The topics in this course are fairly advanced. It is aimed at examiners who have regularly handled fingerprint casework for at least 2 years, or 10-print examiners with at least 8 years. While students with less experience may take the course, they should at least be familiar with the basics of ridgeology, SWGFAST-recommended procedures, general AFIS use, and basic decision-making in fingerprint cases.

Students will be expected to participate in daily class discussions, including, but not limited to, offering opinions, answering questions directed at them, expressing a position on an issue, and making comparisons in class. Students are in a training environment and, as such, will be given ample opportunity to explore various complex cases and scenarios as a group, in a non-threatening, safe environment.

• At the completion of the course, students will be able to: - Appreciate a scientific approach to ACE-V and Ridgeology
• Understand the concepts of laws versus theory, hypothesis testing, and the scientific method 
• Understand the most important aspects of all the phases of ACE-V
• Utilize the GYRO annotation system
• Recognize and correctly identify various distortions
• Understand mechanisms that produce various distortions, including blood matrices
• Perform a complete analysis (and document the process)
• Know the basis for searching “smart, not hard” finger and palm clues
• Understand how tolerance and uncertainty affect the comparison of ridge features
• Improve his/her ability to articulate reasoning and support for conclusions
• Understand how accuracy, precision, repeatability, and reproducibility apply to ACE-V
• Understand the importance of “pattern force” and specificity
• Understand how hypothesis testing is essential at the heart of all fingerprint conclusions
• Understand the importance of AFIS-generated suspects
• Understand how likelihood ratios relate to fingerprint examinations 
• Appreciate the value that probability models may provide during fingerprint examinations
• Know the (currently accepted) best practices for verification procedures
• Define various types of cognitive biases
• Understand what practices may reduce the potential of bias
• Know the current research regarding bias and fingerprint examinations
• Have more complete information regarding error rates and how to address them in court
• Know the current research regarding errors and testing the ACE-V process
• Know various ways to document latent print evidence and the basis for conclusions
• Know current recommendations or standards for best practices for documentation
• Know the major critical themes, current issues (e.g.. NAS related, legal challenges, etc.)

• Students must bring an open mind. We will cover a wide array of topics that can be fairly controversial.
• Students may wish to bring a laptop computer with Photoshop or other imaging software. 
• All exercises are presented to the students in two formats:
  • 1) Traditional photographs, enlarged and covered with acetate sheets for annotations.
  • 2) A digital format (1000 dpi or greater) .TIFF format. 
• The student may elect to use traditional photographs or digital photographs to complete the exercises. 
• The instructor does not teach how to use Photoshop, annotate, enhance, or otherwise process digital images. 
• Students should be familiar with their laptops and the software they choose to use. It is a preference style only.
• There are no 1:1 searching exercises in this course; therefore, a loupe magnifier, lamp, etc., are NOT needed.
• Dress is business casual as the course will be conducted in a professional environment and facility.

Advanced ACE-V Applications for Fingerprint Examiners may qualify for specific continuing education training credits. Use's summary below as a quick reference for organization and discipline specific applicability. The approving organization has final authority and their website should be referenced before submitting any request for training credits.

Although we cannot endorse any particular hotel property, we have confirmed that the following lodging options are within a reasonable commuting distance to the training site.