Well, the Ministry of Justice to be precise, but that's not very catchy.
They are refusing to release the names of escaped prisoners.
Yep, that's right, they won't let the public know which convicted criminals are on the run. Normally, these kind of absurd decisions are based on the Human Rights Act, but on this occasion it's the Data Protection Act. The very same DPA that allows the DVLA to flog your details to anyone with the cash. The very same DPA that allows ISP to monitor every packet of internet traffic on millions of people's broadband connections. (and let BT carry out a covert trial without telling ANYONE)
But I digress... What 'Data' needs protecting? We're not asking for bank details and copies of birth certificates. Even the police - hardly an organisation known or their public-spiritedness - sometimes give out the names of wanted people. So why do those in power go to such great lengths to protect the least deserving, whilst riding roughshod over the rest of us? What exactly do the MoJ hope to gain from this and other stupid policies?
The utter, utter contempt that such authorities hold the public in is just staggering. And it's us that pay their bloody wages too.....
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Since being on the run is a criminal offence, and the DPA is full of exemptions if you're detecting or investigating crime, I respectfully submit they're using the DPA as a shield for some other reason to not acting...
ReplyDeleteMartin.