Criminal Technology free essay sample

Running Head: CRIMINAL TECHNOLOGY Criminal Technology from the Past into the Future CJ216: Computers, Technology and Criminal Justice Information Systems Professor Lally July 19, 2011 In the past, technology was not very advanced; there were not very much communication devices. But the police managed to respond the fastest way to emergency calls. As time has passed, technology advanced, so all the technology that we have now 20 years ago people did not know of its existence. That is why we are going to analyze the changes that technology has had through the years and in what way has helped the police. Also we are going to see what positive changes technology will provide us in the future. One of the advances in technology that the police have is the in-car camera system. This system has been very important to evaluate the performance of officers and their professionalism. The ability of this system to record video footage from the patrol has been very helpful in traffic stops, arrests, criminal investigations, training and internal affairs. Since the in-car cameras were installed the officers could detect drunken people or even other criminals and have also helped to exonerate officers from false accusations. If we compare the technology from the past with the technology we have in the present we can see there is a huge difference. In the past, officers only depended on their radio and had to pass all the information they got in a case and then have to wait for the dispatchers reply to know if they could continue with the arrest or not. Now days, they still use the radio, but they also have another support system that is the laptop they have in their patrol, that way the officer can access more easily and quickly to the police database. Technology provides to the police many other things that are useful in their line of work like: * Photo Enforcement Systems * Thermal Imaging * Graffiti Cameras * Electronic White Boards * Lasers * Radios * Cameras for K-9 Units * Automatic License Plate Recognition * Global Positioning System (Shultz 2008) There are also two very important database systems that law enforcement agencies use. The NCIC (National Crime Information Center); this system has a very large information of offender’s fingerprints and has led way to the system that today is known as AFIS of Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Foster, 2004) The AFIS provide all the law enforcement agencies around the United States a huge amount of criminal information just by run a simple fingerprint. In 1999 the FBI developed another database that is called IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System). This system not only include fingerprints, it includes mug shots, scars, criminal histories a nd tattoo photos; also include physical characteristics like hair color, eye color, height, weight and aliases. The system also has civil fingerprints from individuals who work or worked for the government. We have discussed the technology we had in the past and the technology we have now and compared both. But what does technology has prepared for us in the future? There are several prototypes of new technology that the police can use to help them; there is a system that is called RCIS (Remote Control Information System) â€Å"Is a highly compact communication system that provides video feed, two-way communication and vital signs monitoring and has a GPS feature† (Foster, 2004). The Stolen Item Database is another system that can be use by the law enforcement agencies. This will work like a scanner and if a store is robbed the officer could scan the item that the suspect that was arrested has and that way the officer can see if the merchandise is stolen or not. For future technology the Biometrics science which is a science that helps law enforcement to determine who is the correct criminal. Biometrics will lead the Criminal Justice System into the future. There are different items that have to collect and analyze using biometrics which are: Deoxybunucleic Acid (DNA) from blood samples, facial recognition, iris and retina recognition, fingerprints, palm and handprints. One of the most important examples of biometrics is DNA. The DNA is very helpful in the Criminal Justice System because some times thanks for a blood example that was found in a crime scene, it could be determine who was the person who commit the crime or who was that victim. Forensic scientist can use DNA in semen, hair, saliva, blood or skin that was found in a crime scene. This process is called DNA profiling. â€Å"In DNA profiling of variable sections of repetitive DNA, such as short tandem repeats and minisatellites, are compared between people†. Collins, 1994) This technique is very reliable when identifying matching DNA. But when the scene is contaminated the identification can be difficult. (Balding 2005) There is also technology that is developing for police tactical communications like: TEA’s LASH headset that was designed especially for Los Angeles police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) division. The TEA is a strap that goes around the neck and inside the strap is a nozzle module near the voice box, so you can talk even if there is a lot of noise and the person who has the other set can hear you but the other people can not. We can say that over the past 70 years technology has taken a huge step forward, from the radio communication to the cameras that are above the traffic lights, panic buttons and even advance technology that the new patrols has, like video cameras, computer and more. There was also advance in the security systems, in the past every worker had to check the time at they got to their work and the time they left in paper sheets, but now they use electronic cards or even chips. For the military there are several new equipment that can be use by sending them to investigate without jeopardize the life of one of the soldiers. So, there has been a breakthrough in technology that has helped us in every way. What progress can we expect for the next 70 years? REFERENCES Foster, R. E. (2004) Police Technology, New York, NY Prentice Hall Moriarty, L. J. (2005) Criminal Justice Technology in the 21st Century, Springfield, Illinois, Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD Schultz, P. D. (2008) The Future is here: Technology in police departments. From the police chief, Vol. LXXV, no. 6 Balding, D. J. (2005) Weight of evidence for forensic DNA profiles. London, UK John Wiley son LTD. Collins A. (1994) Likelihood ratios for DNA identification Great Britain