Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking tickets

Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by ecnahc515 on Monday August 13, 2018 @07:39PM (#17754449)

The TL;DR is: "any criminal records is public information". Fundamentally, even if it's very minor, it's public information until expunged, cleared, or sealed. I think most people are generally fine with this, it's only really a problem if you consistently are committing offenses.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by dannyw on Monday August 13, 2018 @07:51PM (#17754518)

I wouldn't be that generous. You park 15 mins longer than permitted once outside your workplace, and now your violent ex knows where you now work.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by cabaalis on Monday August 13, 2018 @08:42PM (#17754770)

Maybe. But I think the benefit to society of publicly knowing violations outweighs this potential abuse. Also, it would be a problem to allow government to secretly prosecute, even for very minor offenses.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by macintux on Tuesday August 14, 2018 @09:27AM (#17757657)

I'm very skeptical about drawing a line from "not sharing license plate numbers tied to address of offense when it comes to traffic fines" to "secretly prosecute".

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by oh_sigh on Tuesday August 14, 2018 @07:12AM (#17756854)

Your violent ex would know your license plate number, but not know where you work?

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by macintux on Tuesday August 14, 2018 @09:23AM (#17757633)

I'd wager most people switch jobs more often than they change license plate numbers.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by mehrdadn on Monday August 13, 2018 @07:55PM (#17754548)

This is not criminal though?

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by sdinsn on Monday August 13, 2018 @08:46PM (#17754789)

It is. If you get a parking ticket that means you are being charged with a crime, the crime is just a minor infraction.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by tptacek on Monday August 13, 2018 @08:58PM (#17754836)

Parking tickets are civil, not criminal.

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by mehrdadn on Monday August 13, 2018 @08:51PM (#17754814)

Source? I'm not a lawyer and I don't know Illinois law, but I have generally read these are civil and not criminal offenses, e.g. https://www.wisemantriallaw.com/blog/2012/august/the-differe...

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Re:Using FOIA Data and Unix to halve major source of parking... by vageli on Monday August 13, 2018 @09:49PM (#17755024)

If that were the case, wouldn't the municipality be required to provide a defense attorney? Or is that only for felonies?

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