How did the New York State DMV catch 100 identity theft suspects?

In January, the New York State DMV upped the number of facial recognition data points used in its system from 64 to 128. The system, which was initially launched in 2010, has since stopped 14,000 people from trying to apply for multiple licenses, caught 100 identity theft suspects and opened 900 criminal cases.

When someone applies for a new license, an image of his or her face is compared with a database of images that grows by about 8,000 per day.

"Facial recognition plays a critical role in keeping our communities safer by cracking down on individuals who break the law," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "New York is leading the nation with this technology, and the results from our use of this enhanced technology are proof positive that its use is vital in making our roads safer and holding fraudsters accountable.”

As of last year, at least 39 states used some form of facial recognition software.