Title: PRESENTATION 4: PROFILING ISSUES AND DUE PROCESS

Presentation 4: Profiling issues and due process

The fourth and last presentation was held by Prof. Paul de Hert, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). His presentation was on profiling issues and the due process – an European perspective. According to Paul de Hert, profiling is the use of previous criminal cases database to point out possible correlations with a current criminal case and identify potential suspects. Such methods are widely used in the insurance field by private companies (e.g. car and driver insurance). 

Privacy of an individual is something, which is supported by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. This privacy becomes a blocking power and prevents the ‘State’ from doing what it wishes in relation to investigation of an individual. 

However since 9/11, governments throughout Europe and the rest of the world have a need to protect the general public from those that would do it harm. This requires the governments to access information and it is this access which has to be controlled. One of the forms of control is the use of data protection legislation. The issue of an individual’s right for privacy and anonymity is something, which still needs to be addressed with the greater use of biometric systems being introduced.