Case Study: The Hawaii Judiciary

INTRODUCTION

In the last five years, the Hawaii Judiciary has developed as part of its comprehensive planning program, a futures research component. Initially futures research was largely concerned with identifying emerging issues; that is issues that are low in awareness to decision makers and high in potential impact.1
At present the Courts futures program is engaged in a variety of activities. Researchers study the impact of possible legislation on the Judiciary, forecast future caseloads, publish a newsletter of emerging issues, trends, and research findings2, and provide research information to decision makers as to the future of technology, economy, population, management and crime.
However in the past few years of concentrating
As little as ten years ago, the thought of having a personal computer at one's office desk, home, or grade school seemed far‑fetched indeed. Now personal computers are accepted complacently as part of our modern world. Computer brains run cars, stereos, televisions, refrigerators, phone systems, factories, offices, airplanes, and defense systems, to name a few examples. The next progression of the computer as a mobile unit, robot, may like the personal computer, become a common and essential companion at home and in the workplace.
At the vanguard of computer technology is the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the creation of living computer circuitry called "biochips." The development of "AI" requires the computer to make a jump in inference, a quantum leap over miscellaneous data, something a programmed machine has been unable to do. Literally, the computer must skip variables rather than measure each one. It is not quite a mirror of the human gestalt "aha" illunimation of a decision but
By synthesizing living bacteria, scientists have found a way to program the bacteria's genetic development to mimic the on and off switching of electronic circuitry. Many scientists presently feel silicon miniturization has reached its limit because of the internal heat that they generate. The "biochip" is then expected to greatly expand the capabilities of computerization by reaching the ultimate in miniaturization. "Biochips" also will have the unique ability to correct design flaws. Moreover, James McAlear, of Gentronix Labs notes, "because proteins have the ability to assemble themselves the (organic) computer would more or less put itself together."16
In the creation of a living computer system "we are, according to Kevin Ulmer of The Genex Corporation, making a computer from the very stuff of life."17 Eventually it is expected that these systems will be so miniturized that they may be planted in humans so as to regulate chemical and systemic imbalances. As these chips are used to operate mechanical arms, or negate brain or nerve damage the issue of man‑robots, cyborgs, will arise. The development of such organic computers is expected in the early 1990's. This new technolgical development will force a redefinition of our conception of