If you've seen "Minority Report"...

[Theophylact]

...this news item might give you a little frisson.

Heard it on CNN this morning. Court order'll prolly stop these crazed individuals.

[daveleau]

Hmmm, most crime comes from certain areas. We watch these areas for crime and it is not touted as common sense, but as racist, crazed and wrong. Does anyone not see the logic in that? Leaders are constantly taught to be proactive. Is that not what they are being? Proactive?

I am playing a little more of the devils advocate in this than really feeling this way. Honestly I am torn between the fact that watching people from high-crime areas is just plain old common sense and the danger that could ensue from such a list. i mean, what if they found that most racist people came from South Carolina (not far from the truth) and started watching me to see if I'd be racist.

Really it depends on how they implement this. I don't think it is as outrageous as many will take it, but then again, it is a little frightening.

[ClubMed]

Well it's tricky actually and like dave, I have mixed feelings about this. Truth is most (not all) crime comes from areas of very low-income and areas where people have poor education and crappy prospects in life.

So keeping an eye on these areas is natural and sane.

However some interesting questions come to light:

Under what criteria do they place someone on a 'might-be-criminal' list?

To what extent are they discriminating and profiling?

What measures have they implemented to prevent abuse, and, are these measures effective?

I have seen Minority Report and I find the idea of the movie provides food for thought and for some interesting debate.

CM.

[daveleau]

Dave faints after seeing CM in agreement