As hackers and users of cell phone jammers could attest, technology is often, if not always, ahead of the law. And somewhere in the mess created by the collision of the two worlds, the justifiable uses of new technologies and the rights of its users have to be sorted out. Such is the case in law enforcement's use of cell phone signals to track down missing persons. If your cell phone is on, you can be found. Think of it as a de facto LoJack, because that's exactly how law enforcement agencies can use it.

As the P-I reported on Monday: "Missing persons cases present an unusual problem for police - it's not a crime to disappear. Without a crime, police can't get a search ...