If you're a criminal, you're a Target

[shooraijin]

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/02/target-sets-sights-on-hard-to-crack.html

Fascinating!

[TurkishMonky]

whoa..target? that's pretty sweet (and puts a whole new meaning to "i work for target")

[meboeck]

Whoa, that's wild.

[Scribs]

That is interesting, and almost diconcerting. Not that I am a criminal or anything, but when people out there have the capacity to find things about you from so little evidence I get a litte nervous.

[Sakura15]

Don't steal from target

not that you should steal at all

[Jack Bond]

I know what you mean, Scribs

"I work in an upscale discount store... yeah! I work in a crime lab!"

[uc pseudonym]

That's interesting, if somewhat random. I wonder if this will be more of a trend.

[Puritan]

Interesting, but somehow unsurprising. Many companies have to have their own counter-espionage and security arms, so why not include a crime lab?

[shooraijin]

Exactly. One imagines Wal-Mart probably has something similar (they're a much more obvious target for theft), but it's nice that Target is giving back something too.

[Doubleshadow]

Very cool and somewhat unnerving. I always think of secretive corporate attempts to take over the world (B movie style) when companies that advertise a down-home, wholesome, neighborly image have high-tech crime labs and ruthless investigators on the side.

[Da Rabid Duckie]

Well, I have to admit that it's awesome stuff, but at the same time I have to think that there will be a time when many more cases will get dismissed because the jury wanted more evidence (such as DNA, or more advanced techniques) despite that the fact that the evidence that was there was concrete enough to prove guilt. It's starting to become common these days, thanks to the CSI effect... will there be a time some day when cases are being dismissed because prosecutors didn't go to Target for their evidence? It's sad that technology like this isn't already available by law enforcement agencies, but at least it's something. Maybe instead corporations should donate money to be used for these specific reasons instead of doing it themselves?

[Steeltemplar]

Man, why can't CompUSA (where I work) be that cool?

[Nate]

It's cool, and I like it, but...isn't it sad that a private company's crime labs are more high tech than the government's?

[Puritan]

I don't think it's so much a matter of higher tech corporate labs, but more a matter of government labs being swamped with cases and red tape. The article made it sound like the Target lab was more advanced than some government agencies have access too, but that's not surprising as different branches of government have different needs and levels of funding. Also, my experience with bureaucracy (although it is limited) is that everything takes three times longer to accomplish because of paperwork and procedure. Likely, Target can get to cases faster than some of the overworked government labs simply because they work on a more efficient corporate structure, and likely have far fewer cases to deal with than many government labs.

[Lynx]

It's cool, and I like it, but...isn't it sad that a private company's crime labs are more high tech than the government's?

yeah, but im sure the government has to pay for the upkeep of many crime labs on a strict budget, and target can decide for themselves how much money to put into it and only have to pay to maintain one lab.

[Sonic_13]

haha I think this is very cool!

Target is a pretty radical store IMO. Nice to know they vary in their fields of expertise.

[BigZam]

well...i have a ninja crime lab....

[rocklobster]

There's a convience store near my current job that has a sign asking patrons to remove hoods. Hmmm.