On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 10:30:55 +0000 (UTC), "Howard Long"
wrote:

All 115 US airports that handle international flights and 14 major seaports
are covered by the programme, under which customs officials can instantly
check an immigrant or visitor's criminal background.

This is the bit which got me - how are they supposed to instantly
check databases around the world chronicalling everyone criminal
history? Our states computer systems do not even talk to each other,
so that when an offender goes to court in one state, his criminal
history in another state is not presented to the judge. If they don't
talk to other Australian states, how will they cope with talking to a
foreign government?

Also, they way the system works here is by way of what is called a CNI
- Central Names Index. Any person having any contact with the cops is
listed on the CNI - I have about 20 different entries on my CNI, all
of them as a person reporting an offence, a victim or as a witness.
Yet it takes our cops a couple of minutes after finding out I am
"known" before they find out that there is nothing "adverse" in my
history. How is this going to look to US authorities though? "Hey guys
this guy is known to police in his home state...."

Dave

=====

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