Like nearly every other industry, the criminal justice field is changing rapidly due to the lightning-fast evolution of technology. And not just \u201chard\u201d technology, such as guns and other types of weapons. The use of \u201csoft\u201d technology, such as computers and tracking systems, is becoming just as important to the field.<\/p>\n
According to Steven Brancazio<\/a>, faculty chair for Capella University\u2019s Criminal Justice Undergraduate Studies, \u201cthe main thing is to keep Constitutional rights at the forefront. But there is a lot of technology that does that, and it keeps both sides safe.\u201d Brancazio spent 20 years in law enforcement, including working as a police officer, street crime investigator, squad supervisor, internal affairs investigator, district commander, and captain, before making his way to Capella.<\/p>\n Here, he talks in-depth about what technology is doing for criminal justice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cData mining is big,\u201d says Brancazio. \u201cIt helps us do a predictive type of policing. We can map crimes, then predict where more crime might occur, based on patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n He notes that an area of future growth is data-sharing across police departments. \u201cCriminal justice can be a turf-oriented industry,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have to get past that. Whatever we can share, we have to share. When we can avoid communications breakdowns by sharing information quickly during any conflict, we can move more proactively and prevent things from going wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s a tough goal at present. Brancazio points out that there are 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S. alone. \u201cThere\u2019s no national police department,\u201d he says. \u201cIt makes sense that you do a different type of policing in New York City than you do in Wyoming. But crime, especially terrorism, has no borders. We need to get a lot more communication going among our different agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The equipment police officers carry is significantly different today than just a generation or so ago, and much of the change is focused on safety.<\/p>\n Brancazio points to the use of cameras, specifically dashboard and body cams, as an example. \u201cWhen people [on both sides] know cameras are in use, they\u2019re going to think harder about their behavior. Both sides benefit. The cameras save lives, reduce complaints, and help careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Cameras are helpful, but other technology has been developed that\u2019s even more sophisticated and focused on safety. There is GPS, heads-up display (HUD), and a new \u201csmart belt\u201d that monitors officer\u2019s actions and relays them, when needed, to other officers or dispatch. The belt is activated by the use of glasses.<\/p>\n For example, if an officer pulls their weapon, a chip in the belt is activated by the glasses and can keep dispatch informed, who can immediately request backup. Plus, the camera takes a photo of what the officer is looking at when the weapon is pulled. The officer is free to focus on the emergency without shifting hands trying to reach a radio to call for help. Brancazio sees great potential in the smart belt for situations where timing is critical. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like flying an F-14,\u201d he says. \u201cIt can do so much without anyone having to lift a finger.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There\u2019s controversy over the potential use of drones by anyone, whether private citizen or police officer. But Brancazio sees drones as something likely to be used in the future, as long as their use conforms to Constitutional rights. \u201cWill there be drones? Yes, very likely,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Drones have the ability to get more quickly into tight spaces than a police officer or squad car can, and they can record illegal activity taking place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Technology developments are driving change in law enforcement and criminal justice methods, and yet, as Brancazio notes, \u201cWe\u2019re always one step behind criminals, especially terrorists.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s why learning about new technology and understanding its advantages and pitfalls are key factors in Capella\u2019s criminal justice degree programs. \u201cI see a bright future and wealth of career opportunities for people with expertise in criminal justice technology.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Learn more about Capella\u2019s online <\/em>criminal justice programs<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Technology has become a key factor in solving crimes more efficiently and effectively. From data mining to the use of drones, here\u2019s a look at how technology is changing law enforcement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":4794,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[316],"tags":[317],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4776"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4776"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4777,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4776\/revisions\/4777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stgwww.capella.edu\/blogs\/cublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Data Mining<\/h4>\n
Safety on the Street<\/h4>\n
Drones in the Future<\/h4>\n
Continuing to Evolve<\/h4>\n
See graduation rates, median student debt, and other information at <\/em>Capella Results<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"