Inside a Full-Body-Scanning X-Ray Van

Velcroman1 writes "In August, Slashdotters learned that full-body scanners were roaming the streets in vans: 'The same technology used at airport check points, capable of seeing through clothes and walls, has also been rolling out on US streets where law enforcement agencies have deployed the vans to search for vehicle-based bombs. Fox took a ride in one of the $800,000 vans, videotaping the entire event — and continues the debate about security, privacy, and health risks."

Comments

Purpose?

[xnpu]

Come on, tell me, what's the real purpose of this stuff? 8 million flights without a successful terrorist attack since 9/11. All attempts either simply failed or were prevented using pre-9/11 technology, yet we still get these naked body scanners.

Now we also need them roaming the streets? "Hey Joe, hottie on your six, make a turn and flip the switch boy, let's see what she's got!". Anything else doesn't come near a justification.

Re:Purpose?

[QuantumRiff]

The deterrence value of a security measure is just about un-measurable

Actually, its incredibly measurable.

There are books, discussion boards, etc, dedicated to this topic. There is a huge market for people measuring the cost of risks. Is it better to make your car perfect, or save $100million on development, but have X number of "incidents" which lead to an average payout of $Y.

The interesting thing is that the government has decided to do everything in its power to ignore that risk/reward ratios. they want to get rid of all of something, which is silly, they should want to get it down to a certain, acceptable level, then focus time and money on something else.

Bruce Schneier said it best. the ONLY two things that have improved airport security is bulletproof doors on a cockpit, and a public that understands what the plane can be used for. People will stand up and fight, and no pilot will open the door because someone is threatening to hurt the flight attendant.. Everything else is just security theater.

Illegal Search

[BlowHole666]

Why is this not considered an illegal search? How can the government get away with just x-raying people now?

Ah, the Real Motivation is Drug War and Money

[Ron Bennett]

This blurb in the article basically says it all...

"Using the ZBV vans over the past couple of years, we've gotten over a thousand seizures and 89,000 pounds worth of narcotics, approximately $4 million worth of currency, and we've also uncovered 10 or 11 undeclared aliens within vehicles," said Patrick Simmons, Director of Non-Intrusive Inspection at Customs and Border Protection. "Again, we don't purposely scan for people, but if they're in there hiding, the ZBV will be able to spot them."

While many dismiss / marginalize the threat of the drug war on people's freedoms, it's happening nevertheless. For example, there was a time when local police busting down doors was virtually unheard of - now it's common practice in all sorts of situations. Another is that people are now subjected to all sorts of demands, such providing government id / signing a form, to buy over-the-counter cough medicine. All in the name of the drug war - which is really a war against citizens.

For anyone who believes use of such technology to search people / private property will be ruled unconstitutional, think again - drug sniffing dogs are often allowed to search one's private property, such as one's vehicle, that's accessible from the street despite no "contraband" being in plain view.

One can practically count on such vans roaming the streets all throughout the U.S. in the near future "for your protection", but of course, much of the time, that won't be the real motivation.

Ron

Re:How does this happen?

[Archangel Michael]

You really believe either of the two parties in power in the US gives a shit about you and your individual rights? Obama is just as bad as Bush was, and Clinton and Bush before them.

The reason why people haven't burned DC down is because 90+% vote for those two parties, thinking that they are different. They are just two sides of the same coin. If you vote, and vote for "change" and yet vote for one of the two parties, and you deserve to get what you get, more of the same.

Libertarians are outraged, but we're also marginalized to meaninglessness. Nobody cares, and that is why DC still stands.