From: Ross Finlayson (raf@tiki-lounge.com)
Date: Mon Feb 05 2001 - 11:16:13 MST
"Michael M. Butler" wrote:
> Ross Finlayson wrote:
> >
> > "Michael M. Butler" wrote:
> > > But today, in the US, once you are under arrest, police powers to search
> > > you and separate you from your possessions goes way up. I can't speak
> > > about other countries.
> >
> > I think it is perhaps not that bad.
> >
> > The police have not that many rights beyond what any other citizien has.
>
> Perhaps you are not reading carefully. I said "once you are under
> arrest". Arrest is not detainment, and it's not conversation.
>
> "Rights"? It's more proper to speak of police _powers_.
>
You are absolutely correct to say that the police privileges and duties are not
rights.
>
> I agree that an individual policeman has the same rights as I have. Im
> the jurisdictions I keep tabs on, however, their powers to arrest are
> significantly stronger. And, once one is arrested, they can legitimately
> search one's person.
>
> Exactly what that means might vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction;
> but I do know that they don't need a warrant to put everything one has
> with one into a bag _once one is under arrest_. That comes with the
> booking, usually.
I think as long as we don't commit any crimes, we don't have so much to concern
us.
The issue then is "what is crime?". There is violent crime, and that is pretty
obviously crime. There are property crimes, which are mostly also civil acts
of theft or property damage, for example grand theft auto, which is a felony
property crime, vs. graffiti, which is a misdemeanor property crime. There are
a lot of information and business crimes. A crime is a breaking of the literal
law. Thus, there is lack of qualification. For example, a criminal thalidomide
dump might cost much more costs in terms of monetary and human terms compared
to a guy who runs a red light when no other cars are around. Driving involves
a responsibility to the safety of others, so there are laws about maintaining
and operating a vehicle, including that in most states there is required
automobile insurance.
We have more access to accurate satellite imagery data, it can show us much
about the surface environment, but not anything under a roof.
About the PDA, you can program the PDA so that you press a button and it
becomes inert.
Ross
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