It has always been a challenge for the criminal justice personnel to get adequate information about criminals without the use new technologies. The use of specialized databases in law enforcement has increased in recent years because of the need for quick and accurate information about criminals (Dempsey, 2011).
Specialized databases are very critical in law enforcement because they have improved access and storage of information in the criminal justice system. It is the responsibility of the police and federal agencies to protect citizens using the available technologies (Dempsey, 2011).
Police agencies were initially reluctant to accept the new technologies due to privacy concerns but the dependability of these security technologies has always improved with time. Some of the commonly used technologies by the criminal justice personnel include mobile data terminals, facial recognition, live scan and the iris scan (Dempsey, 2011). The accuracy and dependability of specialized databases have made them popular among police agencies.
This report will compare the iris scan and the live scan technologies which are among the few specialized databases that are being used in law enforcement (Reed, 2009). The two technologies are widely used in correctional systems to serve almost the same purpose. The two technologies are normally used in prison for processing inmates in and out of correctional facilities (Reed, 2009).
Despite being around for a longer time compared to the iris scan, a live scan has been found to be slower than the iris scan in processing results. An iris scan is more accurate compared to a live scan especially when the technologies are used in correctional facilities (Reed, 2009).
The release of prisoners is normally very challenging because the correctional officers can end up making a mistake in the process. The two technologies can be used together in ensuring that such a mistake does not happen in correctional facilities (Reed, 2009). The iris scan database is smaller in size compared to the live scan database because the latter is the most recent one.
The use of new technologies in the criminal justice system has come with a lot of positive effects (Reed, 2009). Law enforcement has become more proactive as a result of new technologies. Law enforcement agencies use new technologies to detect crime in advance. The use of new technologies enables the police to cover a wider area in their surveillance.
The use of GIS mapping skills enables law enforcers to detect crime even before it happens (Reed, 2009). New technologies have led to better surveillance by law enforcement agencies. There are some crimes such as cyber crimes that require the use technology for effective investigations (Dempsey, 2011). The police can use computer models to detect cyber crimes such as hacking.
The use of technology in the criminal justice system has had significant effects on cases with smaller samples for investigation (Dempsey, 2011). The evolution of forensic science has made it possible for criminals to be identified using their DNA from smaller samples.
Different departments within the criminal justice system can communicate using the new information sharing systems. Law Enforcement Information Systems are very useful when sharing crime information (Dempsey, 2011). The criminal justice system has been advanced by the new technological devices. These devices are very useful in correctional facilities because they help in the process of monitoring offenders.
The iris scan and the live scan databases provide accurate information about criminals in the shortest time possible. The use of computer programs in investigations has contributed to the reduction of computer crimes (Dempsey, 2011). The positive effects of new technologies on the criminal justice system are very many compared to the negative ones.
New technologies are very beneficial but it is important to remember that the technologies have their own shortcomings (Dempsey, 2011). There is a possibility that new technologies can fail to deliver the required results because it is not a guarantee that they will always deliver the expected results. Some of the new technologies can countervail the purpose of policing. Law enforcement officers require training and this increases the cost of policing (Dempsey, 2011).
The new gadgets developed as a result of new technology may be very complex and therefore making it difficult for law enforcement officers to carry out there roles effectively. It is argued that new technologies can make law enforcement officers become complacent because of the availability of security gadgets (Dempsey, 2011). The use of new technologies in controlling crime has made criminals to also come up with their own technologies of avoiding the police.
New technologies have made many law enforcement officers to lose their jobs because most of their roles have been replaced by technology (Reed, 2009). Technologies such as the CCTV camera infringe on some civil liberties which may cause a conflict between the public and law enforcers (Reed, 2009). The nature of crimes has continually changed due to the use of new technologies in the criminal justice system.
New technologies have made the criminal justice system to be vulnerable for manipulation (Reed, 2009). Criminals can hack into specialized databases with an aim of altering information. The use new technology in the criminal justice system without adequate legislation has been a challenge for prosecutors relying on technological evidence to prosecute criminal cases. New technologies have therefore introduced some loopholes in the criminal justice system.
The facial recognition technology and the iris scan technology are the most suitable specialized technologies for use in law enforcement. The two technologies are the most accurate when it comes to recognition (Dempsey, 2011). The facial recognition and the iris scan technologies do not need interaction with the person being identified.
There are very few technologies that can be used to serve the crime deterrent purpose (Dempsey, 2011). The information captured using these two technologies can be used in future investigations. The two technologies have a short processing time and do not require any contact with the person being identified.
The iris scan and the facial recognition technology are very reliable because it is very easy to protect information from facial biometrics. The technologies have very minimal chances of false matches because the biometric information captured using the two technologies can not be manipulated easily. Iris scan identification can last up to thirty years without the possibility of the identification information changing (Dempsey, 2011).
The other reason why the two technologies are the most suitable is because they are not limited by numbers. The new technologies can identify millions of people in specialized databases (Dempsey, 2011).
In conclusion, the use of new technologies in law enforcement has a lot of benefits compared to shortcomings. The nature of crimes has really changed with technology and it is therefore very necessary for law enforcement officers to respond accordingly by using appropriate technologies (Reed, 2009). Specialized technologies such as facial recognition and the iris scan have really simplified the identification process.
Despite having their shortcomings, specialized technologies have really revolutionalized the criminal justice system especially when it comes to identification (Reed, 2009). Biometric technologies have been widely accepted because of their accuracy and speed in identification.
References
Dempsey, J. (2011). An introduction to policing. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Reed, B. (2009). Future technology in law enforcement: A reprint from FBI law enforcement. New York, NY: DIANE Publishing.