Heron's Eye: 27/10/08

Justice system should put victims first, says Jack Straw 27/10/08
“Jack Straw, the justice secretary, today signalled a more punitive approach to prisons by attacking the "criminal justice lobby" for putting the needs of offenders before those of victims.” [Guardian]

Police will use new device to take fingerprints in street 27/10/08
Every police force in the UK is to be equipped with mobile fingerprint scanners - handheld devices that allow police to carry out identity checks on people in the street. [Guardian]

Where the hell is parliament? 27/10/08
Henry Porter highlights how the CGHQ and Home Office are arguing for £12bn to collect data on telecommunications such as the Internet and phone calls and how the police are being issued with mobile fingerprint scanners to allow offices to carry out identity checks on people in the street. He goes on to criticise how this is occurring without having been debated in Parliament.