Easter Seals Child Care Center to Use Cross Match Technologies Fingerprint Technology for Enhanced Security

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 1, 2004--Move over James Bond. Missing are the usual sign-in sheets, PIN numbers and passwords at the Easter Seals Child Development Center in West Palm Beach. As a result of a special pilot security program installed by Cross Match Technologies, keeping track of who is coming and going at Easter Seals can be done with a touch of a finger.

Not only that, but the Center's administrators know how long visitors stay, when they leave and if they exhibit any unusual patterns.

Through the use of biometrics - the identification of a body part or other physical attribute such as an iris, face and hand - access is only granted to those registered in Cross Match's VisTrak Visitor Management Solution system.

At its West Palm Beach Center, Easter Seals Florida agreed to test the technology, which identifies authorized parents and staff, and eliminates visits from potential child abductors, unwelcome non-custodial parents, disgruntled former employees or strangers walking in from the streets.

Upon entering the building visitors must place four of their fingers on a scanner. A match is conducted against a database of fingerprint templates. If recognized by the VisTrak system, a digital photograph of the visitor is displayed on a monitor indicating access is permitted. If a previous problem occurred with the visitor, a prompt will indicate the visitor is denied access.

"This amazing technology gives the administration, staff and parents an added layer of security, knowing that our children are safe from those who shouldn't be here," noted Rhonda Clinton, executive director of Easter Seals Florida, which operates child care centers serving children with disabilities and special needs from birth to age 5 in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

"Easter Seals is proud to have been chosen as the site for this pilot program," Clinton noted. "Since many of our children cannot speak, we have to advocate on their behalf, making them feel as secure as possible. This new system from Cross Match allows us to provide the most secure environment possible, so our children can focus on learning and developing on task."

According to Ted Johnson, Cross Match Chairman and CEO, biometrics is the science fusing digital technology to identify individuals based on the individual's unique physical and biological qualities. Simply, biometrics is the technique of verifying a person's identity from a physical characteristic, i.e., fingerprint, handprint, face, scent, iris pattern or a personal trait, such as a voice pattern, handwriting or acoustical signature.

"With terrorism, theft, fraud, child abductions and other threats increasing, organizations such as Easter Seals can't afford to take chances with security," Johnson said. "This system can record the visits of volunteers, vendors and contractors entering and exiting the building, can record visitor patterns and can ensure only visitors with the authority to enter the facility can gain access."

Since its founding in 1996, Cross Match Technologies, Inc. has been at the forefront of applying forensic quality fingerprint imaging technology towards the development of cost-effective biometric security solutions for law enforcement, federal, aviation, education, commercial and international organizations. Cross Match is recognized for setting new standards in fingerprint imaging components through its more than 70 existing or pending patents and related intellectual properties.

Based in Palm Beach Gardens, the firm can be reached by calling (561) 622-1650, or by visiting http://www.crossmatch.com.

Easter Seals Florida is a not-for-profit organization, which provides speech, occupational, and physical therapies in an educationally rich environment. Its philosophy is to help children develop their potential by encouraging growth at their individual pace. Open year-round, Easter Seals Florida offers early learning environments with age appropriate educational activities to prepare them for school. No other organization has provided high quality, more experience or greater commitment to children longer than Easter Seals.

More information on Easter Seals is available by calling (561) 640-0013, or visiting http://www.easterseals.com.