England Starts Fingerprinting Drinkers

dptalia writes "In an effort to reduce alcohol related violence, England is rolling out mandatory fingerprinting of all pub patrons. If a pub owner refuses to comply with the new system, and fails to show 'considerable' reductions in alcohol-related crimes, they will lose their license. Supposedly the town that piloted this program had a 48% reduction in alcohol-related crime." From the article: "Offenders can be banned from one pub or all of them for a specified time - usually a period of months - by a committee of landlords and police called Pub Watch. Their offenses are recorded against their names in the fingerprint system. Bradburn noted the system had a 'psychological effect' on offenders."

Comments

Re:Now the question is

[felix rayman]

Not enough.

Re:Interesting.

[Shanoyu]

Pretty good. It's been working for quite some time really. I don't really know how someone can get to be so smashed and out of control that you don't want to serve them liquor and simultaneously they somehow don't break any other law except perhaps public intoxication. Clearly British drunks have reached a level of uncanny and clever shenanniganism that a finger print system is simply no match for.

But what about artificial limbs?

[zymurgy_cat]

This law has a major loophole. People without hands can visit any pub they like! I'm certain that we'll soon see an increase in alcohol-related violence by people with artificial hands, hooks, stumps, and the like.

Please, please, won't someone think of the children?!?! We need to implement alternative ID methods. Perhaps something like RFID chips implanted in artificial hands. We should also consider banning artificial limbs, hooks, and the like so these people cannot drink excessively and threaten our children. If we save the life of only one child, it will be worth it.

Re:how will this affect non-citizens

[c_forq]

Let them be at my doorstep. I am fine with that. In the court system they have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in order to get a conviction for a criminal case. If they come to my door step I will be happy to go downtown, tell them what I was doing there, tell them everything I know, and do anything I can to help them solve the crime. If they do end up charging me I am confident that I can raise reasonable doubt.

Re:Interesting.

[KDR_11k]

Wait, I thought you guys had an entire prison CONTINENT?

Re:Wow

[Snarfangel]

So yes, the English are qualified to make references to Big Brother. But people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

At least, not if a camera is pointed in their direction.