Technological advancement has played a critical role in shifting the status of the law administration landscape beginning in the 19th century. For example, technology such as thermal imaging knowledge has been introduced in law enforcement to advance the processes of law prosecutions automatically. Law Enforcement Technology conducted a study in 2015 and identified that technology and innovation are regarded as a multi-edged sword, promoting relevant reforms in law application. Since the 19th century, technological advancements have significantly affected law enforcement and home security, leading to improved security within the communities (Snow, 2007). The absence of technical innovations could have led most governments to experience adverse effects on civil liberties and social stability. Technology has been recognized as a critical promoter of positive reforms in the enforcement of law in various settings. However, criminals and terrorists have managed to identify tremendous opportunities where they utilize sophisticated weapons and tools to carry out their heinous crimes on innocent individuals. This review aims to discuss the research about technology in law enforcement, its impact, challenges encountered in mitigating the impact, and policies and practices that could be implemented to improve law enforcement.
Research
The emergence of new technology, such as the various social media platforms, has created opportunities for criminals to conduct illegal activities. For instance, the technological innovation of laptops and smartphones continues to help criminals in their online crimes and acts of terrorism. The new technology is attached to human life. It has become inseparable from daily activities, and thus, criminals have taken the opportunity to benefit from cyber security vulnerabilities by majorly using computer technology (Brey, 2017). In most cases, computer technology has been utilized by criminals since they find it to be the most appropriate channel for them to perform their crimes. Research has indicated that the most common form of technological crime is Ransomware crime. This crime involves using malicious applications that prevent a computer system’s retrieval through encryption or freezing of the computer systems. The systems are activated once the user purchases the ransom. The evolution of technology has led to the promotion of social networking since people can communicate easily regardless of distance and time. People can now communicate easily with their families and friends, establishing closer liaisons. However, computer technology in communication has created opportunities for internet social networking crimes. E-banking fraud has been recognized as an ordinary crime that has resulted from technological advancement. Banks and individuals have lost massive amounts of money due to the use of technology. Hackers identify vulnerabilities in online banking systems and make unauthorized transactions from the accounts of bank members. However, using technology, law enforcement is identifying mechanisms to counter the crimes being committed using technology.
In recent years, technological advancements have significantly altered the nature of law enforcement compared to the multiple tools and mechanisms utilized in the previous decade. The mechanisms used in the past have now become incompatible with the current technology (Goodison et al., 2015). Some of the advancement in technology in law enforcement include devices for monitoring location, which is utilized to track offenders, crime mapping software, which are used to deploy officers into areas prone to crime; and predictive analytics software. Other forms of technology utilized in law enforcement include crime scene technology, which facilitates evidence collection and processing, and interoperable web-based and other communication devices, which enhance the connections between the communities and the police. Koper et al. (2015) suggested that the use of technology in law enforcement has increased the capabilities of police. However, it is still being determined whether the technology has improved the effectiveness of law enforcement in carrying out their jobs (Roman et al., 2016; Lum, 2010). For instance, despite the advancement in DNA technology and the databases for collecting forensic data, the clearance rate for crimes involving violence and property has remained stable since the 1990s. Additionally, in law enforcement, improved efficiency does not translate into effectiveness. In the past, the police have been using the 9-1-1 systems, GIS, and computer-aided dispatch as mechanisms for deploying officers to crime scenes in a quick manner. However, it has been hypothesized that the mechanism has been appropriate in clearing more cases at the crime scene through arrests. Nevertheless, the ideology of the 9-1-1 system leading to more arrests has been contradicted by empirical research. Sherman and Eck (2002) conducted a study and indicated that the reduction in the response time does not have a remarkable impact on the number of arrests made. The researchers termed the primary reason as the delays in reporting crimes. Moreover, there is also the burden of responding to the 9-1-1 calls, where approximately half of them are not urgent, yet they must be responded to rapidly (Mazerolle et al., 2002). This exerts more pressure on the limited resources, leaving law enforcement agencies with inadequate time to engage proactively or in community-centered policing. The literature on the critical issue of technology in law enforcement reveals significant insights regarding the prevalence of various technological advancements in law enforcement units. The literature highlights the critical differences in the utilization of technology across the different agencies. Additionally, the literature has brought attention to implementing the challenges and the barriers associated with using technology in law enforcement. One primary theme in research is that the impacts encountered in a specific agency’s law enforcement are essentially not generalizable to the other agencies due to the vast differences in departments, especially in implementation processes, the challenges encountered, organizational capacity, and other characteristics specific to the agencies.
