December 11, 2010 (Press-News.org) In a move questioned by the New York Civil Liberties Union and some of New York's top lawyers, the New York Police Department is now using machines to photograph and scan the irises of prisoners as they pass through New York Central Booking. The department claims that this new high-tech identification program is part of a failsafe measure meant to prevent escapes as suspects move through New York's complex and winding court system.
Individuals deeply concerned with civil liberties and privacy, like New York top lawyer David Perecman, are uneasy with new regime of personal data collection.
"The NYPD can now photograph the irises of suspects arrested for any reason and they implemented this without any legislative oversight or public discourse," said David Perecman. "There are also no reports on how authorities plan to protect this collected biometric data from misuse."
News of the initiative was first released late last week. Civil libertarians and privacy advocates say the collecting and storing of this data could "put innocent people under permanent suspicion."
"This move by the NYPD is encroaching on civil liberties," top New York lawyer Perecman said. "This type of data collecting is not authorized by any New York statute. Collecting fingerprints is specifically allowed. DNA evidence has had more legislative debate and its usage is only limited to certain types of cases."
A legal review by the NYPD had determined that legislative authorization was not necessary despite the fact that the department's collection of electronic data has been tainted with controversy as recently as this summer. The department was forced to stop electronic storage of names and addresses of people stopped under the stop-and-frisk program but not charged or arrested.
"A new state law was needed to stop the NYPD then, and that may be what we need again now," concluded Perecman. "This new data collection has the potential to lead to some serious violations of civil liberties."
Article provided by The Perecman Firm
Visit us at http://www.perecman.com/
The New York Police Department Starts Using Iris Scans on Suspects
The New York Police Department is now using machines to photograph and scan the irises of prisoners as they pass through New York Central Booking.
2010-12-11
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
The Constantly Changing Miranda Warning
2010-12-11
Anyone who has ever watched an episode of any police drama on television has heard the words "you have the right to remain silent" at some point. The 1966 U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona requires law enforcement officials to inform those arrested of their constitutional rights before any questioning takes place. Those rights include the right to remain silent, as well as the right to have an attorney present.
In the past, the warning provided a clear picture of the rights that were granted to those in police custody. The warning meant what it said, giving ...
Black Boxes for Cars: Helpful or Potentially Problematic?
2010-12-11
As federal regulators consider issuing a requirement that automakers put black boxes in all vehicles, emerging reports indicate that the data recorders installed in Toyota vehicles are passing bad information.
According to the New York Times, automotive websites have been reporting that the devices used to download data from the black boxes in Toyota cars and trucks have a software bug corrupting information about vehicle speed.
Impossible Speed
Doubts about Toyota data reliability arose after a readout from a Toyota pick-up truck indicated the vehicle had been ...
What Do Computer-Driven Cars Mean for Roadway Safety?
2010-12-11
We may not yet have the flying cars that countless movies have promised us -- it is 2010, after all -- but we are getting closer. Google has recently garnered significant media attention for the computer-driven cars it has been testing on the West Coast.
Among the infinite possibilities that "robot cars" present, the legal issues that will arise when a computer-driven car is in a motor vehicle accident are complex.
The Google Car
Google cars -- Toyota Priuses equipped with cameras, sensors and other tools -- have traveled more than 140,000 miles with minimal human ...
What You Really Need to Know About Product Recalls
2010-12-11
Product recall alerts are nothing new. There are literally hundreds of product recalls every year, issued by state and federal agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). News programs are full of them, and entire websites are devoted to them, so what is an information-inundated consumer to do?
The American Association of Poison Control Centers understands the confusion and concern that the slew of recalls ...
Wise to Insure Yourself Against Uninsured Drivers in Rhode Island
2010-12-11
Rhode Island has the highest percentage of uninsured drivers in New England. Therefore, it is important to add uninsured-motorist coverage to your auto-insurance policy before an accident with an uninsured driver puts a potentially big dent in your piggy bank.
Uninsured Driver Statistics
A study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), a nonprofit division of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and the Insurance Institute of America, estimated that one in six drivers in the United States does not have car insurance.
The IRC study ...
Debenhams Reports Women Have Christmas All Wrapped Up
2010-12-11
Debenhams has revealed that over 80% of presents under the Christmas tree are selected, purchased and wrapped by women.
A new survey from the department store revealed that most women buy the majority of Christmas gifts for partners, children, grandparents, neighbours, friends and even themselves, plus stock up on expertly-wrapped standby unisex gifts such as wine and chocolates for unexpected Christmas visitors.
