Criminology in the Future - Essay Example

Criminology in the Future Crime has always existed and will never disappear, as it is a form of deviation from the social norms (Schmalleger, 2012, Chapter 1). Moreover, crimes and crime detection both evolve with technology (Schmalleger, 2012, Chapter 13). As new technology becomes available, it is adopted by criminals, and in turn by law enforcement to fight the latter. Crime and law enforcement evolve together with technology (McQuade, 2006, 32). According to McQuade (2006), criminals evolve in their use of technology, requiring an improved understanding of newest technologies on behalf of law enforcement: As criminals become more sophisticated in their use of technology, forms of crime committed by them also become increasingly complex and difficult to understand and manage.

Thus police and security officials must stay current in their knowledge and understanding of emerging crime, and both well resourced and expert regarding their own technological capabilities (p.36).Schmalleger (2012, Chapter 13) considered technology to be one of the causes of new forms of crime, since it facilitates new forms of criminal behavior. In his Chapter 13, Schmalleger (2012) named several types of cybercrimes, including crimes requiring use of modern technology, such as identity theft.

All of these types of crimes arose out of technological innovations. However, criminal justice system has been revolutionized too since the 1970’s, all due to new technologies (Peterson & Leggett, 2007, p.621). Modern technology has revolutionized the criminal justice system. DNA testing by forensic biologists has become crucial in many capital offenses, as it exonerated many innocent defendants and eliminated blind faith in the criminal justice system (Petherick, Turvey & Ferguson, 2010, p.309). In 1990, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) was established in order to gather DNA of all convicted felons (Peterson & Leggett, 2007, p.635 - 636).

Use of computers has been crucial in fighting crime as well. In the 1980’s, first computerized databases of forensic evidence were established (Peterson & Leggett, 2007, p.630). Database forensics evolved, and soon became crucial in fighting cybercrimes (Khanuja & Adane, 2011, p.170). More subfields evolved. Forensic toxicology enables testing of drugs and other chemical compounds found on the crime scene (Petherick, Turvey & Ferguson, 2010, p.432). Other forensic scientists conduct fire debris analysis, which is again a chemical compound analysis (Petherick, Turvey & Ferguson, 2010, p.434). Trace evidence analysis combines older technique of observation with chemical analysis (p.434). All of the work is then combined in crime reconstruction (Petherick, Turvey & Ferguson, 2010, p.435). Crime fighting technology is one of the drivers of social policy on crime.

Once technology evolved and forensic science became easily accessible and crucial for solving of criminal cases, politicians recognized its role in the criminal justice system. According to Peterson and Leggett (2007, p.626), laboratories were after the 1970’s attached to law enforcement as a result of changes in social policies. In 1982 a first laboratory was accredited in the US with an attempt to legally regulate forensic technologies (Peterson & Leggett, 2007, p.633). Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 established CODIS and authorized law enforcement to use it (Peterson & Leggett, 2007, p.636). Social policy co – evolved with crime fighting technology, aiming to regulate it and ensure its quality.

New social policies will remain being affected by the technological advances. Cybercrimes will play an important role in new social policies. Database forensics will most likely remain being of interest to the legislators. Though the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was not passed, it will remain needed. The current cyber forensic techniques used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation will remain prominent and of interest to the legislators (FBI, 2012). The European Union has plans for their own cyber crime fighting units (Nielsen, 2012).

Thus, the historic practice of controlling new crime fighting technologies on behalf of the legislators will not disappear. Technology has acted as a double – edged sword in the criminal justice system. On one hand it encourages new forms of crime, and on the other, it enables law enforcement and forensic scientists to become more efficient and connected, while regulated by law.ReferencesCybersecurity Act of 2012, S. 2105 (2012).Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (2012). Cyber crime. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/cyber/cyber Khanuja, H.K. & Adane, D.S. (2011).

Database security threats and challenges in database forensic: A survey. IPCSIT 20: 170 – 175. McQuade, S. (2006). Technology – enabled crime, policing and security. The Journal of Technology Studies, 32(1): 32 – 42. Nielsen, N. (2012). EU cyber – security legislation on the horizon. Retrieved from http://euobserver.com/justice/116239Peterson, L.J. & Leggett, A.S. (2007). The evolution of forensic science: Progress amid the pitfalls. Stetson Law Review 36: 621 – 660. Petherick,W.A.

, Turvey, B.E., & Ferguson, C.E. (2010).Forensic Criminology. United States: Elsevier Academic Press. Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology today: An integrative introduction. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.