X-rays or Strip Search? -Reply -Reply -Reply -Reply -Reply

[Michael S Ford <MFORD@pantex.com>]

Mark,  I understand your concerns and would like to respond to
your questions....

MH:  "I am not sure of the answer, myself, but don't the ethics of
radiation protection apply equally to criminals and "honest" citizens
?" 

The provisions within the US jurisprudence system allow for search
and seizure for "reasonable suspicion" of criminal behavior (Paul,
did I get the exact words right?).  This particular method may seem a
bit draconian, but if a suspected drug smuggler is considered a
potential threat to the greater public health, then a search would
easily be justified for the person's property and physical body. 
Perhaps ultrasound would be an alternative.  I don't know.

Further, I am not sure about the case for Australia, but non-citizens
in many countries, including the US, are not afforded the same
rights as citizens.  However, I think you'll find that the US customs
laws are some of the most lenient (or otherwise poorly enforced).

MH: "Just how do we know, in advance, who is a drug-smuggler
(who therefore introduces drug-related risks to the community), and
who is innocent but suspicious ?"

I have a few friends who work for the US FBI and they have
developed profiles for a variety of criminals/behaviors.  Customs
authorities are given these profiles.  When a person matches this
profile, they are detained for further questioning.  Guilty and
innocent people are detained.  This goes back to "reasonable
suspicion" justifying the search and seizure.

When the "drug lords" find that their "mules" aren't making it through,
they change the look of the mule (men, women, children, young,
old).

MH:  "The ethics of radiation protection (I understand) require a net
benefit to the individual, or to the community. I am not sure that this
can easily be demonstrated here, although I suspect the dose is not
of great concern."

I disagree.  My hometown's youth population has been decimated
by the move to heroin as the drug of choice for kids... precipitated
by the very situations discussed above.  As far as I'm concerned, we
can easily demonstrate the benefits to this minuscule exposure, and
furthermore, we're not doing enough.

My opinions only.  These are some of the most difficult questions
that we have to answer now and in the future -- using radiation to
benefit a community where an individual may see no benefit or even
a negative benefit.  Mark, thanks for widening the debate.

v/r
Michael
mford@pantex
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