See gojomo's comment. The cops' techniques for "hacking" the judicial system are low-tech, but it doesn't have to be that way. I like to think that hacker minds can solve problems beyond social web apps -- or in this case, a web app for sharing information might be the right way to look at the problem.

Plenty of sites exist that deal with urban crime outside the judicial system:

- ChicagoCrime.org (now EveryBlock.com)

- Map mashups using data from Megan's Law registries

- Some county traffic courts allow looking up offenses by the offender's name

- Some courts also publish names and even mug shots of prostitution offenders

I haven't seen this discussed in mainstream news beyond some worried mutterings about civil rights, and I think it's an interesting problem, so there you go. Now, hopefully, the discussion will focus on smart solutions instead of devolving into a collective rant about police.