| Comment Number: | 531096-00210 |
| Received: | 8/30/2007 3:44:26 PM |
| Organization: | Standard Research and Investigative Services, Ltd |
| Commenter: | John Mouzakis |
| State: | CA |
| Agency: | Federal Trade Commission |
| Rule: | Private Sector Use of SSNs |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
As a criminal defense investigator, witnesses are needed to be located constantly for the purpose of initial or follow up interview and the service of defense appearance subpena. By the time any criminal matters reach the trial stage, witnesses move from known locations. In addition, as the investigation proceeds addition witnesses are recognized that might have pertinent defense information and are needed to be identified, located, and contacted. Witnesses with names like Jones, Smith, Johnson, McDonald and Adams, obviously pose a problem to isolate the correct individual even within a known and limited geographic area from hundreds of persons with similar names. Also, female witnesses also create special problems because a know name my have been charged because the female witness changed from her maiden name to her husband’s name and vise versa. Many Oriental, Hispanic and Middle Eastern names cause difficulty to determine identity because of the variable means the individual can report his or her name. Access to social security number information is critical to the defense to locate witnesses in a timely and cost effective manner. Although time is always a factor in criminal matters, the costs associated with identification and determining the location of witnesses impacts the ability to citizen’s that do not have unlimited resources to prepare for trial and guarantee the defendant’s constitutional rights to a fair and speedy trail. It also places the defendant at a disadvantage because federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are not limited to identify and locate witnesses. Best Regards, John D. Mouzakis, CCDI