Law enforcement and retail theft company profit from 50 billion record database

MassPrivateI

Earlier this month Courthouse News reported that retailers across the country are being sued for using a “corrective education” program that is tantamount to extortion.

Retailers like Walmart, DSW, Bloomingdale’s, Kroger and Abercrombie & Fitch use the Corrective Education Company’s (CEC) restorative justice program to “reform generations” of accused shoplifters.  

According to CEC’s blog they also work with numerous electronic security companies like NCR, Sensormatic Electronics and Tyco Retail Security.

The RICO lawsuit against the CEC reveals that they give the accused two choices, enter into the CEC’s restorative justice program or be reported to the police.

Those that choose the first option must sign an admission of guilt (page 13), watch six to eight hours of CEC videos which are designed to teach them “life skills” and “make positive behavior changes”. And they must agree to pay $400.00 upfront or sign up for a payment plan of $50.00 a month or $500.00 total.

“CEC’s program enables first-time offenders to correct their mistakes and avoid prosecution. Retailers can reallocate loss prevention resources and law enforcement can focus their efforts in more effective ways for their individual communities.CEC works with individuals, retailers, law enforcement, prosecutors and parents to provide a successful, equitable and more efficient alternative to judicial prosecution.”

The lawsuit also revealed that at least 20,000 people have been forced to watch CEC’s videos and pay them millions of dollars. Both the CEC and retailers profit from this dubious program.

The above video and lawsuit reveals how law enforcement uses the threat of arrest to profit from CEC’s “corrective education” program. The lawsuit claims that nearly 90% of those accused of committing a crime choose the first option.

CEC is “using the power of law enforcement—threats of arrest and [the prosecutor’s] office—to compel [accused shoplifters] to take a class for a for-profit program. … That fundamentally is against what American jurisprudence stands for.”

Earlier this month the Herald Bulletin said the Indiana Attorney General’s office called Walmart’s anti-theft program extortion. (Click here to read their opinion.)

As you will see, that’s not even the most troubling aspect of CEC’s “corrective education” program.

CEC has created a database of 50 billion records

What should alarm everyone, is how the CEC has been working with law enforcement to create a huge records database.

“For more than two decades, CEC’s life skills education program has restored opportunity and hope to individuals who have committed misdemeanor crimes.”

CEC Connect’s criminal database holds a disturbing fifty billion records!

“CEC Connect™ qualifies offenders through a database of 50 billion records and meets the most rigorous security and privacy standards.”

How can the CEC have a database of fifty billion records when there are only 7.6 billion people on the planet?

Does it mean that 7.6 billion people have generated 50 billion transactions or records? Does this mean that the CEC is collecting a worldwide database of 50 billion transactions for law enforcement agencies like Interpol?

If so, the privacy implications are mind-boggling.

Just how close is the CEC and law enforcement?

Police chiefs want CEC’s restorative justice program to expand across the country.

Arlington Police Chief, Will Johnson, stated “We believe the success of this program has led to positive outcomes for the City of Arlington and can certainly be replicated in other communities.”

Last year, the CEC received a 2017 award from the International Chiefs of Police Association for public/private cooperation.

This is just one more example of police working with corporations to circumvent our Constitution.

https://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2018/04/law-enforcement-and-retail-theft.html