Impact
Technology in law enforcement has positive and negative impacts. With the current technology, which includes intelligent device data, biometrics, savvy cruisers, body cameras, and drones, law enforcement officers are now more capable of finding criminals quickly, thus, protecting citizens. The evidence in the crime scenes can now be tested using DNA (Koper, Lum, & Willis, 2014). Crime trackers are now utilized to determine areas with crime and where the officers should be patrolling to enhance the safety of the citizens. Technology has been utilized to protect people and to provide justice. However, despite the appreciation of technology in law enforcement, there is also potential for negative impacts. With the emerging technology, people believe that the agents snoop into their private lives (Strom, 2017). Officers can tap into cellular devices without the provision of a search warrant. People believe that it is inappropriate for the officers to access private conversations. Sometimes, citizens believe that law enforcement goes beyond expectations regarding technology. For instance, the technology meant to enhance safety may become a public safety issue. The recent robot drones that keep the surveillance to ensure no terrorist threats may create issues for citizens since they cannot recognize when an individual poses a threat. Technology has brought more good than harm to law enforcement. It is the responsibility of law enforcement policymakers to ensure that technology’s adverse impacts are mitigated.
Challenges
The challenges faced in the mitigation of the impact of technology on law enforcement include the distraction of law enforcement professionals, the potential invasion of individual’s privacy, and additional costs for the new technological equipment. Although technology is helpful, it may cause more distractions to the officers than help. More advanced technology requires adequate training for the officers to improve their attention and focus on details while using the technology to avoid distractions. Some of the technologies, such as tracking systems and facial recognition, are regarded as invasions of privacy for the citizens (Jacobson, 2022). People prefer carrying on their lives in the communities without tracking systems or cameras that record their actions. Technological innovations are prone to vulnerabilities, and people’s lives may be interrupted when mistakes occur. Furthermore, most of the technologies used by police officers are expensive to install. Technologies such as body cameras, monitors, and hard drives for viewing and storing are expensive. These technologies require additional costs, which may be expensive to the department, but considering the benefits associated with the technology, it is necessary to incur the costs.
Prediction
Strategic policies and practices should be emphasized when a police department acquires new technology. The policies should be specific to the law enforcement agency’s goal and mission or the policing strategy being preferred. The strategic plan should include specific personnel to impart knowledge to the police officers regarding the use of technology. Police agencies should consider ways of quantifying their success while working closely with researchers to evaluate the efficacy of both the policies and processes involved in implementing technology in law enforcement. The policies will help the police agencies understand the needs to be changed for better success and also inform on increased sustainability and maximization of the effects of technology utilization.
References
Goodison, S. E., Davis, R. C., & Jackson, B. A. (2015). Digital evidence and the US criminal justice system. RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
Koper, C. S., Lum, C., Willis, J. J., Woods, D. J., & Hibdon, J. (2015, December). Realizing the potential of technology in policing: A multi-site study of the social, organizational, and behavioral aspects of implementing policing technologies. In Report to the National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice. Fairfax, VA: Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, George Mason University and Police Executive Research Forum.
Sherman, L. W., & Eck, J. E. (2002). Policing for crime prevention. In L. W. Sherman, D. P. Farrington, B. C. Welsh, & D. L. MacKenzie (Eds.), Evidence-based crime prevention (pp. 295–329). New York, NY: Routledge
Mazerolle, L., Rogan, D., Frank, J., Famega, C., & Eck, J. E. (2002). Managing citizen calls to the police: the impact of Baltimore’s 3‐1‐1 call system. Criminology & public policy, 2(1), 97-124.
Lum, C. (2010). Gadgets for gathering evidence are not evidence of better policing: Technology and the mythology of progress in American law enforcement. http://www.scienceprogress.org/2010/02/police-technology/
Roman, J., Reid, S., Reid, J., Chalfin, A., Adams, W., & Knight, C. (2016). The DNA field experiment: Cost-effectiveness analysis of the use of DNA in the investigation of high-volume crimes.
Strom, K. (2017). Research on the impact of technology on policing strategy in the 21st century, final report. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice.
Koper, C. S., Lum, C., & Willis, J. J. (2014). Optimizing the use of technology in policing: Results and implications from a multi-site study of the social, organizational, and behavioral aspects of implementing police technologies. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 8(2), 212-221.
Jacobson, N. (2022). How technology is changing law enforcement. https://www.openfox.com/how-technology-is-changing-law-enforcement/
Brey, P. (2017). Theorizing technology and its role in crime and law enforcement. In The Routledge Handbook of Technology, Crime and Justice (pp. 17–34). Routledge.
Snow, R. L. (2007). Technology and law enforcement: From gumshoe to gamma rays. Greenwood Publishing Group.
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