Technology_in_Criminal_Justice

Technology affects almost every aspect of our everyday life and has aneven bigger impact on our criminal justice system. In the world today we have such great technology we can communicate with everyone we know at any time. The criminal justice system takes full advantage of these technologies to solve various crimes, whether it is first degree murders or simple petty robbery. There is video technology, audio technology, DNA and drug technology; these different technologies help to fight the war on crime. Throughout this research paper I will explain the most used technology in the criminal justice system which includes drug testing technology, information technology, DNA technology and even concealed weapon technology. I will also explain what these various types of technology are used to solve crimes. For every day that passes technology becomes more advanced, therefore everyday criminal justice technology advances, especially when it comes to one of the most important part of the system, DNA technology. DNA technology can be used to link a suspect to a crime by proving, with biological samples such as hair, blood, saliva, semen, even skin particles, that the person was at the crime scene. It can also be used to clear a person of a crime they did not commit. For example, if someone was a victim of rape they could use semen or hair follicles and run it through a DNA database of sexual predators and find out if it was someone they have already caught. If that does not work they can use the DNA evidence and compare it to the DNA of potential suspects. “Recovered remains and body fluids from mass disasters, or crime scenes may need to be identified using DNA technology.”(David Lazer)There is one well known case that stands out when it comes to solving crime with DNA technology. This case is commonly referred to as the “Green River Killings” this case a man was linked through DNA evidence to 22 rapes and robberies throughout New York, a few years later the same man was linked through DNA evidence to rapes and murders in Pennsylvania and Colorado and eventually used to put the man behind bars. Another case was the O.J. Simpson, where there was clear DNA evidence the he commited the murders but was not convicted. Now DNA technology can be used to link every rapist, murderer, basically anyone who has committed a crime, this evidence can be used to link any reoffender that commits another crime. DNA technology has become such a big part of the Criminal Justice system, former President George W Bush dedicated a full program to fund DNA technology research so we can have even more break through to help solve and prevent more and more crimes. America unfortunately is going through a lot of problems with drugs. More and more people are getting addicted to drugs, selling drugs, or even killing people over drugs or drug selling territories. This has forced our drug testing technology to advance quickly to help stop these things from happening. The proportion with drug-testing programs soared from 21% in 1987 to 81% in 1996, according to the American Management Association. It has become such a big part of the criminal justice it is not hard to find drug testing technology from high profile jobs testing applicants to house hold tests parents can use to see if their children are using any type of drug, many to test for marijuana. Drug testing technology can be used to detect any drug in your system, whether it be a test you must take to get a job or it be an athlete getting tested for steroids, as long as it is in your system a drug test will find it almost every time. Drug testing technology started with simple and relatively inexpensive urine tests, the only problem with these testes is it can only detect the drugs in your system over a certain amount of time. For example, to detect cocaine the person would have had to use it within ten to fifteen days, for a test to detect marijuana the person would have had to use no more than a month prior to the test. As this technology advances there are now ways to detect drug use years after the person may have stopped. This technology uses things such as hair tests, sweat patches and blood tests. According to drug forecasting data dating in different states around the county approximately three fourths of people convicted of crimes tested positive for some form or drugs. This shows the impact of drugs and the importance to keep advancing drug testing technology to help detect drug use early and eventually cut down drug related crimes, over all helping the criminal justice system to stop the flow of drug trafficking and to help it from entering our school systems anymore. Finally, after the tragic terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 it has never been so important to be able to detect a concealed weapon on someone before they can use it. Concealed weapon detection technology has never been used as much as it is used now. Almost everywhere you go that will be crowded with people you will go through something such as a metal detector and machines that can detect and show if you have something in your pocket or bag. The most common places where this technology is used would be airports where everything is searched your bags, pockets, shoes, and sometimes body cavities, another place would be courtrooms, another believe it or not schools we have come to a point where we must make sure children are not carrying guns or other weapons into school. In the near future they are hoping a new hand held device will be introduced into the criminal justice that can be used by police to almost immediately detect whether a person is concealing a weapon. Showing that over all concealed weapon detection technology is rapidly becoming a significant part of the criminal justice system. As time goes on technology in our everyday life will become more and more advanced eventually the technology we use today will be old news and barely used. The same goes with technology in the criminal justice system. It is very hard to commit a crime in this country without being caught in this day and age, eventually technology will make it virtually impossible to commit a crime and get away with it and the technologies described above are the first steps in making these technological advances possible. With all of these advances I know that I will be able to sleep easy knowing that my family and I will be safe from crimes and illegal drugs. Works Cited Supreme Court of United States., comp. "Katz v. United States, 389 US 347 - US: Supreme Court 1967." Katz v. United States, 389 US 347 - US: Supreme Court 1967 (1967). Print. Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Four., comp. "Rufo v. Simpson, 103 Cal. Rptr. 2d 492 - Cal: Court of Appeal, 2nd Dist., Div. 4 2001." Rufo_ v. Simpson, 103 Cal. Rptr. 2d 492 - Cal: Court of Appeal, 2nd Dist., Div. 4 2001_ (2001). Print. Pattavina, April, ed. Information technology and the Criminal Justice System. Thousand Oaks: Sage publications inc, 2005. Print. Lazer, David, ed. _DNA and The Criminal Justice System_. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. Print. Holding, Reynolds. "Time" Whatever Happened to Drug Testing' 07 July 2006. Print. Technology in the Criminal Justice System