Technological advances have facilitated the work of numerous professionals, including law enforcement officers, who utilize digital hardware and software to improve the efficiency of their operations. Nevertheless, some of the technologies used by police and other agencies have raised concerns of the public over the threat to citizens’ rights and freedoms. Thus, it becomes essential to assess all the risks to the personal privacy of people posed by the deployment of new technologies by law enforcement.
One of the most divisive technologies employed by officers is the databases which contain information on gang members and other individuals who are considered potentially dangerous to society. The database utilized in Illinois called I-CLEAR provides police officers with easy access to information on suspects and allows them to make new entries (Cox et al., 2019). On the one hand, this method can be beneficial for searching for perpetrators, yet on the other hand, it entails a host of problems. The database can be stolen, and the private information of the citizens included in the database may become publicly known. Former criminals who are no longer involved in any illegal activity also can be falsely accused of committing a crime simply by being present in the database.
Another system the use of which implies risks to the privacy of every American citizen is Digital Collection System Network which lets the FBI wiretap any communication device (Cox et al., 2019). There is once again a possibility of data leaks related to the system since hackers may illegally take control of the network and compromise the personal details of millions of people. Additionally, law enforcement agencies can extract DNA and conduct analyses using it. Extraction of DNA against a person’s will can be viewed as an invasion of bodily integrity, and the use of DNA for determining a criminal can result in mismatches.
Technologies help officers to solve crimes and quickly find perpetrators, but they also pose a risk to citizens’ privacy. Individuals with malicious intent can hack tools such as databases and surveillance mechanisms and use them to steal information from people. There are also DNA-related procedures that ultimately can be perceived as a threat to bodily integrity and involve extremely personal information.
Reference
Cox, S. M., Massey, D., Koski, C. M., & Fitch, B. D. (2019). Interactive: Introduction to policing interactive eBook. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Web.