Ryan Greene: Law Enforcement

This Is Important:

Mon, 06 Jan 2003 03:10:51 GMT

Penn Gillette annoying? I don't think so There has been an interesting variety of responses to this story about Penn Gillette, airport patriot from bOing bOing. Some folks have said he is lucky he's famous and others have taken the opportunity that Penn is annoying and his protests shouldn't be considered noble. But everyone believes he was right to protest and everyone ought to protest, as well, famous or not, when they are assaulted by an airport security guard who says "you don't have rights once you're in the security check area." Look, these people have a hard job and don't make much money. I know that and try to be cooperative when I am at the airport. But they also don't earn the right to remove our rights arbitrarily because of their shitty jobs. It is the erosion of rights in small ways that adds up to a catastrophe. We are on a faster downhill slide into a police state than at any time in most living memories. What is really disgusting about the story is the way the airport security management tried to buy off Penn, offering him first-class treatment in the future. That's a sure sign that there is an oppressive trend under way. Good for Penn. [RatcliffeBlog -- Social and Political]

Robotic Bloodhounds?

Fri, 18 Oct 2002 11:19:23 GMT

OK. so this thing can follow a marked trail. Pretty cool, but robots have been doing that since the early 80's if not late seventies in home kits. Now imagine if it could follow a trail of say, blood, using this. No more bloodhounds, sure, but an autonomous robot that can see both footprints (via IR) and the blood trail left by a fleeing assailant would be a huge boon for law enforcement.

Lego Segway [Slashdot]

Tricorder For Crime?

Mon, 07 Oct 2002 17:26:14 GMT

The handheld device uses X-rays flourescence to detect chemical elements in the scanned area. The big pro to this tech? It's fast, and it does not destroy the scanned area, unlike swabbing, and sending to the lab. Details:

Speedy handheld device to solve murder cases. Cosmiverse.com Oct 6 2002 11:00AM ET... [Meerkat: An Open Wire Service]

Digital Photos Boost Prosecution of Domestic Violence

Tue, 03 Sep 2002 13:44:58 GMT

Digital Photos Give the Police a New Edge in Abuse Cases. The New York City Police Department is starting to use digital photography, a tool that experts say could reshape the way domestic abuse cases are prosecuted. By Sarah Kershaw. [New York Times: Technology]

I am glad to see this tech being applied in the court. While there are concerns regarding the photos being doctored after the fact, they provide more detail than those taken with a Polaroid, and allow for more detail.

TANSTAAFL*

Tue, 06 Aug 2002 12:41:06 GMT

Credit Union Says A.T.M. Users Stole Millions After 9/11. Fifteen million dollars was looted from the Municipal Credit Union in New York City by its own members in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, prosecutors said on Monday. By Susan Saulny. [New York Times: Business]

The Municipal Credit Union serves state and federal employees as well as health care workers in the NYC area. When the towers collapsed on 9/11, the computers that linked to the NYCE (New York Cash Exchange) system went down as well. Instead of shutting down their ATM access, MCU decided to keep going, as a service to their members. Unfortunately, some people took advantage of that, ripping off the MCU to the tune of $15 million.

Now, the people that ignored offers to make restitution, including loans with deferred payments are being arrested. The worst case mentioned in the article follows:

One man, an employee of the Housing Authority, never had an end-of-the-month balance that exceeded $130, prosecutors said. "Nevertheless, he made 53 A.T.M. withdrawals ranging from $20 to $300 each, and charged 101 Visa purchases using his M.C.U. A.T.M. card between September 19th and October 22nd," according to Mr. Morgenthau's press release.

It continued: "The purchases were at stores including Foot Locker, Jimmy Jazz, Joy Joy Jewelry, Bronx BBQ, Hot Booz Liquor and the 216th Street motel."

Mr. Morgenthau said word of the glitch allowing the withdrawals was probably spread among friends in the various unions.

The man's account balance was a negative $10,378 by the end of October, prosecutors said.

Even though the credit union's computers were cut off from the New York Cash Exchange until early November, both organizations were able to keep track of how much money was withdrawn and from which accounts, officials said.

"There were a lot of ways to trace it," Mr. Siciliano said.

And so they did.

*There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

Curse you Iron man!

