Not all fingerprint files are of criminals. Some records are civil prints. Civil prints are taken of people who work for the government or apply for a job with the government. Have you ever had your fingerprints taken? It's a great idea to do this, because if you ever wander off or get lost, your parents will have a record of your fingerprints to give to the police. The faster your parents can get this information to the police, the sooner you will be recognized and safely returned to your family. Remember - fingerprints are unique. Not even identical twins have the same fingerprints. Take a minute to look at your own fingertip and notice all the ridges and swirls. Now, look at your parents' fingertips. Can you tell the difference? Take a minute to look at the seven different fingerprint patterns that are used to identify people. You can compare your own fingerprints to these patterns and see which one looks most like your own!

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