Unrestricted access: An exploratory assessment of Canada - U.S. criminal intelligence and individual privacy

Canada and the United States maintain unparalleled international relations in terms of trade, governance and security. This study examines the creation, retention, dissemination and destruction of personal information related to criminal activity in Canada, as well as the subsequent transmission of this information to the United States. Among the issues considered in this study are the privacy implications related to the transmission of personal information by Canadian law enforcement, government and third party agencies to foreign states. Findings from a case study highlight significant backlogs in the uploading of criminal conviction data to CPIC, the national repository for criminal records in Canada. Quantitative results lay the foundation for a predictive framework whereby the administrative actions of the United States Customs and Border Protection towards Canadian citizens with criminal convictions can be reasonably anticipated on the basis of several key predictors. Qualitative input from affected Canadian citizens and justice system stakeholders has been presented in relation to the statistical outcomes of the study.