Debenhams spokesperson Michelle Dowdall commented: "While tradition states that the male is the head of the household, when it comes to Christmas shopping, ...
Kuoni Launches New Italy Holidays Brochure for 2011
2010-12-11
Kuoni, the luxury holiday specialist, recently launched its all new brochure for 2011 holidays in Italy. In its pages, readers will find quintessential Italian experiences ranging from cookery lessons in Tuscany and visits to Lake Como to zooming round the countryside in a Maserati and climbing up Mount Etna.
These experiences prove that La Dolce Vita is thriving in our Italy holidays with a selection of colourful activities on offer in Kuoni's latest Italy brochure, which is valid between January and December 2011.
"From city breaks and glorious Italian lake holidays, ...
The National Trust Wins Green Award for A Plant in Time Exhibition
2010-12-11
The National Trust and Yorkshire and Clydesdale Banks' A Plant in Time touring garden exhibition has won the best Green Event Award (shows/exhibitions) at the prestigious global Green Awards 2010 gala ceremony. The award was presented at the Natural History Museum in London.
Judging was based on the criteria of creativity, innovation, effectiveness of the communication campaign and media vehicles employed. The winning entries were the judges pick of the best global campaigns communicating sustainability.
'A Plant in Time' was an innovative, fun, inter-active exhibition, ...
Superbreak Launches Royal Wedding Packages
2010-12-11
Superbreak, the short break specialist, has announced the launch of its royal wedding packages, allowing customers the opportunity to secure a break in advance of the April wedding date.
The York-based tour operator has launched a selection of royal wedding breaks ranging from 2- to 3-night breaks to ensure customers have the chance to celebrate the royal wedding in April next year. Customers can choose from a range of 3- to 5-star hotel breaks in central London, securing hotel rooms in Kensington, Knightsbridge and the West End to appeal to most budgets and tastes. ...
Standard Life and Life Academy Launch the 'Everyone Needs a Plan' Report
2010-12-11
Standard Life and Life Academy, the life and retirement planning charity, have published the report 'Everyone Needs a Plan', to coincide with the launch of Financial Planning Week.
The report suggests that consumers are in the eye of a financial storm with only 51% of adults currently saving while 28% actively choose not to save*.
Authored by Alan Pickering, CBE and chairman of Life Academy, 'Everyone Needs a Plan' examines the UK savings culture and examines, case by case, the repercussions of non saving to consumers from all walks of life. It finds that the penalty ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Recent pandemic viruses jumped to humans without prior adaptation, UC San Diego study finds
Exercise triggers memory-related brain 'ripples' in humans, researchers report
Increased risk of bullying in open-plan offices
Frequent scrolling affects perceptions of the work environment
Brain activity reveals how well we mentally size up others
Taiwanese and UK scientists identify FOXJ3 gene linked to drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Pregnancy complications impact women’s stress levels and cardiovascular risk long after delivery
Spring fatigue cannot be empirically proven
Do prostate cancer drugs interact with certain anticoagulants to increase bleeding and clotting risks?
Many patients want to talk about their faith. Neurologists often don't know how.
AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good
The ultra-high-energy neutrino may have begun its journey in blazars
Doubling of new prescriptions for ADHD medications among adults since start of COVID-19 pandemic
“Peculiar” ancient ancestor of the crocodile started life on four legs in adolescence before it began walking on two
AI can predict risk of serious heart disease from mammograms
New ultra-low-cost technique could slash the price of soft robotics
Increased connectivity in early Alzheimer’s is lowered by cancer drug in the lab
Study highlights stroke risk linked to recreational drugs, including among young users
Modeling brain aging and resilience over the lifespan reveals new individual factors
ESC launches guidelines for patients to empower women with cardiovascular disease to make informed pregnancy health decisions
Towards tailor-made heat expansion-free materials for precision technology
New research delves into the potential for AI to improve radiology workflows and healthcare delivery
Rice selected to lead US Space Force Strategic Technology Institute 4
A new clue to how the body detects physical force
Climate projections warn 20% of Colombia’s cocoa-growing areas could be lost by 2050, but adaptation options remain
New poll: American Heart Association most trusted public health source after personal physician
New ethanol-assisted catalyst design dramatically improves low-temperature nitrogen oxide removal
New review highlights overlooked role of soil erosion in the global nitrogen cycle
Biochar type shapes how water moves through phosphorus rich vegetable soils
Why does the body deem some foods safe and others unsafe?
[Press-News.org] The New York Police Department Starts Using Iris Scans on SuspectsThe New York Police Department is now using machines to photograph and scan the irises of prisoners as they pass through New York Central Booking.