Tue, 30 Jul 2002 12:56:54 GMT

The Financial Times reports on recent developments in anti-gravity research. [via Davos Newbies] [Adam Curry: Adam Curry's Weblog]

What especially interests me is this:

Meanwhile, Mr Podkletnov, now based at the Moscow Chemical Scientific Research Centre, has taken his ideas further. Last year he published another paper - backed by Giovanni Modanese, an Italian physicist, detailing work on an "impulse gravity generator" that is capable of exerting a repulsive force on all matter.

Using a strong electrical discharge source and a superconducting "emitter", the equipment has produced a "gravity impulse", Mr Podkletnov says, "that is very short in time and propagates with great speed (practically instantaneously) along the line of discharge, passing through different objects without any observable loss of energy".

The result, he maintains, is a repulsive action on any object the beam hits, that is proportional to its mass. When fitted to a laser pointing device, Mr Podkletnov says, his laboratory installation has already demonstrated its ability to knock over objects more than a kilometre away. The same installation, he maintains, could hit objects up to 200km away with the same power.

Kinda gives new meaning to "Reach out and touch someone." Seriously though, this could serve as a great way to get objects into space, by either equipping a ship with a set of these beams that are focused on a launch pad, or by having the beams ground based, and firing at the ship. That way, no proportion of your payload is dedicated to fuel, and you can save a massive amount of weight (and therefore cost) in terms of what you are putting into space.

Ground based solutions could include (here he goes) a truck based minesweeper that can safely detonate mines from a distance, crowd control, bomb detonation, and building demolition. Improved safety for workers who work at high elevation, by having an instant on area below them that will catch them should they fall. Invisible barriers/fences. New forms of art and sculpture that invisibly suspend objects in the air. The world's quietest gun.

Fun applications: Action figures that really fly, engines for remote control planes, the world's quietest leaf blower, new forms of amusement park rides where there are "areas of lift" that allow people to cross chasms and water without visable means of support.

Wonder why there aren't more whistle-blowers?

Fri, 26 Jul 2002 15:14:02 GMT

Ethical hacker faces war driving charges. Houston, we have a problem [The Register]

Stefan Puffer is accused of breaking into the Harris county District clerk's WAN and causing $5000 worth of damage.

Puffer, who was employed briefly by the county's technology department in 1999, could get five years in jail and faces a $250,000 fine on each count if convicted, the Houston Chronicle reports.

So now he's facing 5 years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted. This is akin to driving by a store, seeing that the door is open, poking your head in and shouting to see if anyone is around, then getting busted for breaking and entering. It's insane, and I hope that he is cleared of all charges.

It would be nice to see network owners treat their systems like their physical space, checking the locks from time to time, and keeping an eye out for open widows and doors. Better yet, employing contracted tiger teams that try to break into the systems. I know that this is being done now in some areas, but ti would be good to see this become ubiquitous.

What was I just saying about enforcing existing laws?

Wed, 24 Jul 2002 17:47:21 GMT

Former Adelphia Executives Arrested for Fraud. Five former executives of troubled cable operator Adelphia Communications were arrested today federal charges, including at least two members of the company's founding family. By Reuters. [New York Times: Business]

It's about time.

Um, what ever happened to warrants?

Wed, 24 Jul 2002 17:42:25 GMT

More Bad Law.

Jeff Chapman points out an article and discussion at Geek.com about the Cyber Security Enhancement Act that passed the House of Reps on July 17 on a vote of 385-3, the lopsided majority just about ensuring that it was a vote based on expediency backed by ignorance. According to the article:

Before the Patriot Act passed, law enforcement needed probable cause and had to go through slow legal channels to get ISP information. After the passing of the Patriot Act, law enforcement could get ISP information more quickly if agents believed that it could be used to stop a dangerous situation. Now, under CSEA, law enforcement or any government entity (not specifically law enforcement agencies) can get subscriber information if agents/representatives of that group think it relates to a threat to national security

So any government agency could tap the Net without probable cause. No possibility of abuse there, eh? Why'd we need that stupid ol' Constitution anyway when we can trust all those government agencies not to abuse their powers?
There's more at Geek.com and at slashdot. [JOHO the Blog]

This is such a bad piece of legislation, I don't even know where to begin. There are plenty of laws on the books right now, and if we'd just enforce them, a lot of this stuff would be covered already.

Real time MRI + Brain Chemistry

Wed, 24 Jul 2002 14:19:50 GMT

Study: Brains Want to Cooperate. You probably didn't even know you had a 'reward center' in your brain, but you do, and it's telling you to help your fellow human. By Louise Knapp. [Wired News]

I think that they need to expand their test base to see how men react (the study was only done one women) and how people who have a history of violence (convicted criminals) react as well.

