Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Friday Emergency Services ODFW director Elicker will step down Mail Tribune 100 City approves Sky Park Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Fire chars auto repair shop, vehicles Lint build-up likely caused Talent dryer fire American Auto shop damaged by morning fire UPDATED: Medford school bus in crash; no students hurt, officials say Politics and Elections Talent to consider taxing recreational, but not medicinal marijuana Candidate files false statements Just one seat will be contested for Central Point council Gold Hill mayor faces challenger; other races have one candidate each Medford proposes new rules for pawn shops to help nab thieves Education UPDATED: Medford school bus in crash; no students hurt, officials say Free TED talk simulcast in Ashland Bear spotted near Central Point school Eagle Point helps students with first-day jitters Back-to-school shopping can add up Environment ODFW director Elicker will step down Medford hunter's exotic collection goes on sale Elusive owls get new home in Cascades Judge won't block release of water Ashland marchers won't give up on climate change message State news Nation - World Obituaries David Allen Riant Dr. Stephen Edward Drabik Martha M. Ekwall Dr. Barry Rheault Larry E. Chartier Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Axemen cut down Tornado in SWC opener Raiders make quick work of Corban Seahawks dominate Packers to begin 2014 St. Mary’s blanks Henley in girls soccer Federer rallies by Monfils from two sets down Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders make quick work of Corban Not so fast Intriguing storylines abound between No. 2 Carroll, No. 22 SOU League of his own A star is born Pro Sports Seahawks dominate Packers to begin 2014 Federer rallies by Monfils from two sets down Perfect U.S. eyes next step in Spain McIlroy in driver's seat at BMW Packers-Seahawks a spicy start Community Sports Barry fires back into SOGC finals Super seniors strong at SOGC Crenshaw pulls off upset in SOGC Murphy claims victory in Stroke Play Championships South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Business Latest Stories Blog: And the Award Goes to... Blog: Erickson ink 5-year fire supression deal with L.A. Business briefs This brew is for SOU Small business hiring flat in past month Real Estate News People In Business Transportation Agriculture 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Weisinger's Winery has earliest crush on record Amy's Kitchen begins expansion in White City Opinion Latest Granlund cartoon: Joan Rivers tribute Granlund cartoon: High-density housing Cheers and jeers Matthew T. Mangino: Facial recognition technology a law enforcement tool Letters to the Editor, Sept. 5 Editorials Cheers and jeers Our View: Make property owners pay for cleanup Committed to community Envisioning a two-wheeled future Tiny homes, big ideas, a scarcity of information Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Sept. 5 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 4 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 3 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 1 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 31 Guest Opinions Hazardous fuel treatments vital to protection from severe wildfires Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch The power of local philanthropy Lifestyle Latest stories Poorwills are shy, but they're out there Spey champ to visit Rogue Flyfishers Crayfish catchers to escape pinch of the law Trails less traveled Fishing Report: Friday, Sept. 5 Food Community blog: 'Crispy Treats' a cut above rice-cereal originals The peace potential of cobblers and crisps Lunchbox recipes Community blog: Try this sweet treat for back-to-school snacking Put your kids through the school of good eats Home and Garden Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden An August checklist for your garden Green Scene: Diagnosing common tomato troubles Lawn talk Health Oregon Health Policy Board to meet in Medford Community blog: Health is More than Meets the Eye 'Super-Agers' are coming fast Community blog: It happened again... Community blog: What the Brain Isn't - Mind or Love Hiking Faith Religion briefs Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements New Arrivals Engagements Wedding: Ivanov-Leftin New Arrivals Shayla Brooke Grether and Jesse Levi Tanner Columnist for a Day Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs Keith Greeninger and Matt Hill at the Rogue Theatre Jennifer Nettles plays Britt Rob Zombie plays Lithia Amphitheater Rodney Carrington at Britt Theater 'Freud's Last Session" at Ashland Contemporary Theatre OSF presents 'The Alchemy of Gender' Randall Theatre extends 'Godspell' 'Pump Boys & Dinettes' opens at Camelot Theatre Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Music Live Music in Local Clubs Keith Greeninger and Matt Hill at the Rogue Theatre Jennifer Nettles plays Britt Rob Zombie plays Lithia Amphitheater Britt Festivals adds to indoor fall concert lineup Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists 5 Things to Do This Weekend From business professor to artist Shady Cove Tie Days Swap Meet 'Prints From the Plateau' at the Rogue Gallery Dining Ami Sushi serves up Asian dishes Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co. NW Raw Kelly's Crepes Basil & Berries Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW 10 things to know for Friday ... Talent to consider taxing recreational, but not medicinal marijuana ... American Auto shop damaged by morning fire ... 