Creation of Specialized Law Enforcement Technology Centers

CC Pro — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:33:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has created four Technology Centers of Excellence as a "specialized criminal justice technology resource for law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners." The different centers will focus on technologies related to communications, forensics, sensors, surveillance, biometrics, weapons and protective systems. These technology centers will operate within the existing structure of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC), a component of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

What Are Your Intentions?

CC Pro — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:58:00 GMT

In the science-fiction thriller Minority Report, murder has been eliminated in the nation's capital. The year is 2054 and this feat has been accomplished through a special program that uses the visions of psychics to arrest and imprison would-be murderers before they can act. When one of the psychics is accused of the future murder of a man he's never met, he finds himself on the run from the very agency he was once a part of. Fanciful cinema or impending reality?

In controversial new research, neuroscientists in Europe have developed a computer system that uses a high-resolution brain scan to identify patterns of unique activity within the brain that correspond to different thoughts, and predicts what a person is thinking. While still in its early stages, this research builds on recent studies in brain imaging that has been used to identify specific brain activity that is linked to criminal and anti-social behaviors. These scientific advances have prompted a call for debate on the ethical ramifications of utilizing such technologies.

One may readily see how a computer that learns patterns of brain activity could assist authorities in thwarting terrorism, help parole boards determine whether an offender poses a threat to the community and restrict access by predators to the vulnerable young and old. But what are the ethical and practical issues for society? Even as researchers fine-tune the technology to distinguish between thought and intent the question remains, how does society co-exist with current and yet-to-be discovered technologies and retain the concepts of free will, the self-directed life? Or will we, in the words of George Washington, find governance and technology to be "...a dangerous servant and a fearful master."?

UPDATE

Thinking About Corrections : Technology

Creation of Specialized Law Enforcement Technology Centers

What Are Your Intentions?