Stupid Criminals

Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:30:06 GMT

FBI Arrests 4 College Interns For Stealing Lunar Materials [Slashdot]

These four stole rock samples from the Apollo missions that were taken from the moon, and tried to sell them online.

Digression: The rocks were valued at $300,000. I think that price is a little low, given how much it would cost to replace them, which involves going back up the the moon and gathering samples.

Fri, 19 Jul 2002 03:09:06 GMT

NYT. Bob Herbert. Our nation's crazy drug laws. Concur. [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

Agreed.

Mon, 08 Jul 2002 14:40:59 GMT

Ireland's Convict Digerati. Stephen Perry, musician, photographer, digital imaging tutor and former hash-smuggler, went through prison education and is now teaching his expertise to ex-prisoners. Daithí Ó hAnluain reports from Ireland. [Wired News]

Why teach prisoners to be machinists if that is not where the jobs are now? By teaching them real world (and valuable) skills, as well as allowing them to continue their training once they have been released.

Wed, 12 Jun 2002 16:50:40 GMT

Jon Udell. The government, and especially the FBI, needs a weblog network.

>>>Such an overlay network needn't, of course, intersect with public blogspace. But purely internal use of existing low-tech weblog software could reproduce the same effect: a knowledge network with human routers. Would it be perfectly secure? Of course not. But in the end, what's the greater risk? That the enemy might discover we had connected the dots and have to change its plans? Or that we have no hope of connecting the dots at all?<<< [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

My thoughts exactly. Combine this with an internal thesaurus so that everyone is using the same terminology, allow for searching by keyword and phrase (google appliance anyone?) And get all of the departments feeding new their data into it as well as having teams archiving old data in the new format and you are set.

Tue, 04 Jun 2002 16:19:55 GMT

Fire Scout UAV gets another $3 mill. Fire Scout project studied by Northrop Grumman Corporation gets another $3 million award from DARPA for the study of unmanned combat armed rotorcraft (UCAR). Fire Scout is manufactured by Schweizer Aircraft Company. Fire Scout is an unmanned copter UAV with vertical take off and landing and will provide enhanced reconnaissance and attack capabilities for U.S. Army aviation.

Here's some other interesting sites for Fire Scout and other UAV info, and here , and here. [Meerkat: An Open Wire Service]

UAV's are the next big thing, the same way that armor changed the role of the cavalry in the past, UAV's are going to change the way that recon and artillery are used in future.

Civillian roles: Traffic enforcement, hunting for fugitives, searching for lost campers/missing persons in large parks/rural areas.

Thu, 30 May 2002 15:39:54 GMT

Software shows uniqueness of handwriting. The study is already making an impact in US courts, where handwriting evidence is often challenged [New Scientist]

Given that the fingerprint is an easily hacked biometric, perhaps writing will replace it.

Tue, 21 May 2002 13:12:33 GMT

Theft of DNA should be criminal offence, says watchdog. Education: Secretly taking DNA samples to settle paternity cases should be made a criminal offence, Britain's genetic watchdog says. [Guardian Unlimited]

As long as the evidence is gathered legally, there should be no problem in using it. If it is illegal to take DNA evidence without the knowledge of the accused, then you should not do it, for fear of jeopordizing your case.

Tue, 21 May 2002 12:06:27 GMT

Laws on Sex Offender Lists to Get Further Look. The Supreme Court substantially broadened its review on Monday of laws under which states keep the public informed of the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders. By Linda Greenhouse. [New York Times: Politics]

Given the recidivism rate in offenders, and that those who have commited offenses against minors are the most likely to repeat their actions, why would we let them out in the first place?

Google search for recidivism
Alaska study

Sat, 18 May 2002 13:40:21 GMT

F.B.I. Knew for Years About Terror Pilot Training. The F.B.I. had been aware for several years that Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network were training pilots in the United States and elsewhere around the world. By Philip Shenon. [New York Times: Politics]
Senator Clinton's Speech on Sept. 11 Intelligence. The full text of Mrs. Clinton's speech on the Senate floor Thursday asking President Bush to answer questions about terrorist warnings prior to Sept. 11.

What did we know, and when, and what breakdowns in communication between departments might have contributed to our nto stopping this?

