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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tikal!cholula!persci!bill
From: bill@persci.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.legal
Subject: Re: Report your neighbor for fun and profit
Message-ID: <436@persci.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 28-Oct-85 12:04:35 EST
Article-I.D.: persci.436
Posted: Mon Oct 28 12:04:35 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 30-Oct-85 04:25:26 EST
References: <787@terak.UUCP> <351@madvax.UUCP>
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Xref: watmath net.politics:11720 net.legal:2505
Summary: Sieg Heil! to the U.S.S.A.

>>
>>One of the commonly depicted facets of a "police state" is that citizens
>>are encouraged to report suspicious actions by their friends, neighbors,
>>and relatives to the police.  Usually, the implication is that we in the
>>U.S. don't have such a situation.
>>[...] 
>>How is this different from the situation in the "dreaded police state"?
>Add the Child Abuse Hotlines, where the reporter can remain anonymous, and
>(I believe this is still true) the state welfare agency is mandated by law
>to "respond" within 24 hours. Of course, one could only use this to 
>harrass neighbors with children.
>Susan Finkelman 	{zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex,rtech}!varian!susan

Not true. All you need is for your neighbor to have "access" to children and
he can be "turned in". You can even turn in total strangers. In Washington 
State this is especially deadly since a few case workers here are known to
have falsified evidence, building up cases for conviction where nothing in
fact ever happened. Conviction in Washington State carries a mandatory
prison sentence.

I have seen one innocent acquaintance railroaded into prison by his ex-wife
and her religious cult. I suppose she got the greater portion of the property
out of the deal, not to mention the kids (none of whom wanted to stay with
her..).

-- 
William Swan  {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,...}!uw-beaver!tikal!persci!bill