How Modern Technology Is Impacting Criminal Justice
Technology has come a long way in the past several decades. One of the industries where modern technology continues to break new ground every year is criminal justice. Today, detectives, forensic experts, and crime scene investors are using modern technology to solve crimes that might have been impossible to solve just decades ago.
This blog will take a look at how modern technology is impacting criminal justice, so we can better understand where the criminal justice system is headed.
Detection and Tracking Technology
Law enforcement agencies all over the world have been using GPS technology for years. GPS technology has allowed police officers to track suspects and retrieve stolen items. Thanks to 5G technology, modern GPS technology is faster now, and more accurate than ever before, allowing law enforcement to track suspects and retrieve stolen property with pinpoint precision.
Today, police officers have access to gunshot detection technology. These are sensors that can be installed in areas where crime is rampant. When the sensors detect that a gun has been fired, they will alert nearby police officers, who are immediately dispatched before the shooter can get away.
Drones have proven incredibly useful in several industries, including law enforcement. For example, drones have been used to scan hazardous areas without sending in human law enforcers, and they can even diffuse bombs.
Big Data
Profiling people with criminal records and keeping track of their faces, their fingerprints, and their DNA requires the use of multi-network databases. Thanks to big data, law enforcement can store massive amounts of data on such databases and share them instantly. This has made it nearly impossible for criminals to dodge the justice system by moving from state to state.
Today, law enforcers can tap into these databases to gain access to a suspect’s entire criminal history. It is just one of the many ways that modern technology is being used to prevent crimes before they happen.
Digital Video Recording
Today, high-definition video technology is practically everywhere. Not only do most businesses have HD security cameras, but every civilian also has an HD camera on their phones. This advancement in technology has put power in the hands of the people.
Now when a crime is being committed or police officers are engaging in excessive use of force, witnesses can capture every moment on camera, from multiple angles. This footage is actively being used in courtrooms all over the world to ensure that justice is served.
3D Imaging of Crime Scenes
Did you know that today law enforcement has access to technology that can digitally recreate a 3D image of a crime scene? This means that a crime scene can be studied and investigated from every angle at any point in time. As time passes, certain aspects of a crime scene are difficult to analyze. 3D imaging allows law enforcement to view the crime scene as it was found, even after the location itself has changed, or been tampered with.
3D imaging enables crime scene investigators to recreate an entire crime scene with impressive accuracy and to find details they might have previously missed.
What the Future Has in Store
Technology is evolving every day, it’s impossible to say what new technological advancement will impact criminal justice next. Could tracking suspects be made even easier? Will drones ever replace human law enforcement officers? Will technology allow us to finally solve cases that went cold years ago? Only time will tell.