Image validation and verification are important functions in the acquisition of fingerprint images from live-scan devices and for assessing and maintaining the fidelity of fingerprint image databases. Such databases are used by law enforcement agencies, for which data integrity is paramount, and many hours must be devoted to visual inspection of images. In addition, such databases are used by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and others to test automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) algorithms and to aide the advance of this technology.