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Actually, it makes sense

If they're going to have a print in their database to be able to match a non-perfect, or partial print to, the original needs to be as perfect as possible so that any small part of a latent print can be matched to a section of the whole 'perfect' print.

Remember, they're generally not taking these prints you're sending them and running them through the database, looking to see if they were found at any crime scene (that would take FOREVER to process), rather, they are scanning them in as originals, to be searched through IF you commit a crime.