One of the present applications of technology in criminal justice is the development of big data. It allows law enforcement agents to utilize fingerprints and DNA to spot crime trends and take necessary action. The quick transition toward the National Incident-Based Reporting System highlighted the crucial role of technology in increasing transparency of criminal justice and reporting criminal justice incidents (Strom & Smith, 2017). Rapid identification systems turned out to be an effective element of analyzing criminal history due to the extended applications of biometrics. The presence of technological advancements gives law enforcement agents a chance to address most of the challenges on the fly and become exceptionally proactive.
The biggest weakness that can be associated with technology in the field of criminal justice is the lack of valid proof gathered with the help of advanced digital instruments. This means that judicial and case-building processes depend on the existence of effective technology and detail-rich investigations that require constant interconnectedness (Moriarty, 2017). Nevertheless, the modern crime scene cannot exist without different technologies because legal and logistical underpinnings could only be addressed with the help of modern technology. For instance, the Safe Cities initiative discussed by Green (2019) could become a powerful instrument of crime prevention and prediction.
In the literature on the subject, such technologies as big data or identification systems represent the easiest means of collecting data on neighborhoods and compiling prediction reports. From fingerprints to DNA samples, practically any source of information could improve the transparency of the criminal justice system (Hannah-Moffat, 2019). The ability to analyze criminal history and predict local criminal trends is remarkably important because it stands for one of the most comprehensive means of data processing and utilization (Brayne, 2017). The future of criminal justice depends on the development of technology and its rational deployment across all spheres of professional activity.
References
Brayne, S. (2017). Big data surveillance: The case of policing. American Sociological Review, 82(5), 977-1008.
Green, B. (2019). The smart enough city: Putting technology in its place to reclaim our urban future. MIT Press.
Hannah-Moffat, K. (2019). Algorithmic risk governance: Big data analytics, race and information activism in criminal justice debates. Theoretical Criminology, 23(4), 453-470.
Moriarty, L. J. (2017). Criminal justice technology in the 21st century. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Strom, K. J., & Smith, E. L. (2017). The future of crime data: The case for the National Incident‐Based Reporting System (NIBRS) as a primary data source for policy evaluation and crime analysis. Criminology & Public Policy, 16(4), 1027-1048.