Monthly Archives: July 2011

Criminal Surveillance? Gone too far?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by antonino.fioretto

While searching for a video of interest to post, I came across this video(Click for video). In the video, it reports how the U.S. wants to pass a bill in which FBI agents dont need a motive or any evidence in investigating a crime. Everyone can be investigated without a reason. I think this is getting a little out of hand. The government already has too much control on individuals as it is. We have cameras installed in every possible area, street, and block in most of the country. I think this is categorizing every single person in the U.S. as a criminal. The message that U.S. citizens will get from this is that everyone is a criminal unless proven innocent. From what I understand from growing up, I thought that the correct motto was ” everyone is innocent unless proven guilty”. This is one of those moments in a nations history where the times are truly changing. I was born in 1985 and even though crimes did happen, I remember being able to leave the front door of my house open and unlocked and we werent so cautious about who our neighbors were and what they did. We werent so closely monitored and crimes were less than today. Nowadays, with the street cameras and surveillance, it seems that crime has risen. We basically are like animals stuck in a cage and the government is in control of us. I think people will get fed up with this new law and feel that since we are all categorized as criminals as a nation, why not act like a criminal anyway. I really hope that this bill does not pass because criminals are supposed to be the minority not the majority.

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DNA profiling in US

Posted on July 21, 2011 by irina.tyumentseva

On popular science and technology website Singularity Hub i found interesting article. It shows that as of July2011 13 states in US collect DNA samples from anyone who gets arrested. It highlightens the usefulness of this practice and even gives example of the case when murderer was found because police had his DNA after he was arrested for felony. Of course DNA profiling can serve many good causes, but the fact that it gets so widespread and used on virtually anyone, makes me personally, very uncomfortable.

Lets say you get arrested because you happened to be out late at night and crime was committed nearby. You will be released from police department within couple hours, but your DNA sample will be stored in their system. Of course, as a law obeying citizen you have nothing to worry about. That’s from the side of law enforcement agencies, but in the age of computer hacking there may be criminals who can use your precious information. If Wiki Leaks could access information from top secret government websites, where is guarantee that your DNA code won’t be stolen from police databases and used for anything from fraud to faking of your criminal records. Article hints on the problem by saying that widespread DNA screening practice “raises serious concerns about who has access to potentially incriminating DNA information stored in databases”.

Another thing with databases is that there may be mistakes. Article mentions that society and courts put a lot of weight on DNA identification. Therefore, given the level of trust that courts are putting into DNA identification, one may be convicted wrongfully because of the faulty entry in DNA police database.

Now whether the fact that so many states use DNA profiling on anyone who is arrested serves for public good or not is up to you to decide.

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Hello world!

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Andrew McKinney

Welcome to Blogs@Baruch!

This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging.

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