Random Search Pilot Project
Aug 18, 2009 | 10:21 am
#16
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Actually, "every Nth person" isn't random at all. It may be "arbitrary", but "arbitrary" and "random" aren't the same thing at all. One element of randomness is unpredictability, and picking every Nth person is completely predictable. Not to mention observably predictable ... imagine the chaos in the line, when people who have figured out today's value of N are jockeying for position in the line to make sure they're not selected. ....
Firstly, random patdowns are useless. Either patdown everyone or no one.
Second, the 'n' number can be changed frequently and vary between WTMD queues - it's far easier and cheaper to spend 30 minutes coming up with an understandable and fair randomness policy than spending millions of dollars to buy someone's high school science fair project.
Aug 18, 2009 | 11:28 am
#17
Join Date: Nov 2008
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And, on the whole, I don't have a problem with every "Nth". But that procedure is not "random"; it's "arbitrary". We should call it what it really is. (Yes, I've got a big old stick stuck up my backside about this issue. Comes from having studied too much math.)
And now, you open the screeners up to charges of bias. A screener just changes the value of "N", and the next person selected just happens to have an ethnicity different from the screener. Did the screener change the value of "N" truly arbitrarily, or did the screener choose "N" because of racial bias? There's no way to know, either way --- either to prove bias, or to absolve an honest screener from charges of bias.
And now, you open the screeners up to charges of bias. A screener just changes the value of "N", and the next person selected just happens to have an ethnicity different from the screener. Did the screener change the value of "N" truly arbitrarily, or did the screener choose "N" because of racial bias? There's no way to know, either way --- either to prove bias, or to absolve an honest screener from charges of bias.
Aug 18, 2009 | 11:42 am
#18
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And now, you open the screeners up to charges of bias. A screener just changes the value of "N", and the next person selected just happens to have an ethnicity different from the screener. Did the screener change the value of "N" truly arbitrarily, or did the screener choose "N" because of racial bias? There's no way to know, either way --- either to prove bias, or to absolve an honest screener from charges of bias.
Aug 18, 2009 | 12:00 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2003
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No matter how often you change it the fact remains that it's NOT random.
Aug 18, 2009 | 12:20 pm
#20
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It doesn't need to be random - either arbitrary or random won't skew results when the chance of someone walking undetected through the WTMD with a gun or bomb is so small to be statistically insignificant.
Aug 18, 2009 | 1:31 pm
#21
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
Excuse me ... I see a windmill over here that I need to attack ...
Last edited by jkhuggins; Aug 18, 2009 at 2:22 pm Reason: typo
Sep 8, 2009 | 8:58 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 2,422
Actually, Customs and Border Protection discontinued random searches several years ago. They found that it detracted from their ability to look for actual threats. There is a GAO report about this.
There is actual data to suggest that random (or arbitrary) searches interfere with screening functions.
But the TSA isn't interested in research or common sense. They don't live in a world of evidence-based practice.
There is actual data to suggest that random (or arbitrary) searches interfere with screening functions.
But the TSA isn't interested in research or common sense. They don't live in a world of evidence-based practice.
Sep 8, 2009 | 11:50 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 414
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.162 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/107)
Noticed this at YOW today. Basically you stand in the lineup, they check your BP, then you stand on a mat. The indicator will then flash an arrow pointing left or right. If it points right, you get a regular check. If it goes left, it's your lucky day - full pat-down after the metal detector. Since I have all the luck in the world, I of course was directed left. They also said that they aren't allowed to patdown if you're under 18. Any other airports participating in this or just YOW?
Noticed this at YOW today. Basically you stand in the lineup, they check your BP, then you stand on a mat. The indicator will then flash an arrow pointing left or right. If it points right, you get a regular check. If it goes left, it's your lucky day - full pat-down after the metal detector. Since I have all the luck in the world, I of course was directed left. They also said that they aren't allowed to patdown if you're under 18. Any other airports participating in this or just YOW?