Emergency Technologies - Essay Example

Emergency Technologies Task: Technology has been a fundamental revolution in the global transformation of changes. This is in terms technologies such as phones and computers used to avert crimes and bring order in the society. Therefore, this essay is going to tackle various advantages of computer and computer technology especially in investigations (Easttom & Taylor, 2010). Additionally, the discussion delves on the disadvantages of the same technologies in abetting crimes such as hacking and phising.

There are various advantages of computers and the use of computer technology in investigations. For instance, in the determination of crimes, it is essential to conduct forensic investigations. This is to identify their authenticity in order to unearth the evidence. However, despite the numerous benefits of forensics, it also has its disadvantages. On that note, the prevention of crimes such as corporate fraud, intellectual property disputes, phising and contravention of the contract would most likely apply computer technology such as forensics to find the truth.

For instance, computer technology through forensics enables the investigators to search and examine hug amount of data fast and efficiently (Moore, 2010). In other words, such technology uses search keywords stored in a hard drive found in different languages. Additionally, computer technology mitigates on cyber crimes because they occur in the internet. Alternatively, the use of forensics is making it easy to recover valuable data that was previously lost and deleted especially in a court of law.

Therefore, during investigations the use of forensics is paramount in finger print identification and facial recognition of suspect. However, despite the numerous advantages of computers and computer technology, there are other disadvantages to law enforcement. For example, the advancement of technology has led to hacking by technical persons who stall systems and interfere with credit numbers of customers online. In the same context, the use of computer technology is hard to be accepted in court especially when law enforcement officers want to prosecute a suspect.

This is because the modification of data is easy for the criminals. Alternatively, only persons with knowledge in computer forensics may be able to determine if data is tampered with hence insubordination of the roles of law enforcement officers (Pattavina, 2004). This also applies in the retrieval of such data for the law enforcement officers who do not have the technical knowledge in the field. Furthermore, in order to burst crimes related to computers, the law enforcement is compelled to hire computer forensic experts who are paid per hour for their services.

On the same account, analysis and reporting of investigated data to the law enforcement may take more than 15 hours thus subjugating the validity of the presented case. Therefore, if the officers are careful, disclosure of privilege documents may be done by forensic analysts to the defendant hence interfere with the case. In other words, the integrity and independence of the case is not guaranteed if it involves cyber crime for untrained law enforcement officers. On that prospect, a good example of a case where the computer was used to aid in the commission of crime was during the 9/11 attacks off the U.S. During this period, terrorists shared coded emails and untapped phone calls to strategize on their mission.

Additionally, these terrorists hacked into the sensitive information of Department of Defense (DoD) of the US in order to determine the arrangement of buildings to be bombed (Savona, 2005). Similarly, the hijackers of the three planes hacked into the website of the air tower system in order to avoid counter attacks. On the other hand, case where the use of the computer was beneficial to the prosecution in a criminal case involves that O.J Simpson. After their successful robbery at a sports memorabilia, the former football star was arrested as a suspect (Easttom & Taylor, 2010).

Both police officers and forensic experts who picked fingerprint samples of the touched materials inside the memorabilia and matched them with those of the experts dusted the crime scene. During this process, most samples were discovered to match those of O.J Simpson including his weapon at the time of the robbery. Therefore, in conclusion, I think there are both benefits and hindrances to the use of technology by the law enforcement officers. For example, when used in forensics to determine the identity of suspects, it will help in the prosecution of criminal cases.

Similarly, technologies would help law enforcement efforts in gathering of electronic data that may be used in other cases (Moore, 2010). On the other hand, there are hindrances such as lack of technical training and skills of understanding crimes involving technology crime on the part of law enforcement officers. References Easttom, C. & Taylor, J. (2010). Computer Crime, Investigation, and the Law. New Jersey, NJ: Course Technology. Moore, R. (2010). Cybercrime: Investigating High-Technology Computer Crime.

New York, NY: Elsevier. Pattavina, A. (2004). Information Technology and the Criminal Justice System. New York, NY: SAGE. Savona, E. (2005). Crime and Technology: New Frontiers for Regulation, Law Enforcement and Research. New York, NY: Springer.