Criminal Justice and Technological Advancements
One expectation among criminal justice administrators and practitioners is that advances in information technology (IT) have the potential to improve the efficiency and productivity of criminal justice agencies. Some have even argued that the major crime drop in America over the past couple decades was, at least in part, due to advances in technology. For this assignment, you must find two research articles outside of the course readings that address this issue. That is, you must find two articles from academic journals that say something concrete, based on research, about whether or not advancements in technology seem to have improved the functioning of the criminal justice system. You must then write a short paper that describes the findings of these studies. Note that the articles do not have to agree in their findings. Note also that it is not necessary for you to understand all parts of the articles. Some parts may be quite advanced statistically, but you do not necessarily need to discuss those parts.
Be sure to thoroughly address each of the components listed above. You must write with correct grammar and punctuation, and at a level suitable for a graduate course. Failure to do so will result in a loss of points. A sample outline is provided below. Note that the sources for this paper MUST be academic journal articles – not books, websites, or government reports. Refer to assignment 3 for instructions for finding journal articles and for instructions on citations and references. You must use the citation and referencing instructions or you will lose points.
Sample Outline
- introduction
- brief introduction to the issue
- purpose of the paper
- body
Your description of the articles can be organized either according to article (e.g. first describe article 1 and then article 2), or they can be organized according to the general findings (e.g. first describe the findings in support of technology in criminal justice, then describe the findings arguing that the use of technology does not reduce crime).
III. conclusion
- summary of what you found
- questions for future research
- bibliographic references page
Sample Answer
Criminal Justice and Technological Advancements
The criminal justice system is organized into three parts: police activity, a narrow definition of criminal justice that handles court processes, and subsequent law enforcement responsibilities such as administration of correctional services. These subareas are allocated to the government because they deal with the application of public law. This opens up the possibility of discussing the impact that modern technology has and should have on criminal justice. The rising usage of innovative technology in criminal justice professionals can be seen all around the world (Simmler et al., 2021). This paper will assess the impact of advanced technology use in criminal justice.
Among technologies that have been extensively adopted into criminal justice is predictive policing programs. Mohler et al. (2015) conducted a study “Randomized Controlled Field Trials of Predictive Policing” to determine the extent to which predictive policing programs, epidemic-type aftershock sequence, can outperform existing crime analysts, how well police can patrol predicted areas under the limited resources, and how well the predictive policing programs can reduce crime. The main purpose of predictive policing programs is to assist law enforcers in determining where crimes are likely to occur in the future and thus increase police patrol in such areas, which reduces crime rates (Mohler et al., 2015).
The researchers conducted two studies, one in three Los Angeles Police Department divisions and one in two Kent (United Kingdom) Police Department divisions. They employed a randomized control design where the ETAS algorithm was the treatment and predictions by crime analysts were the control. They focused on crimes such as car theft, burglary, criminal damages, and violence against people. In Kent, the analysts successfully predicted 6.8% (Maidstone) and 4.0% (Sevenoaks) compared to 9.8% and 6.8% by the ETAs. Thus, predictive policing was 2.2 times more accurate than the analysts in the absence of police patrols. Similar results were observed in Los Angeles, where the predictive programs were more accurate than crime analysts, and thus predictive policing algorithms positively impact crime prediction and prevention (Mohler et al., 2015).
Meijer and Messels (2019) conducted a study, “Predictive Policing: Review of Benefits and Drawbacks,” to evaluate both negative and positive impacts of predictive policing to generate evidence to support or not support predictive policing. The researcher performed a literature review and utilized PRISMA, one of the most rigorous methods. They assessed 37 articles after performing literature research and appraisal of the article (Meijer & Wessels, 2019).
Some of the benefits identified by this study included resources that can be employed accurately and time, which helps prevent crime. Predictive algorithms can also help identify individuals likely to be involved in crime, either offenders or victims. Predictive programs can be used to determine individuals likely to be violent and those likely to be involved in future crimes and thus can be closely monitored to prevent their involvement in crimes. A major drawback associated with predictive policing programs is the lack of transparency on their use which might lead to stigmatization of specific individuals and groups; the programs are mainly data-driven, without theory, which can have major consequences on how data is used. The programs use data that raises questions about privacy and ethics, how much citizens’ data should be collected, and how it is used. The researchers concluded that while predictive policing programs are effective, not all of them are, and thus before a program is implemented, it should be assessed to ensure it is beneficial (Meijer & Wessels, 2019).
Conclusion
The adoption of technology in criminal justice has been on the increase all over the world. The main aim of its adoption is to assist in predicting crimes before they occur to help prevent them and assist in solving crimes. Mohler et al. (2015) conducted a study to determine whether predictive policing programs outperform crime analysts. The study found that predictive algorithms were more effective in predicting crimes than analysts and thus are beneficial. Meijer and Messels (2019) conducted a literature review to compare the benefits and drawbacks of predictive policing programs as a basis for their support. They established that predictive policing led to accurate and timely distribution of resources, and they can be used to determine individuals likely to commit crimes. They also established a lack of transparency as a major drawback; privacy and ethics on data access and use were major concerns. The researchers concluded that while predictive policing provides substantial benefits, more empirical research is required to support its effectiveness. Future research questions can include the relationship between crimes and police patrols, and researchers should compare different predictive models to determine their effectiveness.