While the Senator says she wants to prevent this from happening again, and that she knows how hard that job is from seeing it first hand, she also makes some rather strong points, while standing by (behind?) her constituents who just want the facts.

I have had the privilege of witnessing history up close, and I know there is never any shortage of second guessers and Monday morning quarterbacks, ready to dismantle any comment or critique any action taken or not taken. Having experienced that from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, I for one will not play that game, especially in these circumstances. I am simply here today on the floor of this hallowed chamber to seek answers to the questions being asked by my constituents, questions raised by one of our newspapers in New York with the headline ``Bush Knew.''

The President knew what? My constituents would like to know the answer to that and many other questions, not to blame the President or any other American but just to know, to learn from experience, to do all we can today to ensure that a 9-11 never happens again.

Sorry Senator, given the past, I have trouble believing you.

Mon, 13 May 2002 14:28:46 GMT

NYT. Bees on my bomb. [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

Details: Researchers train bees to go after the scent of exlposives instead of pollen.

Thu, 18 Apr 2002 07:25:52 GMT

Chemical matching of bullets fatally flawed. Crime scene slugs are frequently linked to suspects using trace element analysis -new research shows this is impossible [New Scientist]

This is bad news. Very bad news. If this holds true, there are many, many people who are in jail who do not deserve to be. Unfortunately, there are also many people who are in jail who will be set free based on bullet matching evidence being thrown out.

Thinking out loud about terrorism and air travel

Tue, 09 Apr 2002 15:49:05 GMT

ID Cards for `Trusted Travelers' Run Into Some Thorny Questions. The idea seemed simple: figure out who the good guys are, give them easy-to-recognize and hard-to-counterfeit ID cards and let them breeze past airport security. It wasn't. By Matthew L. Wald. [New York Times: Technology]

Any system can be broken, any security can be bypassed. The problem is we lack good metrics that we can use to ID/profile terrorists. I still think that terrorists used the Daffy Duck method of attacking, in that "It's a neat trick, but you can only do it once."

So how do we establish who the likely terrorists are on the plane? Some of them had flight training in the past few years, but that alone is hardly a qualifier. Multiple people at the same address? Ditto. But their drivers licences were faked. Should the airports have the same books that nightclubs have that show what valid licences look like? That would only slow air travel. While some states have adopted "smart" licences, not all have and there is a blacklash against the idea of such databases already. No easy solution here.

Tue, 02 Apr 2002 14:57:41 GMT

I saw the Proscope on TechTV’s Call For Help the other day, an thought nothing of it. Then I went to the product’s site. Boom, I got it. You can hook up a 200x lens to it, and feed that directly into your machine. Looking at the Law Enforcement applications they describe gives me even more ideas. For crime scene data collection, have a robot that enters the scene, scans it in 3d while taking photos so you have a complete map of the room. Then bathes the room in UV, taking photos and noting where organic material lights up. Next, it goes through, takes a close look at said organic material, including a series of magnified scans of them. An arm could be set up to swab for DNA, insuring that you never get a contaminated sample. Additionally, the robot could record the ambient temperature of the room as well as the body to help establish the time of death.

A truly smooth operator would also have it set to scan/dust doorknobs and other surfaces for fingerprints once it finished it’s initial run through the room. This would all help minimize crime scene contamination, and improve evidence gathering. First though, the cost of intelligent semi autonomous robots needs to drop.

Sun, 24 Mar 2002 03:55:07 GMT

Crime-Fighting by Computer Widens Scope. The same sort of statistician's dream used to build efficient crime-fighting is helping New York police silence dogs and loud parties. By William K. Rashbaum. [New York Times: Technology]

Weekly meetings help station commanders pinpoint problems, as they get credit where due, and yelled at where needed. Excellent example of data mining to track the productivity (especially overtime) of a business, in this case, law enforcement.

Thu, 21 Mar 2002 05:02:44 GMT

U.S.: DEA head seeks aid for meth plan. 21:24 ET - MSNBC/APB [NewsBlip.com]

Meth is a huge problem, waiting to burst out into the mainstream (east coast) press.

The labs are small, portable, and deadly. The chemicals left over from the creation of meth are extremely dangerous.
If things go wrong, you've likely got an explosion on your hands.
Users often "have issues " as a result of their addiction.

While just locking people up for using drugs is not the best solution, given the horrendous side effects of meth use, I cannot think of a better solution for those who manufacture it.