+Week 4 DQ 1

Due Week 4 Day 2 (Due Wednesday 3/30) What is an example of technology that has affected the criminal justice system? How does this technological advancement enhance or challenge the effectiveness of communication within the various areas of the criminal justice system? What might happen if most or all of the methods of communication within the criminal justice system were paperless? Explain the overall effect.

What is an example of technology that has affected the criminal justice system? What I come to find out that a great example of technology that has had a major affect in the criminal justice system is the use and study of DNA technology. The overall use of DNA has help many innocent people that may have been convicted of a crime be released from jail, however on the other hand it has also proven many individuals guilty of crime that they have committed. After reading the text in the National Justice Reference Service (2010) it states that a crime scene may hold or have crucial data that would expose the type of activities and may even expose the actual offenders who are connected to the crime. According to this website it has proven how technology has come a long way. A long time ago to get a DA sample it use to take months to get the results now due to the increase of crime and how DNA can be used it may only hour to get a DNA Sample (National Institute of Justice). How does this technological advancement enhance or challenge the effectiveness of the communication within the various areas of the criminal justice system? While working in any area of law enforcement effective communication is a given. However when information is passes along the lines of communication (verbally, physically, message) it needs to be dealt with in a professional manner which consist of clarity, concise and effective. However with the use of DNA samples still has to be tested and documented to make sure that the final studies determine the accuracy of the findings. With the outcome of this information from a professional lab if a person is charged of a crime DNA can make or break the case. What might happen if most or all of the methods of communication within the criminal justice system were paperless?

Going paperless with in the criminal justice system I think would be a great idea. By law enforcement going paperless it will speed up the officers process in booking or arresting individuals. My personal opinion is that paperless will help with effective writing skills (spell check, grammar) if information has to be written and kept in the computer, it can also make it easier when looking for data or passing information along to other officers or jurisdictions it also helps with keeping records organized, time management and how effective an officer is on the job. The only thing that I think that paper do is take up file cabinet space, have wear and tear and possibly become misplaced.

Reference National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Forensic Science (2010). Retrieved March 30, 2011 From http://www.ncjrs.gov/spotlight/forensic/summary.html

Week 4 DQ 2
Due Week 4 Day 4 (Due Friday 4/1) What is an example of a new technological advancement that has increased the effectiveness of communication within the criminal justice system? How might the criminal justice system react if this new technology were removed immediately? What recommendations would you make for this new technologys replacement? Explain.

What is an example of a new technological advancement that has increased the effectiveness of communication within the criminal justice system? The new technological advancement that has increased the way individual communicate with one another with in the criminal justice system is computers. This tool is used to relay information effectively and promptly to other individual within the criminal justice system to make them aware. Computers make it easier for different agencies to have access to information. The computer processes information that is entered into the system, it organizes it and stores information into the database(Wallace& Roberson, 2009) How might the criminal justice system react if this new technology were removed immediately? If computers were removed from the system it would not create a problem it would only make it much time consuming to get information on suspects, cases and etc. What recommendations would you make for this new technologys replacement? Explain. There is nothing that I would recommend to replace the computer but traditional filing because when in doubt they would be safer in using a system that they are all adjusted to.

Wallace, H. & Roberson, C. (2009). Written and Interpersonal Communication: Methods for Law Enforcement. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall