may or may not be required in your state, and it depends on the area you live. Still, certification is always a good idea, even if it's optional since it establishes your level of fingerprint education, knowledge, and ability to take entry employment fingerprint examinations.

6. What are the materials mailed? One fingerprint magnifiers, course instructions, two fingerprint e-textbooks, one fingerprint e-workbook, exercise assignments, examples, and exam request form.

7. What is the comparable cost of distance education vs. traditional education on campus? Figures suggest that the average price for a fingerprint course obtained on a conventional police department, college, or university campus with books and materials is approximately $700 to $1,500 per person. AIS continues to maintain an affordable cost through the use of our home study fingerprint course. Our fee for the entire Fingerprint Course is $175 with e-books in a USB flash memory stick or CD-ROM digital disc, format PDF files.

8. Did proficient instructors design the fingerprint course? Yes, by graduated college degree law professionals. All instructors are law enforcement certified, fingerprint experts. They have worked for law enforcement governmental departments and agencies.

9. Do I have to travel to complete this program? AIST has designed this program to be delivered throughout the world. The program utilizes our home study fingerprint course to eliminate the travel and scheduled time requirements without sacrificing the tremendous value of learning.

10. How many coursework hours? The distance learning program requires 54 hours of fingerprint coursework. Most full-time students need one college quarter, approximately ten weeks, to complete the 54-hour program. The coursework requires about one to two hours of study time. This particular distance learning program is structured to allow students to study on their own time. Study time is the student's available time they choose.

11. How long do I have to complete the course? You have up to twenty weeks to complete the fingerprint course, and you can request an additional five weeks by sending a letter with your reason(s) for more time. Your letter will give you five additional weeks automatically.

12. How are the course materials delivered? All materials will come to you via U.S. Mail sent directly to your home or office.

13. When can I start? AIS maintains open enrollment and does not involve classroom attendance. You may enroll at any time throughout the year and start on your courses immediately after acceptance by AIS. Our distance learning program is designed to accommodate those students wishing to take their courses entirely at home or work.

14. Are there any prerequisites? Yes, all students must be 18 years or older, graduated from high school, or have a GED (General Equivalency Diploma). The Fingerprint Certificate requires that all students have no felony convictions. If the above prerequisites are fulfilled, the student may apply and take the prescribed fingerprint course.

15. What type of employment is available in the Fingerprint Classification field? Upon completion of this fingerprint course, you can test for an entry-level position for the job class of Fingerprint Classifier, also known as Fingerprint Examiner, Fingerprint Expert, Fingerprint Analysis, Fingerprint Identification Expert, Fingerprint Specialist, Fingerprint Technician, or it's equivalent.

16. Where are the employment opportunities? Fingerprint employment opportunities are in governmental civil service cities, counties, states, and federal departments and agencies related to the fields of law enforcement. City police, county sheriff, state trooper, U.S. Marshal, U.S. customs, border protection, ICE, FTA, FBI, CIA, U.S. Military, all department, and agencies employ civilian fingerprint specialists.

17. The fingerprint course objectives are? To produce competent fingerprint professionals prepared to test for a career in CSI fingerprints.

18. After the fingerprint certification course is completed? The individual is prepared for the civil service test in fingerprint classification and comparison by knowing the methodology and science of fingerprint forensics under the guidelines established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

19. Are you limited to the United States for employment as a Fingerprint Specialist? Law enforcement agencies are using our fingerprint system throughout the English-speaking world. The student can apply for entry-level fingerprint positions in any English-speaking country—Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States.