This article explores how criminal identification technologies evolved in Portugal since the end of the 19th century: from anthropometric measurements to descriptive, photographic, dactyloscopic and genetic methods. The historical trajectory of these identification technologies allows us to reflect on the continuities and discontinuities of past and current practices that aim to inscribe the individual identity as a bureaucratic category. The chronological and geographical contexts are fundamental to understand the archival uses of different techniques that seek to document (on paper and electronically) the suspicious body. Through the collection of documentary evidence (such as case files, reports, personal records and legislation), this historical analysis situates the use and implementation of these techniques in the Portuguese context. We demonstrate that the need to identify the criminal and to follow technological developments has been constantly used as a political argument to legitimise the implementation of these technologies. But we also conclude that these identification procedures tend to be extended to the entire population, widening the political will to identify and monitor not only “suspicious” bodies but also those who are regarded as “respectable” citizens.

中文翻译：

---

确定可疑机构？葡萄牙的历史追溯犯罪识别技术

本文探讨了自19世纪末以来葡萄牙的犯罪识别技术如何发展：从人体测量到描述性，摄影，指纹检查和遗传方法。这些识别技术的历史轨迹使我们能够反思过去和当前做法的连续性和不连续性，这些做法旨在将个人身份登记为官僚类别。按时间顺序和地理环境是了解各种技术（用于以纸质和电子方式记录）可疑尸体的档案使用的基础。通过收集文献证据（例如案卷，报告，个人记录和法规），这种历史分析使这些技术在葡萄牙语环境中的使用和实施成为可能。我们证明，识别犯罪分子和追随技术发展的需要一直被用作使这些技术合法化的政治论点。但是我们还得出结论，这些身份查验程序往往会扩展到整个人口，从而扩大了政治意愿，不仅可以查明和监视“可疑”尸体，而且可以识别和监视那些被视为“可敬”公民的尸体。