An USB memory stick containing personal information of tens of thousands of prisoners from the UK has been lost, as the British Home Office confirmed. Although some of the objectives of the institution are related to safeguarding "people's identity and the privileges of citizenship," important information, such as names, dates of birth or the even release dates of some of the most dangerous criminals at the moment incarcerated in the UK could now end up in anyone's hands.

The Home Office's contract with PA Consulting, a firm in charge with the monitoring of criminals, proved to be of bad omen. The British institution sent an encrypted report with the above-mentioned information to the security company. When it reached its destination, all data was decrypted and then transferred to the USB memory stick that is now nowhere to be found.

The information that has been lost was on the 84,000 prisoners from England and Wales. The memory stick also contained crucial details on the persons who had been charged with at least six counts in the last year, and of 10,000 "prolific and other priority offenders," as they were called by the Government. Besides names and other identification data, the stick also included information about prisoners or indicted persons who are part of a drug rehabilitation program.

The dangers of this data loss are related to both identity thefts and to possible vindictive actions on behalf of the people who have fallen victims to the criminals or are somehow connected to the victims. A counterattack from the offenders is also possible, as the incident has clearly infringed upon the Data Protection Act. The Telegraph suggests that some of them may even ask for a reallocation, as there is the threat that their addresses be disclosed to a furious public. Nevertheless, this solution would also involve more taxes to pay to the public budget. "The British taxpayer will be absolutely outraged if they are made to pick up the bill for compensation to serious criminals." said David Ruffley, a Shadow Home Office minister, for the same newspaper.