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FBI to Put Criminals Up in Lights

Posted by samzenpus on from the billboard-busted dept.

coondoggie writes "The FBI today said it wants to install 150 digital billboards in 20 major U.S. cities in the next few weeks to show fugitive mug shots, missing people and high-priority security messages from the big bureau. The billboards will let the FBI highlight those people it is looking for the most: violent criminals, kidnap victims, missing kids, bank robbers, even terrorists, the FBI said in a release. And the billboards will be able to be updated largely in real-time — right after a crime is committed, a child is taken, or an attack is launched. Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami will be among those cities provided with the new billboards."

10 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Free publicity? by five18pm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now how many want to bet that some idiot will commit a crime just to get on the billboard?

    1. Re:Free publicity? by Kierthos · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That would, I think, require even more stupidity then normal, considering the number of ways one could achieve a similar level of publicity without the risk of going to jail for a great many years.

      Now, how long before someone hacks a billboard to show the President's face... that should be the question asked.

      --
      Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
  2. Cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Can we do a daily minute of hate as well?

    1. Re:Cool! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Remember how we scoffed that politicians just don't "get" computers? I think they understand now. We'll soon wish they had remained ignorant.

    2. Re:Cool! by kalirion · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Is this a gutshot reaction or something? Seriously, I don't see what the problem with this is. They're not planning to put up pictures of recently released criminals. They're not planning to put up pictures of sex offenders in your neighborhood. They're not planning to put up pictures telling you to vote Republican. This is to be used same way as America's Most Wanted and backs of milk cartons. At least for now. If that changes, then start complaining.

      They just have to make sure they display a context label with each photo. Wouldn't want a kidnap victim to be confused for a terrorist.

    3. Re:Cool! by Original+Replica · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Seriously, I don't see what the problem with this is.

      The problem is fear mongering. It immediately puts the populace in a state of mind that is submissive to the leadership. People drop into a us vs.them mindset. Criminals (or anyone accused of being a criminal) stop being thought of as real people, they simply become them. Anyone questioning the leadership must be siding with the rapists and murderers. There is already a growing divide between the common people and the government's agents (Homeland security and the police). No one feels safer when a cop is looking at them, regardless of if you have done anything wrong. The police are more and more inclined to treat citizens as "the enemy" The only way that the mass population will put up with these conditions is when they believe that it is necessary because they government is protecting us for a much greater evil.

      This is a game already played with the terrorists, but that's getting really expensive, and the military is stretched too thin. The government needs to bring the boogeyman home.

      --
      We are all just people.
  3. A NEW LIFE AWAITS YOU IN THE OFF-WORLD COLONIES! by wolfpaws · · Score: 5, Funny

    The chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure!

  4. Its bound to work by Instine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because fame is such a big deterrent. Especially in the States

    --
    Because you can - or because you should?
  5. No Boston? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm glad they're not setting them up in Boston, otherwise idiots might yet-again confuse LED's for bombs.

  6. Re:Slander by alen · · Score: 5, Informative

    no, these are people who are wanted for a crime so they can face trial who refuse to turn themselves in and be tried in front of a jury. same thing as the wanted posters in the post office