Name:
Institution:
Course:
Instructor:
Date:
Unit 3 IP Community-oriented Policing
Introduction
Community-oriented policing is the means that lead to the promotion of organizational strategies that provide support to the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques. These techniques are used in addressing urgent conditions that lead to the safety of the public from crimes, social disorder, and crime fears (Batavian, 2005). Community-oriented policing aims at creating unity between the police and the public being served to make the task of identifying crimes a bit easier. Community-oriented policing requires information technology systems to help them in compiling data about criminal statistics and analyses that can assist in how patrol officers are organized. According to Batavian (2005), these systems can also enable patrol officers to carry out their research on the new programs that involve the police department officials and community members. Furthermore, the systems help in the prevention of crime and criminal investigations. Information technology systems used within the community-oriented policing include databases, computer software for crime analysis, and record management systems.
The Federal Bureau of investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Record database
According to Dempsey (2011), the Federal Bureau of investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Record database is one of the technologies used by law enforcement agencies within a community-oriented policing program especially in keeping records for internal crucial information. This technology is used in various institutions, companies and states that voluntarily offer to provide report data on any crime they face and that is brought to their attention. The main purpose of this technology is to provide information that is reliable to be applied in the process of enforcement of the law during operation, management, and administration (Dempsey, 2011).
The information recorded in these program include data concerning the offense and the arrest data received from the traditional summary reporting system and the national incident based reporting systems. Furthermore, information concerning the law enforcement officers that were attacked or killed is also recorded. Theft reporting and hate crimes data are also recorded by the Federal Bureau of investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Record database. The law enforcement agencies therefore, use this technology in recording crimes that are reported to them by the public, crimes discovered by the police officers and crimes reported by other sources that are not revealed to the public (Oliver, 2008).
CompStat technology
COMP Stat, which means Computer Statistics, is a technology used in the management process particularly in the department of the police. The law enforcement agencies use this technology in reducing crimes, providing quality life to the public, and in the management of resources. Research shows that CompStat includes geographical information system so that problems could be identified and map the crime. According to Oliver (2008), a CompStat is used by the law enforcement in analyzing as issue, designing and then making implementation strategies or measure that could be used in solving the issue. Through the strategies formulated, they can be modified as required so that they can successfully be employed in reducing crimes and improving the safety of the community.
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System is a national fingerprint and criminal history system that is controlled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Justice information system division (Oliver, 2008). This technology is used by the law enforcement within community-oriented policing program to find the automated fingerprint search capabilities, electronic image storage and the exchange of fingerprints electronically. This therefore helps in identifying any criminal using the fingerprints.
Significant benefits of the above technologies on the law enforcement operations on community-oriented policing
The law enforcement agencies benefits from these technologies in that by using these tools, they are able to track criminal movement thereby reducing crimes to the community. For instance, the law enforcement agencies benefit from The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Record database through the information recorded concerning a certain crime. Through this technology, the law agencies are able to know the crime rate in a particular community being served, therefore lay the necessary strategies in dealing with such crimes. The main goal of the community-oriented policing program is to provide safety and quality life to the community. Therefore, by employing this technology, the law enforcement agencies will be able to address issues such as street, gang, and drug abuse violence within a community.
Another benefit of these technologies to the law enforcement agencies within a community-oriented policing is making analysis of the particular crime rate within a community. The main technology used in such case is the CompStat tool. Research by Wayne (2006) shows that for any problem to be solved, there must be a clear analysis of the exact cause of the problem. Analysis therefore helps in learning more about the problem so that the police officers are able to identify the exact cause of the problem. Thus, this requires that the law agencies gather enough information about the nature and causes of the issue using a CompStat. Law enforcement agencies are more likely to benefit from a CompStat because it helps them in solving problems since it is designed in a way that helps in the collection and provision of feedback related to crime and quality life issues (Wayne, 2006).
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) benefits the law enforcement agencies by maintaining fingerprints. This means that if a person is charged with a criminal offence, his or her fingerprint is checked for any criminal history against the Department of Justice’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Therefore, with a community under security, fingerprints provided via the state to the FBI are checked electronically against the FBI criminal history records in IAFIS. The technology is designed in a way that handles a huge volume of fingerprint checks against large information of fingerprints. Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System is in a position to help an investigator in identifying a person even if deceased. The turnaround of the submission of a crime is known to occur within two hours implying that a person is able to submit fingerprints and receive the response within the same business day.
