FBI Prioritizes Copyright Issues; Not So Concerned About Missing Persons

from the say-what-now? dept

While we've seen that copyright infringement -- which really should be a civil issue dealt with between private parties -- has suddenly become a major priority for the FBI, it appears that the FBI has stopped caring about things that seem a lot more important. Earlier this year, we noted that the FBI had stopped considering identity fraud as a priority. Now, a new report notes that another thing the FBI appears to not care much about are missing persons cases. Specifically, the FBI has consciously decided to give such cases lower priority in the FBI's laboratory, which is used to look at DNA evidence. This has created a massive backlog in missing persons cases. A new report from the Justice Department's Inspector General notes that this has serious consequences:

"Backlogs can also prevent the timely capture of criminals, prolong the incarceration of innocent people who could be exonerated by DNA evidence, and adversely affect families of missing persons waiting for positive identification of remains."

Perhaps I'm missing something, but doesn't it seem like missing persons cases and identity fraud are the sorts of things the FBI should be working on, as they're cases where individuals can be seriously harmed? Copyright cases are really just business model issues, where the only "harm" is caused by copyright holders refusal to adapt to a changing market. Isn't it time the FBI got its priorities straight?

Filed Under: copyright, fbi, identity fraud, missing persons, priorities
Companies: fbi