Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
In the last few decades, the world has embraced rise of many technological changes in almost all aspects of life. Many benefits have come up due to these developments as well as endangerment of peoples lives. The internet, cell phones, and ATM machines are some of the new technologies that have graced the new century. The technological changes have taken place so fast that there has arisen a cultural lag as well as social discontinuity (Zastrow, 2009). However, it is notable that technology has a great effect on the level of crime today.
The effects that technology has on crime today are dual effect: that is it has both positive and negative effects. Technology has broadened the mind of individuals to such a state that they want to try new ways of committing crime. The fact that the there is a lot of information that is share through the new technology: for example, the internet has so much information about weapons like guns, criminals may use such information to know where they can acquire them. In turn, the level of crime may increase due to having knowledge of such information. However, some studies have revealed that carrying of guns does not mean an increase in crime (Lanford, 2011).
An ATM card is one of the new technologies that have a high risk of being involved in a scam. Criminals have devised new ways of committing crimes, sometimes without the knowledge of the victim. Lebanese loop is one of the ways the scammers use (Lanford, 2011). An external device is put on the slot where the card is put to confiscate it. At the same time, someone maybe watching the victim insert the pin number and when the victim leaves without the card that is when they engage to action.
In some sectors of the economy, especially the banking sector, new technology has led to increase of crime, the fact that banks usually have a data base network of sharing information among themselves makes them vulnerable. The fact is someone can hack through the system and access through the system means that someone can also be involved in criminal activity of illegal transactions.
Money earned in criminal ways can also be laundered in the system, a good example of such incidents have been reported in Ukraine (Polivanyuk, 2009). Crimes like phishing have also arisen due to the new technology; fake websites have been created where mostly people who are not knowledgeable about computers stand a chance of being conned. Some of these websites offer a chance to people to filll their details as well as their credit cards details and in turn defraud the public. The hackers sometimes send viruses to the defrauded individuals so as not to recover that information again.
Technology changes have not only increased the ways but have also increased the effectiveness of apprehension crime offenders. Police have incorporated new technology that see to it that the crime offenders do not go away with their actions. Creation of a database used on tracking and analyzing data is one of the improvements; other ways that have improved the system are establishment of a computer system in patrol cars and also putting up of surveillance cameras.
The system works in a way that the surveillance cameras detect incidence of crime by detecting any quire behavior like an attack on someone. The information is then recorded in a database. Then the information is transmitted to the police officers who send an alert to the patrol cars. The resultant of this is the response time of the police division is high and they are able to handle crimes faster than before (Porter, 2010).
Reducing the crime rate can best be solved by countering the criminals actions by using technological advances as well. Using the Mii-channel can be one of the ways the crime perpetrators can be caught. The method is a replacement to sketching the perpetrator unlike sketching an unknown person. The Mii-channel is more effective since it produces a higher level of likeness to the crime perpetrator. Crime solving robots can also be another way of fighting crimes, the method was first used in Chile by the Chilean police to discover a murder crime. However, the method is not common since it is a new technology.
Tracing the callers location can also be another way of fighting incidences of crime, a database of a communication company records all the calls within the network. The crime perpetrators will shy off from engaging in conversation among themselves since they face the risk of been caught. Incorporation of the community by the police can also be another way of preventing the increased rate of crime. The community usually has an idea of the people who commit crime in their various regions, such information can be important to the police department on whom the perpetrators of crime are.
In addition, introduction of a special emergency line can also be a solution to reduce the crime levels. A hotline number that is made known to every person in the society to notify the police can be of much help. Incidences of crime can be reported faster as well as apprehension of crime perpetrators. Research has also shown that crime can be minimized through discouraging crime in the society; also involvement of residents can increase the civil behavior (Siegel, 2008).
Crimes, especially those that involve ATM machines can be easily be avoided by: ensuring that you do not involve strangers when you are trying to retrieve the card in case it is confiscated. Still in the case of usage of ATM cards, it is important to make sure that reporting of confiscated ATM cards should be done while still in the ATM machines and without leaving them there since it may amount to a trap to set up by criminals.
Information shared in the network should also be controlled. Such vital information in case of involving firearms and also how to use the same should be accessed using passwords after opening an account that verifies that one has never been involved an incidence that risks security (Congress, 2001). Using computer-aided dispatch is also a helpful undertaking to reduce the rate of crime. The communication method is faster and the police dispatcher gets to communicate to police units faster. After a 911 call is made, the information is immediately coded into a computer and then flashes information to the screen of the departures.
Before the response, crimes are first sorted to determine past ones and the ones in progress, priority is given to the ones in progress instead of the past crimes. For crimes that are in progress, action is taken and the shortest direct route is determined to the scene. The patrol unit that is closest to the crime scene is determined, then it seeks to offer help to the police. Increase on the resources of the police can be a step towards ensuring that crime rate are reduced the reasoning behind this is ensuring that the policemen are capable of handling incidences of crime whenever they arise (OMalley, 1997).
Though there are incidences that have revealed that there is an increase in the number of crimes due to new technology, there are also more benefits that the new technologies offer in reducing the rate of crimes in the society. The benefits of having the technology around seem to be fruitful and the authorities do not need to be around to know when crimes are taking place. The community can also offer great help in solving these problems since they are the ones that are involved directly by the crime. However, there is a risk in overuse of technology since it causes mistrust and cynicism where fear of crime is replaced by fear of authority.
Usage of technology has negative effects on the community since it: works against positive community participation, creates a siege mentality, and undermines natural community surveillance by community. Technology may turn the community to have a why get involved altitude and fail not to get involved in keeping surveillance for one another and entrusting the police to do all the work. Although the use of camera surveillances is necessary there need to strike a balance where the society is also incorporated at the same time (Surette, 2010).
References List
Congress. (2001). Congressional Record. Washinton D.C: Government Printing Office.
Lanford, J. (2011). ATM Theft: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself From the 5 Most Common ATM Scams. 5 Clever ATM Theft Scams and How To Avoid Them: Internet ScamBusters #21. Web.
OMalley, P. (1997). Crime prevention in Australia: issues in policy and research. Sydney: Federation Press.
Polivanyuk, V. (2009). computer crime research center. Web.
Porter, D. (2010). Frommers Bermuda 2011. New Jersey: Frommers.
Siegel, L. (2008). Criminology. Califonia: Cengage Learning.
Surette, R. ( 2010). Media, Crime, and Criminal Justice: Images, Realities, and Policies. Califonia: Cengage Learning.
Zastrow C, K. K. (2009). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment. Califonia: Cengage Learning.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.