The New Generation of Scanners

The slippery-slope argument against the warrantless, illegal searches that the TSA conducts is to point out that body cavity searches will be next. That day has arrived, at least in jails, but the promotional materials for Canon’s new RadPRO SecurPASS scanner specifically mentions airport and border checkpoints and “Passenger friendly inspection.” A press conference held by a Illinois county sheriff last month states that a paper clip in a body cavity can be detected by these scanners.

This image is kindly provided by the manufacturer of the scanner. I’m finding many other images attributed to this scanner that similarly show the full skeleton and outline the lungs and other organs. This is being used as a selling point by Canon. It can see in body cavities and it does not show the surface of the skin, so there is no reason to be modest—that is, of course, unless you believe that what is under the skin on your own body is also your own personal, private business.

This machine does operate using x-rays and I’m sure we’ll be told that it is completely safe. What is even more disturbing is that a top hit for a search for this scanner is a company called Medical Applications Specialists. They also took part in Sheriff Dart’s press conference and were the ones who encouraged (and I assume sold) Cook County Jail to buy the machine they now use on inmates. Isn’t anyone worried about using experimental radiation technology — operated by a deputy, not a radiologist or even a medical technician — on inmates in violation of numerous laws that were enacted after the experimentation on prisoners in the 60’s and 70’s (not to mention in Nazi Germany)? Of course I know the answer: They’re as worried about these laws as the feds are about the 4th Amendment rights that we are stripped of in the airports.

UPDATE: I mistakenly stated that the scanners were installed in FL, but the link points to Cook County, IL county. Scanners were also installed in Collier County, FL. Thanks to Brent Peterson for the correction.

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6:58 pm on April 27, 2011