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| The linking and reconciliation process is a set of rules and processes that aim at reconciliating two files, based on specific forensic information (called "identifiers") and operational checks. During the reconciliation, the files are compared and checked in order to determine if they can relate to the same person or to persons of the same family. |
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The principle is that the system only suggests a "potential match" between files.
Only the agency (and consequently the user of this agency) owning the AM file , or together with the agency owning the PM/PUI file , or the Disaster Container owing the PM/PUI file can undertake the identification.
Before the reconciliation is concluded and approved by the owners of the files, but however belonging to the reconciliation iterative process, you will be able to create links between two files (AM/PM/PUI), if these files are not restricted access to you. (In this case as you will not be able to see the file, you will consequently not be able to create a link with this file).
These links can have different states, such as:
- A formal link (with signature),
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- A formal link which is still under way (not signed yet),
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- An informal link.
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Two types of Links exist:
- Informal link
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- Formal link
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You can create the following kinds of Informal Links:
- AM/PM-PUI
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- AM/AM duplicate
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- PM/PM Body Parts
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- FM/PM-PUI
An informal link is added by selecting a file pair from e.g the File Manager. Note: In order to be able to create a Relationship note, you need to be the owner of one of the two files.
Start by opening the File Manager and choose the first file you want to link by clicking on the relevant row. Then pin the chosen file as first file by clicking the Pin first file button on the far right side.
The first file has to be
- an AM file in case of AM/PM-PUI or AM/AM duplicate
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- a PM Body Part in case of PM Body Part/PM
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- a FM file in case of FM/PM-PUI
Next choose the second file you want to link by clicking on the relevant row. Then pin the chosen file as second file file by clicking the Pin second file button on the far right side.
The second file has to be
- a PM-PUI file in case of PM-PUI in case of AM/PM-PUI or FM/PM-PUI
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- an AM File in case of AM/AM duplicate
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- a PM file in case of PM Body Part/PM
Then you click on the Relationship note button in File Manager, Management, File Links group to open the Create a note dialog.
To create the Relationship Note click on the OK button after writing you note and the informal link will be added to your list of comparison reports (see section Comparison Reports for more information).
You will be able to see only the comparison reports involving files owned by your agency.
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A formal link is started as a "Disclosure Request".
When two files are subject of an assumed identification or are probably duplicates of the same case, a formal link is created.
Three types of a formal link exist depending on the file kinds of the involved files (e.g. AM vs PM).
The type is automatically set by the System, when creating the formal link:
- Is identified to: AM vs PM or AM vs PUI
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- Is identical: AM vs AM or PM vs PM or PUI vs PUI
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- Is body fragment: PM vs PM
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The following statuses exist for a file pair in the Comparison Report list.
The two files involved in the reconciliation process will be designated as file 1 and file 2.
Awaits FD Accept: | When the owner of file 1 has indicated that a file pair is a match, and one of the files is not owned by the user, this state is set. The owner of a file is a user belonging to the agency that owns the file who was granted the right to manage reconciliations. |
Awaits Owner to sign: | The owners have access to both files following the acceptation of the file disclosure by both users. The comparison report is being edited in order to gather evidence. |
Awaits 2nd Owner to sign: | The 1st owner has signed the comparison report. The owner of the second file must sign the comparison report. |
Awaits Identification Report: | Both users have signed the comparison report, and the identification report is being edited. It is mandatory to complete the identification report. When the identification report has been closed the three following states exist. |
Report is "premature" | The report does not contain sufficient information to neither exclude or identify the file pair. |
Awaits acceptance of Identification Report | The conclusion of the report says that the available information leads to an identification. Now both users must accept or reject this identification. Now both owners must accept or reject this identification. |
Awaits acceptance of Exclusion Report | The conclusion of the report says that the available information leads to an exclusion (both files do not coincide). Files do not match. |
Identification is "Final": | Both users have accepted that the conclusion is identification of the two files. |
Exclusion is "Final": | Both users have accepted that the conclusion is exclusion. |
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An empty comparison is automatically created when two files have been linked.
You can access this initial report when you navigate to Ident Reports.
Then click View and see the comparison report page.
Now you can edit the comparison report. Click the Add button in the Comparison, Comparison Management, Evidence and fill in your evidence and click Save in the upper right corner of the report.
Now the added evidence appears in the evidence list.
By selecting it (clicking at the evidence), you have the option to Edit or Delete the evidence. Remember to save the report when it's done.
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When the comparison report has been filled properly and saved, it must be signed by both parts in order to proceed to an identification report. This step closes the comparison report, and prevents any further updates by the owners of the two files.
The report is ready to be signed when at least one evidence is present (indicated by a green dot in upper right corner).
This enables the Sign button (for users who are allowed to sign).
You can click on the Sign button, and wait for the progress indicator to finish.
Now the report is closed for further updates, and a lock symbol is added to the header.
Note: You must have sufficient rights to execute the sign procedure. If not, the Sign button will remain disabled, even if the comparison report is ready to be signed.
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To edit the Identification Report click on View in the Comparison, Comparison Management, ID Report menu
This enables the following buttons in the menu.
Now fill in your information in the page
When it's done, you have to save it by clicking on Save .
Next select the conclusion for the report:
- Identification
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- Exclusion
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- Premature
And click on Accept (Identification), Reject (Exclusion) or Premature in the Identification Report, Management menu.
Now the report is marked as closed (lock in upper right corner) and the reconciliation process is complete.
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A report can be listed as "premature" when there is no sufficient evidence to conclude for an exclusion or an identification, and the owners of both files decide to stop the investigations until more evidence arises.
A report can be listed as "exclusion" when the available evidence leads to the conclusion that:
- The two files involved in the reconciliation process are not linked to each other, or
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- not in the way the identification was led (for instance, the two files can belong to two sisters instead of the same person: in this case, the evidence cannot lead to an identification even if the files are related).
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