Sacramento Business Daily - I am a student trying to write a research paper. How does the use of computers affect law enforcement?

I am a student trying to write a research paper. How does the use of computers affect law enforcement?

I have to explain how technology is used in my field or study/major. I am a criminal justice major w/ emphasis in law enforcement. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. The more credible the information, the better. When it comes to technology, how has the use of it increased in law enforcement over the last 10-20 years? How does technology affect investigations? How does technology hinder crime solving? What are the pros and cons of having the use of technology in law enforcement?

Public Comments

cheater
Upside there is Codis and the national fingerprint data bank
Faster cheaper more reliable
It allows agencies to link up (allegedly). If someone's print is found at a crime scene in San Diego, the print will come up in a computer if he gets arrested in Miami. Computers also allow indefinite storage of digital images and reports. No more losing photos, fingerprints, or x-rays of bodies. The bad thing is that such technology is out of reach in some rural locations. It's also susceptible to hacking and viruses.
With the expanded use of computers (and especially the internet) comes expanded opportunities for criminal gain. Therefore The use of computers affects law enforcement in a very significant way. The fact that computers can be used to commit crimes (electronic crime) or as a place where incriminating evidence can be found necessitates the need for law enforcement agencies to maintain expertise in computer technology. This includes (and is not limited to) computer forensics. Consider the following: - illegal internet gambling - spamming - phishing and identity theft - web site (and email) spoofing - denial of service (DOS) attacks - internet luring - etc. etc. Now consider how these are all recent phenomenon directly associated with the growth of technology. If you do some searching I'm sure you'll find a number of sites that speak to law enfocement challenges related to computer use.