+241 An effective way to solve crimes would be to take the fingerprints of people when they get their driver's license. This would create a nearly complete database of prints, allowing for an immediate match to be made if any prints are lifted from a scene, amirite?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think there is also an ethical problem, though. Some people might not want to have their fingerprints on database (I wouldn't care, I'm merely saying that I think this is an issue).

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's part of the security vs privacy debate. If you catch a killer based on fingerprints, you might be saving lives.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Those who are willing to sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What liberty are you giving up by giving a fingerprint to someone? the liberty of not being caught as a criminal?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Yhe liberty of privacy

by Anonymous 11 years ago

what privacy, they aren't looking at what i'm doing or how even getting an idea of what I look like. Having your picture taken for a drivers licence is much more of an invasion of privacy than a fingerprint.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I disagree but ok

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It's an infringement of rights.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What right(s)? The government would not be not forcing citizens to do anything. Getting a license is optional and driving is a privilege, not a right.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's actually true, but driving and commiting crimes are not completely lilnked, so people would make the argument that it is not necessary for their liscense to get fingerprinted.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Buying and owning a vehicle is your right as a consumer surrounded by producers. The government can either make driving illegal, or give you the right to drive your property after a standardized test. The government does not have the right to take your finger prints and place them in the system simply because you are following the obligatory protocol towards driving your property. Taking finger prints only after convicted of a crime is a good system.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Each state has jurisdiction over the roadways and can regulate who can legally drive. They decide standard protocol for a driving test and have the right to add fingerprinting to the protocol, since it does not discriminate, invade privacy, or violate any other rights.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

In my opinion it does invade privacy. And for a select few individuals who do bad things I think it would just keep them from driving legally. It's a part of your own personal identity

by Anonymous 11 years ago

They already have your full name, social security, and photo identification, all of which are more personally invasive than fingerprints. As for the criminals who may evade the system by driving illegally, they're will surely be arrested at some point and have their prints taken anyway.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The point is that they don't have the right to take your finger prints! That they have other (arguably) more invasive parts of your identity is irrelevant. If someone has stolen your car you don't tell them they can have your bike too because they already took your car and it was more important to you than the bike anyways

by Anonymous 11 years ago

yeah, they take at least thumb prints when you get CA drivers license. And driving is a privilege, not a right, so they are not infringing on freedom. supposedly everyone has unique fingerprints, but is is possible (highly unlikely) that people have identical. mostly the problem comes down to how positive are the people who compare fingerprints, that's where the error comes in.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I had to give my thumb print just to get my permit.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

No they can't just take your fingerprint without asking. It's a very personal thing- part of your identy. What if all this information got into the wrong hands? It takes away your privacy. I think it would infringe upon your rights and freedom. I woudnt want my fingerprints taken.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Well the asking was pretty much "Put your thumb on the pad" and I think it might be them just checking to make sure you're allowed to get a license/permit. If someone has a criminal record and isn't allowed to drive, then your thumb print would be an easy way to check. I'm way to lazy to see if that's true but I think that is most likely why they do it, not to put you in a database but to make sure you aren't in one.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

No, thats not asking that was an order. It's to invasive on civil rights.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

This is a great idea but that would probably prevent criminals from getting a license in the first place.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't believe many teenagers will think "hey, I'm only 16, but I'll probably lead a life of crime in my adult life, so I'll proactively cover my ass and not get a license."

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I doubt it would stop people from getting licenses, but a criminal could always wear gloves or melt their fingerprint off.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Don't they take your fingerprints after your first criminal offense? Usually killers start out with small crimes. So they should already have quite a bit of fingerprints anyways.

by Anonymous 11 years ago