Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Fingerprinting of Minors by Police Officers Without Arrest

You are not giving me enough information to address your specific situation. However, as a general matter, there is not much difference in law enforcement practices regarding the fingerprinting of minors as opposed to those for adults--it is a customary part of most arrests. Fingerprints also are taken for many different reasons, however, including voluntary programs by which parents can place a child's information on file with authorities for future identification purposes if the minor is ever abducted, missing or otherwise victimized. Officers also sometimes have field kits to take prints which they carry with them in their squad cars, and suspects might be allowed to voluntarily offer their prints in lieu of being taken into custody.