. "Appendix I: Illustrative Government Data Mining Programs and Activity." Protecting Individual Privacy in the Struggle Against Terrorists: A Framework for Program Assessment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2008.
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Protecting Individual Privacy in the Struggle Against Terrorists: A Framework for Program Assessment
sketches of them. The programs identified as “advanced analytical tools that do not meet the definition in Section 126” and included in the DOJ report are as follows: 82
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) initiatives:
SearchPoint. DEA project that uses prescription data from insurance and cash transactions obtained commercially from ChoicePoint, included the prescribing official (practitioner), the dispensing agent (pharmacy, clinic, hospital, and so on), and the name and quantity of the controlled substance (drug information) to conduct queries about practitioners, pharmacies, and controlled substances to identify the volume and type of controlled substances being subscribed and dispensed.
Automation of Reports of Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS). DEA uses data collected from manufacturers and distributors of controlled substances and stored in the ARCOS database to monitor the flow of the controlled substances from their point of manufacture through commercial distribution channels to point of sale or distribution at the dispensing or retail level (hospitals, retail pharmacies, practitioners, and teaching institutions).
Drug Theft Loss (DTL) Database. This is similar to ARCOS, but the data source is all DEA controlled-substance registrants (including practitioners and pharmacies).
Online Investigative Project (OIP). OIP enables DEA to scan the Internet in search of illegal Internet pharmacies. The tool searches for terms that might indicate illegal pharmacy activity.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives initiatives:
Bomb Arson Tracking System (BATS). BATS enables law-enforcement agencies to share information related to bomb and arson investigations and incidents. The source of information is the various law-enforcement agencies. Possible queries via BATS include similarities of components, targets, or methods. BATS can be used, for example, to make connections between multiple incidents with the same suspect.
GangNet. This system is used to track gang members, gangs, and gang incidents in a granular fashion. It enables sharing of information among law-enforcement agencies. It can also be used to identify trends, relationships, patterns, and demographics of gangs.
Federal Bureau of Investigation initiative:
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Initiative. DME is designed to help in setting investigative priorities on the basis of analysis of suspicious claims submitted by DME providers by contractors for CMS. Data
82
Ibid., pp. 31-35. Descriptions are drawn from the report.
