Criminal Justice Tools, Essay Example

Introduction

Technology will have an important impact on the way policing is carried out in the future.  This will equally impact police agencies and other law enforcement authorities. This paper describes three of the important developments.

Biometrics

The development of biometrics databases for criminal offenders will continue to be enhanced over the course of the next 5 years.  This will cover more technology in the use of forensic examinations; particularly in the area of fingerprinting and building facial and voice recognition files.  Particular improvements in the UK are being geared towards development of the violent sex offender’s database. (McCue, A. 2011)

Compstat

The COMPSTAT North American Poling Model and strategy will continue to be enhanced.  Designed in 1994 by the New York Police Department it is now in wide circulation throughout the USA. The aim is to transfer police departments into learning institutions i.e. comparison of computer statistics (Compstat). It will continue to evolve with the sophistication of computer hardware, software and communications. The applied use of Expert and Intelligence systems will increase the way in which the knowledge base is developed and enhanced. (Ozdemir, H. 2011).

Surveillance technology

This is a growing area of sophistication of technology. CCTV has already had a profound impact in the use of evidence for criminal investigations. We are now looking towards police officers carrying portable devices for transmitting audio and video footage of investigation scenes. This was particularly powerful in the arrests following the recent street riots in London where criminal elements were identified by video footage and then arrest warrents issued for criminal acts caught on live video footage.
References
McCue, A. (2011, 10 23). Biometrics key to future of police crime fighting. Retrieved from Silicon.com: http://www.silicon.com/management/cio-insights/2003/06/25/biometrics-key-to-future-of-police-crime-fighting-10004850/

Ozdemir, H. (2011). Compstat: Strategic Poilice Management. New York: COGINTA.