[LINK] Fwd: 'UK considers implanting RFID tags into prisoners'

[Jan Whitaker]

spotted by Roger:

>UK considers RFID tags for prisoners
>Porridge with chips
>Iain Thomson, vnunet.com
>14 Jan 2008
>http://www.itweek.co.uk/vnunet/news/2207145/government-considers-rfid-tags
>
>The UK government is considering implanting prisoners with RFID tags 
>containing data on identity, address and criminal record.
>
>The RFID tags, about the size of two grains of rice, would be 
>injected under the skin and could be scanned by a reader.
>
>There are also proposals to link the RFID tags to a larger GPS 
>device to monitor the location of high risk prisoners.
>
>"We have wanted to take advantage of this technology for several 
>years because it seems a sensible solution to the problems we are 
>facing in this area, " a senior minister told the Independent on Sunday.
>
>"We have looked at it and gone back to it and worried about the 
>practicalities and the ethics. But, when you look at the challenges 
>facing the criminal justice system, its time has come."
>
>The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that it is considering the 
>proposal as part of plans to modernise the prison system.
>
>Human rights groups have pounced on the proposal, however, 
>describing it as "degrading".
>
>Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: "If the Home Office 
>does not understand why implanting a chip in someone is worse than 
>an ankle bracelet, they do not need a human-rights lawyer they need 
>a common-sense bypass.
>
>"Degrading offenders in this way will do nothing for their 
>rehabilitation and nothing for our safety, as some will inevitably 
>find a way round this new technology."
>
>The RFID proposals are designed to address problems with the 
>existing tagging system which uses a transmitter strapped to the ankle.
>
>Over 2,000 of the 17,000 offenders fitted with the ankle tags have 
>escaped by tampering with, or simply cutting off, the device.
>
>Curfew breaches for the past two years are up 283 per cent, and 
>further development of the system has been halted until these 
>problems can be sorted out.
>
>Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National 
>Association of Probation Officers, stated that the RFID proposal 
>would be unhelpful.
>
>"This is the sort of daft idea that comes up from the department 
>every now and then, but tagging people in the same way we tag our 
>pets cannot be the way ahead," he said.
>
>"Treating people like pieces of meat does not seem to represent an 
>improvement in the system, which works well enough as it is.
>
>"Knowing where offenders like paedophiles are does not mean you know 
>what they are doing."
>
>The UK has been moving faster than most in the use of RFID, 
>including plans to tag exam papers.
>
>Similar schemes in the US have been banned, and there are fears 
>about the health risks and security of RFID implants.

Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
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