10 things to know for Friday ... Talent to consider taxing recreational, but not medicinal marijuana ... American Auto shop damaged by morning fire ... Matthew T. Mangino: Facial recognition technology a law enforcement tool By Matthew T. Mangino More Content Now MailTribune.com By Matthew T. Mangino More Content Now Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Matthew T. Mangino More Content Now Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Police are using sophisticated software to match the faces of criminals being videotaped committing a crime and photographs stored in enormous databases. The software has paid some dividends. This year, Akron, Ohio, police detectives used a facial recognition database to identify a suspect accused of murder. Detectives obtained the suspect’s photograph. The image was run through the database, and Charles Fortson was flagged. After an interview Fortson was arrested. Facial-recognition technology is a cutting-edge biometric tool increasingly being used by law enforcement authorities across the country and around the world. Though not yet as reliable as DNA or fingerprints, facial recognition can help determine a suspect’s identity through individual variations in irises, skin textures, vein patterns, palm prints and a person’s gait while walking, according to the Washington Post. Like fingerprints detect lines on your hand, facial recognition detects the lines on your face, and then compares them against a database of photographs. Law enforcement officials use it when they have a photograph of a suspect and need to make an identification. With the increased use of DNA databases, suspects in some cases were submitting to testing that put their genetic profile in official databases, even if they were never convicted of a crime. Last year, the Supreme Court approved the collection of DNA samples after arrest. At the time, the federal government and 28 states authorized the collection of DNA from those arrested. According to the New York Times, law enforcement officials argued the DNA samples were a valuable tool for investigating unsolved crimes. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote, “Taking and analyzing a cheek swab of the arrestee’s DNA is, like fingerprinting and photographing, a legitimate police booking procedure that is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.” There are even greater concerns about the pervasive use of facial recognition. Unlike DNA and fingerprints, which are collected after an arrest or conviction, facial recognition systems collect data on law-abiding citizens from driver’s licenses and non-driver ID card databases. This data is collected without individuals knowing it and dumped into a database of millions of images. According to a 2013 Cincinnati Enquirer investigation, 26 states and the District of Columbia allow law enforcement to use facial recognition systems. Twelve states do not use facial recognition software at all, and another 12 states have facial recognition systems but don’t allow law enforcement personnel to benefit from the technology in any way. The concern about facial recognition goes beyond warehousing the images of individuals never charged with a crime. The concerns extend to the collection of these images without adequate notice to the public and the potential for abuse of the images by law enforcement and other agencies that have access to the database. Those concerned were heightened last year in Ohio. The Enquirer investigation revealed that Attorney General Mike DeWine launched a facial recognition software program that tapped into Ohio’s database of driver’s license photographs, without disclosing the program to the public. After a firestorm of protest, Attorney General DeWine admitted that he should have told the public about the facial recognition system’s 2013 launch. When some complained that liberal access to the data would spawn abuse, he said abuse would be deterred by a felony charge for misusing the technology. Last year, about 26,500 local law enforcement officials, court workers, and employees from other agencies had access to the software. Access to Ohio’s database was the most liberal in the country. DeWine formed an advisory group to suggest security protocol changes that would insure proper use of the state’s facial recognition system. As of May 31, 2014, the number of individuals with access to the database had dropped to about 5,100 people — all law enforcement officials, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Matthew T. Mangino is of counsel with Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly & George P.C. His book “The Executioner’s Toll, 2010” was recently released by McFarland Publishing. You can reach him at www.mattmangino.com and follow him on Twitter at @MatthewTMangino. By Matthew T. Mangino More Content Now MailTribune.com By Matthew T. Mangino More Content Now Posted Sep. 5, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501