Technologies Used by Law Enforcement Research Paper

Technologies Used by Law Enforcement - Research Paper Example But whether or not this potential is fully recognized, and at what speed, is not an inevitable conclusion. Groundwork on this subject propose what if its incorporation is not correctly supervised, some features of information technology may meet with confrontation among officers and other staff, mainly when such technology is seen as unjustly invasive or technically unwieldy. Furthermore, questions about security cost, and privacy need to be addressed as well. (Reichert, 2001) Due to the speed and velocity of advances in this field of information technology in current years, sovereign studies on the collision of information technology on policing are also of our concern. It seems predominantly significant, in this regard, to evaluate the experiences of some of the founders of information technology in the field of policing. (Reichert, 2001) Description of some technologies used by law enforcement agencies is given below: 1. Crime mapping During the last decade, computer crime mapping has become an important tool for law enforcement firms. Innovations in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and computer technology have corresponded with practical and theoretical advancements in crime investigation, analysis and prevention. Mapping software, desktop computers, and GIS now present mapping and analysis of data capacities beyond what was probable with mainframe desktop computers as lately as the early 90s. Crime mapping is an affordable and inexpensive technology for tiny and even controlled budget police sections. The advancements needed by community police departments want that these sections integrate a spatial, geographic, or local emphasis, and focus on the significance of incorporating crime mapping techniques into departmental analysis, management, and practices of enforcement. (Reichert, 2001) 2. Integration of Information Technology Information technology integration is as famous as crime mapping. Innovations in information technology assure privacy and information will be shared among all the key elements of the system of criminal justice, taking into account prosecutors, law enforcement, public and private defenders, corrections, federal courts, probation, parole, appellate courts, and state trial. A fully incorporated information system, though, needs cautious planning and organization among the agencies to make sure that technological faults do not take place; as Chief Justice Ronald M. George, California Supreme Court, puts it â€Å"Towel of Babel†. (Reichert, 2001) 3. Database for Fingerprints According to recent news, in Columbus, Ohio, Columbus Police can receive instant information about a suspect’s identity without having to go back to files and papers. With just a fast imprint of an individual’s two fingers on handheld equipment, now police can get access to all personal databases via the fingerprint database system. Police is quite contended with this new t echnology as it saves up time and energy to travel to the downtown booking station. Naturally, it is used to check the right identity of a person who does not a proper ID or have a fake one and uses a fake name. Columbia Police Department alone comprises of 250,000 entries. Any fingerprint which matches an identity gives person’s name, gender, date of birth and race. The cost of these devices have dropped drastically from $100 to $5 and they take good advantage of swiftly growing biometrics industry which