Last week the Justice Department administratively discharged the FBI of its statutory duty to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the over 39 million criminal records it maintains in its National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. This action poses significant risks to privacy and effective law enforcement. The NCIC system provides over 80,000 law enforcement agencies with access to data on wanted persons, missing persons, gang members, as well as information about stolen cars, boats, and other information. The Privacy Act of 1974 requires the FBI to make reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the records in the NCIC system. Now, the Justice Department has exempted the system from the accuracy requirements of this important law.
More information here and sign the petition here. Dan Gillmor also has written a good article about how these safefguards (unlike ones put in place during other wars) are unlikely to be rolled back since the war against terrorism is never really going to be over. Unfortunately, in the quest for power and voice there will always be deranged individuals and groups who decide violence is the best way to get what they want.
