The United States v. Jones Decision, Essay Example

It appears that it is more challenging for police to do their jobs as a consequence of the United States v. Jones decision, which stated that police officers no longer have the right to install GPS tracking devices on the cars of suspects. Typically, search warrants are required to search the property of a suspect. In doing so, the police officer needs to enter the private space of the individual, necessitating a warrant to ensure that the individual’s right to privacy is maintained. However, installing a GPS tracking device on a car does not necessarily constitute an invasion of privacy. Police officers can easily track criminal driving activity simply by making observations; however, it appears that the use of the GPS device makes this easier. Since police officers can typically acquire the same information that the GPS provides without installing this technology, this should continue to be a legal practice. Preventing access from GPS systems will make convicting criminals more challenging and require law enforcement professionals to put forth more effort to acquire incriminating evidence. Thus, it does not appear that the United States v. Jones decision was fair and efforts should be put forth to rebuke its claims. While citizens have the right to privacy, this right applies to their personal life in their home and not their public life that is easily observable through other means. Evidence that is attainable without the use of technology should be considered permissible in professional practice and in the court. Doing so will help law enforcement professionals more effectively detect criminal activity, which will ultimately benefit society as a whole in the long run.