Re: camera tech for crime prevention

Spike Jones (spike66@ibm.net)
Fri, 01 Oct 1999 22:03:30 -0700

Eugene Leitl wrote:

> It would seem a very good idea to not let this happen too
> easily. Pilot projects on face recognition for criminal deterrance are
> on the way, and ubiquitous cameras are certainly proliferating. A
> carnival, anybody?

Eugene why not let this happen too quickly? Our current system of identifying perpetrators relies on face recognition, but done by extremely fallible and often panicky carbon units. I would think we would be much better off with machines doing the face recognition, voice recognition or perhaps body offgassing recognition instruments.

There are undoubtedly many innocent black people who rot away in prisons while the real perpetrators go free to victimize others, simply because our face-recognition bioware is less effective with those of African descent than with others.

Before you jump me or flame me, think this over. Im proposing a testable hypothesis. We could surely invent software that could identify faces more accurately than can humans, which would keep innocents out of prisons and get dangerous felons off the streets. That being the case, *why not* let this happen too quickly? Let it happen! It cannot happen too quickly.

Where Im going with this is: NO FEAR. Popular catch phrase today. If you are not committing crimes, then no fear. You *want* face rec instruments everywhere. If you *are* a violent criminal, then yes, be afraid, be very afraid. The future may not be your kinda place, but for the rest of us, face rec software is your friend. spike