Computers, Technology, and Criminalistics in Policing Essay

Computers, technology, and criminalistics today has transformed and changed the society's expression in that its effects are actually on every structure of the society without exclusion on policing forms and functions. Transformations, technological advancements, and confrontation of realities in crime control within the society have brought about new forms of crimes. For countries to address these transforming changes the social policies, they have to adopt new technologies and computer systems as well as criminalistics in policing. Furthermore, there have to respond to the changing conditions in the society that have brought about the new developments (Dempsey & Forst, 2013). In Addition, policing departments and agencies need adoption of the new advanced computer, technology and forensic gadgets to accomplish the goals and objectives of maintaining law and order, crime preventions and many other functions. Actually, policing is a matter that requires technology transformations, computer usage and the knowledge-based in criminalistics to avert justices prevent and safeguard against criminals.

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Technology, computer, and criminalistics have not only changed policing within given State but also have encouraged policing corporation globally. The corporation has come due to the advancements in the transportation and communications systems, which have internationally helped interactions that enabled police, address new forms criminal matters within organizations. Harnessing of new computers, technologies, and criminalistics enhance efforts of international police departments thereby becoming an endless theme (Casey, 2011). States new initiatives to exchange information based on criminal matters, suspects as well as policing has helped in policing. Additionally, the police have gained much superiority in the pursuit of their organizational goals as the way of controlling crime that is technical superiority.

Historically, humanity has gained greater rewards relating to the ever-changing technologies advancements and computer system development. The technologies have brought about incredible benefits that constitute of increased standards of living, prosperity unimagined with previous eras together with human increased lifespan. Similarly, it has posed the question in regards to and about humanity thereby creating significant potential dangers that need to be addressed. Ideally, the dangers and the benefits are linked with the emergent of powerful new technologies and computer systems that require weighing for stable and safe future of humanity.

Use of Computer in Policing

Nowadays, the use of the computer system in relation to law enforcement has really changed as well as developed more so in the developing States. Information is being held in computer databases, which are run with sophisticated software that identify fingerprints and are able to have face recognition. In addition, police can connect through the web beside other avenues of communication and get vital rich sources for their intelligence investigations (Edwards, 2018). The policing department can use mobile devices linked to laptops and tablets and still do impressive law enforcement duties effectively.

Some of the Computer Devices Applicable in Policing

Database

When police use the computers, they are able to enforce the law by storing and being able to retrieve big data. Such big data (Information) are like criminal descriptions, incident reports, fingerprints, face identified or identifications and many other marks of identifications. Other descriptions are like vehicle registrations involving criminal activities. Data information that can be taken also includes DNA of the specified suspect(s). The computer enables police to match suspects taken samples with the DNA taken at the point of the crime scene.

Sharing information

Computers are important devices that help in communication between various department, individuals and law enforcement agencies. Such key items like photographs, documents, and many materials can be sent from different locations instantaneously thereby saving time. For instance, email, skype and snap chats are a good platform to share information. When the police want to send important emails, they can encrypt the mail message thus securing and avoiding chances of information falling to the wrong recipient.

Crime scene computing

Computer devices are quite useful in policing issues. Police are able to take pictures, notes whenever they are armed with laptops, tabs, mobile phones thereby being able to record and contact the other colleagues at police headquarters. Furthermore, vehicle license can be tracked and identified through mobile phones just by taking pictures of the number and license plate. There are applications which help in law enforcement such as the GPS devices to find vehicles whereabouts.

The internet

Police use the internet in countless instances to enforce the law. Here the police use websites to educate, eradicate and pass vital information to the public. For instance, the police can use the internet to appeal and send alert messages in regards to suspects, terrorist alerts and many other key issues. Criminal always try to use the internet to pass their information around and as such, police may, in turn use the same media to detect and prevent the criminal activities.

Cybercrime

Police should use the internet that is through the computer systems to track and curb online crime. For example, the criminal send and share illegal materials like pirated commercial music and movies. In addition, phishing and many other dangerous forms of internet cybercrimes should be identified and tackled through using computers systems to prevent hackers, viruses and other forms of attacks. Different law agencies should work in togetherness to handle this threat of cybercrime.

Criminalistics Concept

In order to understand this term, it important to know what is meant by criminalist. Actually, criminalist simply is a person who has background knowledge in science where has a degree in forensic science, biology, and chemistry. In addition, a criminalist specifically has a clear understanding in the scientific application on techniques and methods in analyzing and examining evidentiary testifies and items in the court of law (Maras, 2015). Ideally, it is based on divisions in the field of forensic science where they are as follows entomology, criminology, pathology, engineering, odontology, and other many disciplines. The criminalist help in policing through using what they have learned to investigate and try to solve crimes using geology, chemistry and other scientific disciplines.

It is important to note that, criminalistics should not be mixed up with criminology. Specifically, criminologists are more of psychologist, sociologist and many other professions who try to study causes and effects of crimes within the society. When it comes to criminalist, it involves policing through investigation of the crime scene in terms of documentation, recognition, preservation, collection, and interpretation of the evidence itself that can be trucked. The idea of criminalist is to bring about evidence to the laboratory so that analysis and examination can be conducted. Much more interpretations are created in relation to the particular items found in the crime scene through associating them with the specific sources obtained. They are able to link the suspects to the crime scene after which they can tell their story in regards to what happened, during, before and after the crime incidence. Policing through the criminalist must be able to draw a wide range of scientific knowledge that includes genetics, biology, physics, criminal law, and many other applicable fields. Ideally, this criminalist, knowledge will assist in identifying and associating together with the interpretation of the results at the crime scene thereby reporting a proper finding. Overall, the court of law will need the help and testimony of the criminalist regarding the reached laboratory report conclusion.

Conclusion

Concisely, the emergent use of technological systems, computers, and more so forensic experts has directly played a fundamental role in criminal policing operations globally. Most of the systems are used in the policing departments thereby being of great help. Some of the used systems are like computers date base, automobiles, software, and many others mentioned already. Furthermore, as seen the adoption and their implementation has directly influenced the practices and policies of the policing systems, for instance, the advancement in telecommunication has increased the customer call services on citizens (In Forrest, 2017). Moreover, such systems in the policing departments have increased the capacity of information sharing, data processing and importantly the communication within and across various security agencies. Likewise, the society nowadays has increased in the usage and are quite more dependent on computers mediated communication as well as internet, therefore; there has been needing for the development of more advanced tools for online offenses like in cybercrimes. All these systems thus play a major part in policing though they need to be tougher rules and regulations for their implementation and use in the security departments in the enforcement of the law. Finally, police should always act in utmost good faith and maintain law and order has is demanded by states laws.

References

Casey, E. (2011). Digital evidence and computer crime: Forensic science, computers, and the internet. Burlington, MA: Academic Press.

Dempsey, J. S., & Forst, L. S. (2013). An introduction to policing. Albany, N.Y: Delmar.

Edwards, C. (2018). How Is Computer Technology Used in Law Enforcement?. Retrieved from https://itstillworks.com/computer-technology-used-law-enforcement-1233.htmlIn Forrest, G. C. (2017). Police technology: 21st-century crime-fighting tools.

Maras, M.-H. (2015). Computer Forensics: Cybercriminals, laws, and evidence, second edition. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning