Police Database Lists 'Future Criminals'

Rio writes: "A Local6.com article tells us about a database that contains a list of people who police believe are likely to break the law. It features names, addresses and photographs of potential suspects --many of whom have clean slates. Since the system was introduced in Wilmington in June, most of the 200 people included in the file have been minorities from poor, high-crime neighborhoods."

Comments

Its interesting...

[deft]

Lots of other professions speculate on compilied data. The /. posting here implies that they are guessing completely, but in fact they are really just taking note of people that are hanging in shady areas, loitering, with no real reason to be there.

If the majority of those people end up commiting a crime, and they see a pattern, I see no problem with getting familiar with those faces in case anything ever does happen.

Now, it would be funny to see some CEO's pop up on a fbi list.... this ceo has aurthur anderson consulting as his auditor, a seemingly inflated stock price... hes probably laundering, lets keep an eye on him!

Re:Telling line

[Catskul]

--and, don't forget, a suspect is somebody who's guilty of some terrible crime but just hasn't been caught yet--

Where did this definition come from? I dont like this database as much as the next guy, but distortions of this kind put the reasonable opponents of something like this in a sterotype with people like you.

Re:Not suprising?

[ArcSecond]

It serves no purpose to prosecute the wealthy for their crimes. The purpose of the American security establishment is to protect the rich from the poor. The best way to do that is to put the wretches in the Armed Forces or in prison. A War on Drugs is an excellent to selectively target them, and it has been very effective at turning a tenth of your population into criminals.

I am fascinated by the process you guys in the U.S. have going. Soon, you will have the full-blown Police State you have always secretly wished for. The rich will barricade themselves behind private security, and leave the underpaid cops to keep the rabble on their toes.

Until, of course, being rich means being a target for violence and/or high taxes, at which point they will leave the U.S. en masse, hide on some island, and leave you all to pick up the tab for the national debt. Too bad for anyone who can't afford an offshore bank account and an apartment in Singapore.

I look forward to seeing more of this American Dream. I will be sure to take notes and laugh. Just remember this... self-inflicted wounds deserve no pity.

As a resident of Delaware

[Raul654]

I'd like to say that James Baker is a corrupt ass and it'd take an act of god for him to get re-elected this coming election. Everyone wants him out. Just look at the number of cases winding their ways through the courts because of his (a) reverse-discriminatory policies, (b) flagarant nepotism, and (c) complete incompetence.

Re:Go figure, it's for the "war" on drugs.

[ryanvm]

Yet another example of how absolutely disgusting the "war on drugs" has become in this country. They're paying a group of policemen to spy on ordinary citizens because they might smoke pot some day, or try a handful of mushrooms.

Oh bullshit. The article clearly states that the photos are taken by a squad created to arrest drug dealers. These people are scum of the earth. Just wait until a few dealers move into your neighborhood and bring with them a rash of burglaries. There's nothing like coming home from work to find your door kicked in and your belongings strewn everywhere.

But whatever, I'm sure this is just a bunch of racist whiteys keepin' minorities and poor people down. Feh.

Does anyone actually support the war on drugs anymore?

Yes - I do. But don't worry - when you grow up, you'll support the arrest of drug dealers too.

Re:I wasn't trolling.

[Computer!]

I like how if you express an unpopular opinion, you are a troll.


No, only when you throw around generalizations without a shred of evidence.

Show me how the quality of life for an average U.S. citizen has been improving for the last 30 years. Because it hasn't.

Show me a foriegn television show anyone finds worth watching! Show me the foriegn-language version of /.! Show me which country invented and continues to invent nearly every single thing you use nearly every single day.

Well, you kinda have to back up your own assertions around here, not just make them, and challenge others to knock them down.

What better place to unleash your mercenary fervour?

Why don't you give your computer to a homeless guy, there, Mother Theresa? In the meantime, we'll all keep feeding our kids as well as we can, and if you think there's a country on earth immune to greed, you're wrong. We just happen to be better at success. Sorry. If you don't like it, too bad. Maybe when we finally get around to annexing your country, we'll let you help name it.