Database would put privacy at risk, some warn

[CShine]

As the state of Georgia decides whether to participate fully in a crime-fighting database with mountains of personal information and criminal records, law enforcement officials and legislators Friday urged extreme caution.

Georgia already is contributing criminal histories to the multistate Matrix database, operated by a Seisint, a private company in Florida under contract from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Ten states plan to participate; five others have backed away, citing concerns about cost and personal privacy.

Matrix will provide law enforcement almost instant access to credit information, criminal history, driving records, marital history, names and addresses of family members, Social Security numbers and birthdates.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1003/11matrix.html