Drawbacks to the technologies selected on law enforcement operations
According to research, federal bureau of investigation’s Uniform Crime Report database has a limitation in that it does not reflect accurately the crime rates because they are only able to list crimes that are reported by the public, police officers and other sources to the law enforcement agencies. This means that only serious crimes are recorded in case more crimes are reported and committed. For example, in case a person was killed through manslaughter during time of theft, only the crime of manslaughter will be recorded because it is the most serious crime. This technology also does not include child abuse in its recordings of crimes (Wayne, 2006).
Furthermore, rape cases are in most cases avoided or biased because they consider such cases as the carnal knowledge of a woman forced against her wish. Thus, rape is not recorded against men, which shows how biased the technology is in some cases. Therefore, such technologies are not reliable in dealing with crimes because they do not record all information and it assumes that other crimes are not very important hence does not include them in its recordings. Another drawback encountered while using these technologies includes lack of enough knowledge and skills concerning the tools. This is because these technologies were just invented recently and some of the law enforcement officers have not acquired enough training on how to use them (Wayne, 2006). They require the officers to be well versed with the information technologies such as computers, to enable them apply it where necessary. For instance, CompStat technology requires a person to be well informed with computer applications so that he or she can use the system in analyzing the nature and the causes of the reported crime. Therefore, lack of enough knowledge and skills makes the utilization of these technologies difficult within the community-oriented policing program (Wayne, 2006).
Problems addressed directly by these technologies
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report database addresses the issues concerning the number of law enforcement officers such as the police attacked or killed, reports on issues concerning theft, and hate-crime problems. This information recorded helps the law enforcement officers to note the rate at which crime has increased or declined over a certain period. It addresses issues by collecting data concerning murder, manslaughter, and property crime, which includes theft and burglary. Therefore, FBI’s Uniform Crime Report database directly addresses issues concerning murder and theft within a community-oriented policing program.
CompStat technology on the other hand addresses the operation of the law enforcement officers or agencies with a proven record of accomplishment in the most important departments of the police. The technology addresses the issues concerning the transformation of the risk change mentality, making the leading police department into law proactive business, in turn creating a high performance institution that embraces change.
According to research by Oliver (2008), IAFIS addresses the issues concerning the identification of fingerprints of a person considered a criminal. The system deals with issues such as providing automated and latent search capabilities, electronic storage and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses. Therefore, the technology is designed in away that handle a huge volume of fingerprint checks against large information of fingerprints. Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System is in position to help an investigator in identifying a person or even a deceased person (Oliver, 2008). The turnaround of the submission of a crime is known to occur within two hours implying that a person is able to submit fingerprint and receive the response within the same workday.
Conclusion
Information technology in the community-oriented policing program is very necessary because it helps in compiling data about criminal statistics and analyses that can assist in the organization of the patrol officers. These systems can also enable them to carry out their research on the new programs that involve the police department officials and community members. Therefore, to achieve this goal, involvement of technologies such as the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report database, CompStat, and the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) could be employed successfully. For instance, by employing the CompStat technology, there are benefits that will enable the law enforcement agencies within community-oriented policing in making analysis of the particular crime rate within a community.
The main technology used in such case is the CompStat tool. However, various drawbacks are encountered by using these technologies such as lack of enough or inadequate knowledge and skills by the law enforcement agencies or the police officers. Therefore, community-oriented policing aims at creating unity between the police and the public being served to make the task of identifying crimes a bit easier. Community-oriented policing requires information technology systems to help them in compiling data about criminal statistics and analyses that can assist in how patrol officers are organized.
References
Batavian, A. (2005). Information technology and the criminal justice system.Los Angeles, MA: Sage.
Dempsey, J. (2011). An Introduction to Policing.New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Oliver, W. (2008). Community-oriented policing: a systemic approach to policing. Denver, CO: Prentice Hall.
Wayne, B. (2006). Criminal investigation. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]