New technology to protect federal judges

WASHINGTON, July 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marshals Service will soon employ the latest technology to protect judges and others who serve the federal court system.

A 24-hour threat analysis and intelligence center will become fully operational in October according to service Director John Clark, USA Today reports.

Threats against federal judges and other court employees were up 63 percent in fiscal 2005 compared to 2003 and recent high-profile incidents have drawn national attention to the safety of judges and highlighted weaknesses in efforts to protect them.

In February of 2005, a man with a history of writing threatening letters broke into the Chicago home of U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow and killed her husband and mother while she was out.

Responding to the Lefkow killings, Congress approved $12 million to install security systems in judges' homes and is considering tougher criminal penalties for people convicted of threatening judges.

Donald Horton, chief inspector for the marshal's Office of Protective Intelligence, attributes the increase in threats to a number of factors including easier access to information about judges and more litigation in general, USA Today said.