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DNA Forensics: Expanding Uses and Information Sharing, September 2006 – “This report explores the history of DNA use by forensic investigators, considers the economics of DNA use as it relates to public safety, and reviews privacy concerns regarding the release of an individual’s genetic information. The report also explores issues associated with combining criminal history …
Press release: “The bill provides a privilege in federal court proceedings for reporters to refrain from revealing their confidential sources of information. The privilege is similar in nature to that currently offered by 32 states and the District of Columbia. The ability to assure confidentiality to people who provide information is essential to effective news …
Follow up to April 16, 2007 posting, Fact Sheet: Proposed FISA Modernization Legislation, the following documents from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI): May 01, 2007, Transcript: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – FISA Modernization Unclassified, May 01, 2007, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – Statement for the Record on FISA Modernization: Statement for the …
Kim Taipale presented Policy Issues for Science and Technology in a “Surveillance Society” at the 32nd Annual American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Forum on Science and Technology Policy, Washington, DC, May 3-4, 2007.
“EPIC, in cooperation with the Stanford Constitutional Law Center, filed a “friend-of-the-court” brief (42 pages, PDF) in Hepting v. AT&T. This lawsuit alleges that AT&T allowed the government to wiretap calls and e-mails without judicial authority. The U.S. government and AT&T seek to dismiss this case. The EPIC brief states, “The statutes and constitutional provisions …
Bureau of Justice Statistics: Quality Guidelines Generally Followed for Police-Public Contact Surveys, but Opportunities Exist to Help Assure Agency Independence GAO-07-340, March 30, 2007 Defense Acquisitions: Missile Defense Agency’s Flexibility Reduces Transparency of Program Cost GAO-07-799T, April 30, 2007 Defense Management: High-Level Leadership Commitment and Actions Are Needed to Address Corrosion Issues GAO-07-618, April 30, …
Federal Judiciary News Release: “A total of 1,839 orders were issued by federal and state courts in 2006 authorizing or approving the interception of wire, oral or electronic communications, also known as wiretaps. This is a 4 percent increase over the 1,773 orders issued in 2005, according to The 2006 Wiretap Report. The complete report …
The State of Homeland Security 2007: An Annual Report Card on the Department of Homeland Security (78 pages, PDF) – “This report summarizes annual homeland security performance using a report card grading system. The report includes these categories — Border Security, Emergency Preparedness/FEMA, Emergency Communications, Aviation Security Port Security, Surface Transportation Security, Critical Infrastructure, Information …
Press release: “The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), which created the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (Board), requires that “[n]ot less frequently than annually, the Board shall prepare a report to Congress, unclassified to the greatest extent possible…on the Board’s major activities during the preceding period.” This report discusses the …
“Following 9/11, the U.S. government adopted some controversial new tactics intended to prevent future terrorist attacks, including warrantless eavesdropping on Americans’ phone calls, secret demands for records under the Patriot Act, and FBI sting operations against people thought to be potential terrorists. The Bush Administration contends these tactics have helped to save American lives, but …
Solove, Daniel J., The First Amendment as Criminal Procedure. New York University Law Review, Vol. 82, p. 112, 2007. “This Article explores the relationship between the First Amendment and criminal procedure. These two domains of constitutional law have long existed as separate worlds, rarely interacting with each other despite the fact that many instances of …
Office of the Director of National Intelligence, April 13, 2007, Fact Sheet: Proposed FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act)Modernization Legislation “Key Provisions of this Bill Are: Updating the definition of electronic surveillance to account for the sweeping changes in telecommunications technology that have taken place. The proposed legislation is technology neutral. In contrast to the 1978 …
