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Civil Liberties Union
Civil Liberties Union
NYCLU Opposes Fingerprinting of Government Employees
Several bills have been introduced this legislative session calling for the fingerprinting of candidates for jobs in schools and mental health facilities. Fingerprinting is an invasion of an individual’s privacy and right of anonymity. Whiles its use may be an aid in the enforcement of criminal law in certain situations, the areas in which the taking of fingerprints is permissible should be strictly limited.
Were fingerprinting to be carried out indiscriminately, the individual’s freedom of movement might easily be curbed, minority groups and aliens would be subjected to close surveillance, and the way would be prepared for labor blacklists, police blackmail and frame-ups, and, eventually, searches without warrants and denial of habeas corpus.
The blanket fingerprinting of government employees is not permissible. The fingerprinting of government employees would be proper only if used for the detection of cheating in license examinations, and then only if the prints are not sent on to be filed with the FBI or the local police.
The NYCLU opposes these bills.
Were fingerprinting to be carried out indiscriminately, the individual’s freedom of movement might easily be curbed, minority groups and aliens would be subjected to close surveillance, and the way would be prepared for labor blacklists, police blackmail and frame-ups, and, eventually, searches without warrants and denial of habeas corpus.
The blanket fingerprinting of government employees is not permissible. The fingerprinting of government employees would be proper only if used for the detection of cheating in license examinations, and then only if the prints are not sent on to be filed with the FBI or the local police.
The NYCLU opposes these bills.