RFID to be used for inmate tracking in L.A.

The Los Angeles County police, long revered for coddling their criminal population, is about to launch a pilot program to track 10% of their 18,000 prison inmates (such as O.J., Rodney King, Scott Peterson) using RFID devices. RFID use on the incarcerated is nothing new, but this appears to be a first in the prison-happy US. Inmates will be required to wear RFID bracelots (presumably locking and without studded spikes) which issue a beacon every 2 seconds — officers and staff will carry a similar device on their belts. RFID readers will pump the data back to a central computer to track such anti-social behavior as entering restricted areas, escaping, or "welcoming" new inmates with pretty mouths. The article says that the RFID signals will be received by "multiple" antennas.  You got that right Enos, RFID maxes out around 500-feet so we're talkin' hundreds if not thousands of these things to cover an entire prison complex and perimeter. And those long range systems generally operate at the higher frequencies (like 2.4GHz) which is going to step all over inmates' WiFi-enabled gaming consoles denying them their god-given-right to bludgeon cops in GTA. We smell a class action — Robert Shapiro, you paying attention?

[Jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Do Prison Inmates really play video games?

-no job
-get fed
-no taxes
-video games
-free gym membership
-Get to do something insanely fun to get in :)

im in! lol

[Jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Do Prison Inmates really play video games?

-no job
-get fed
-no taxes
-video games
-free gym membership
-Get to do something insanely fun to get in :)

im in! lol

[Frangible @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

No job? Forced prison labor is a big industry in America. Get fed? If you like prison food... No taxes? Yeah, you have no income. You still have to pay taxes on things you own outside of prison. Video games? Not hardly. Free gym membership? Actually the weight rooms are disappearing from most prisons. You might get to go out to the exercise yard occasionally, where you got sodomized or beaten by the local race-centric gang.

And of course, you forgot the most important thing... "being your cellmate Bubba's bitch for the next 20 years".

[Jerry Kindall @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I initially read that as "RFID to be used for intimate tracking in L.A." And I thought: darn the religious right to heck!

[www.mygadgetbag.com @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Reminds me of a movie that had those, except they blew up the prisoner if they tried escaping. I just don't think that would fly though in our society (plus, could you imagine the inmate that gets tossed over the fence by the rival gang...).

[Fatsvernon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Sure, sure.....it's all fun and games 'til someone gets their head blown off. By the way (gadgetbag) the movie you're referring to is Running Man w/ good 'ol Gov. Arnold Swartzinnsadnfjkanjfher. Ya know his dad was a Nazi? And he wants to be Pres.....wait and see.

Anyhoo....fight the power.

[jfb3 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Actually the movie might be "Wedlock" http://imdb.com/title/tt0103239/ starring Rutger Hauer and Mimi Rogers.

[zachary @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

This must be the test phase for the rollout of the read ID cards eh? Can't wait to destroy mine.

[www.mygadgetbag.com @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Yea, jfb3, it was Wedlock!

Thanks for looking that up...

[cmholm @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Small nit to pick with the posting: Scott Peterson was and will remain 'way outside of the LA County Sheriff's jurisdiction, so make that 17999 inmates.

[Thunder @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I don't think the rodney king thing was necessary. The only thing he was guilty of was being black.

[RunningMan @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

I don't know about Wedlock, but I just saw Running Man recently. That's one of the first scenes in the movie. They're in a prison camp with a perimiter set up; if they cross over, the collar around their neck blows up.

[mk @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

i also don't appreciate the rodney king allusion...however, i'm guessing your demographics don't require political correctness when it comes to black folk.

[Vanu @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

No in the movie it was their wa sa computer and if they saw or tracked someone moving out the computer shot out some perimiter field that blew you up :)

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Battle Royale 1 & 2 also featured explodo-collars.

[Vanu @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Well let me see if i can find it, see i don't remember any explodo collars in the movie your talking about because their was a simple team of 3 computers which activated a perimiter field which walking through blew you up.

[Vanu @ Dec 19th 2005 2:05AM]

Well let me see if i can find it, see i don't remember any explodo collars in the movie your talking about because their was a simple team of 3 computers which activated a perimiter field which walking through blew you up.