Computers and Dossiers.

During World War II and in the ensuing and apparently endless period of the cold war, it has become fashionable to put trust in a variety of prophylactic measures designed to identify potential criminals before they can commit their intended crimes, and to frustrate them in their supposed intentions. To meet the "legitimate need" of government to protect itself, the governmental agencies have compiled dossiers on the political beliefs. If it is efficient for any one compiler to maintain a permanent dossier on each subject, so that he need not start from scratch each time interest in the subject is renewed.