Management Information Systems Pertaining to Law Enforcement - Past and Present - Article Example

Running head: MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Management Information Systems in Law Enforcement - Past and Present of the Student Name of the University Management Information Systems in Law Enforcement - Past and Present Introduction Law enforcement agencies utilize management information systems or MIS to process information. The MIS systems are generally computer systems, which store the information in digital form. Such computerized systems permit rapid and accurate processing of information. Moreover, access to information is extremely quick in these systems. As the technology gets sophisticated, these MIS systems also become more sophisticated, due to the incorporation of the latest technological tools and applications (Clark). Mobile Data Terminals are used in the MIS systems of law enforcement agencies. Initially, these systems were very expensive, because they entailed a separate radio network for the transmission of data and communication. There has been a steep fall in the cost of Mobile Data Terminals, which has rendered them affordable, due to the development of trunked radio systems. MDT’s transmit data, pictures and files to the units established at road points (Clark). A short term goal is the Continued Integration system, which is less expensive than the other strategies. Under this system, the deputy will be provided with extensive information about the scope of their operation for a particular task. Thus, deputies are required to access and process databases. Hence, their cars are equipped with a high power terminal with which databases stored on a large number of computers can be accessed. This strategy is most effective and time saving. Such deputies obtain an immediate response from the work groups. The action in this strategy is fast and reliable, in comparison to corresponding with various departments for obtaining information and resorting to telephones for requesting the required information (Clark). Handheld computers are of great use to police officers. These new gadgets enable them to retrieve information from drivers’ licenses. They also allow the police to take photographs of the car and its driver. These photographs can be produced in court as evidence, along with the ticket. The local court system permits such evidence. However, the cost of such hardware and the software required for it, are quite expensive (Computers Could Speed Up Traffic Citations, 2008). Use of Computer Systems by the Field Staff The field staff can retrieve data, pictures and files from the road units into their laptop computers. This enables deputy police offers to access a wide array of databases, such as Criminal Justice Information System or CJIS, CAD, FCIC and NCIC. In addition, maps of major counties are stored in the MDT’s, which the field police officers can access. They can make query such databases, and this reduces voice transmissions. Communication and inquiries can be done through teletype inputs. The cost of equipping 200 cars with MDTs would be just $750,000 to $800,000 (Clark). Geographic Information Systems or GIS is another mode of data transfer. In this system, maps of the entire county are stored on the servers in a digital format, and police officers on can access these maps. The GIS system provides several advantages to the police, such as crime analysis, man power utilization planning, resource allocation, and access to maps in crucial situations. The maps are real time maps that are drawn on the screen, and which highlight the critical operational areas. For this purpose the work stations follow a certain criteria (Clark). For instance, the real time maps are drawn in a quick move by integrating and comparing the burglaries that had transpired within a specified period of time in that area and the Field Interrogation Card system. This system is also employed by MDT’s. The work station determines the best route to reach the actual spot without any delay. There is a huge screen in the Communication Center, on which the flow of vehicles in that specific area is displayed by analyzing the data generated by the AVL system. It is also possible to print large sized maps of a particular area. Such an arrangement costs around $40,000 in the first year, and a suitable workstation costs around $15,000 (Clark). Imaging System for Records is an inexpensive application that does not require large amounts of administrative resources. In this system, important documents, like memorandums, letters and case reports are stored in digital format, instead of microfilm. Whenever the necessity arises, prints of these document images are generated. The scanned images of documents have adequate clarity. Moreover, indexed search allows easier and faster retrieval of the required document; whereas a physical document would have to be located by searching through a complete set of documents or file cabinets (Clark). Computers in Police Investigations Investigators require a considerable amount of information in their investigations. The world’s largest single source of such information is the Internet. The user of the internet can keep abreast of the events taking place anywhere, quickly. Through the internet the user can update his information about the police departments and other organizations and come to know as to what is happening in them (Woodward, 1999). Investigators can post photographs of the perpetrators of the crime, on the net for the view of the general public. They can interact with other law enforcement agencies, both at the national as well as the international level, in order to obtain a solution for their insurmountable problems, and to share information with their counterparts. Thus, the internet is the most preferred platform for the police and investigators to procure information. However, criminals can find new methods and update their knowledge base to circumvent capture (Woodward, 1999). The application BULLET was found to be better than the previous mainframe system. It provided several benefits to police departments, as it had been designed to fulfill their specific requirements. Moreover, being user friendly, it use required a lesser number of skilled programmers. The software, which was based on the open source of the UNIX operating system permitted modification; whereas the IBM mainframe software was proprietary and could only be changed by its authorized personnel (Clark). Computers in Traffic Control It is very difficult to monitor vehicular traffic, because of the increase in the number of vehicles. Some of the reasons for road accidents are the high speed of the vehicles, drinking and driving, and failure to follow traffic rules. The number of traffic violations and driving without a valid license are on the increase. Enforcement of traffic rules is a major responsibility of the law enforcement agencies, which employ computers to control vehicular traffic and to enforce traffic rules. The latest computer applications and tools provide immeasurable help in this regard (Abraham, Franke, & Köppen, 2003. P. 23). The new technology developed a system called Vehicle License Plate or VLP recognition. In this system, vehicle license plates are identified by the computers. If any traffic violation occurs, the computer system identifies the vehicle that caused the violation, from its VLP. This is very helpful for monitoring and to regulating vehicular traffic, and the automation of license plate recognition has become a major component of traffic management. It permits better regulation of vehicular traffic flow; and diversion of traffic, as and when required. Furthermore, it allows the control of traffic in restricted areas, and in identifying traffic violations (Abraham, Franke, & Köppen, 2003. P. 23). Mobile Data Terminals, which are installed in police cars, are employed to monitor vehicles and their drivers. These in – car computers are connected with the national, state and local databases. There is wireless transmission of data between the in – car computers and the units established in the roads. At the national level the FBI’s National Crime Information Computer can be accessed through MDTs. At the state level the Department of Motor Vehicles and state police databases can be accessed (Gabbidon & Greene, 2005. P. 195). The police can communicate and share information with other police patrol cars. The history of the vehicle, the driver or the passenger can be quickly ascertained. Similarly, previous traffic violations can also be determined. The police can find out whether the car had been stolen; and any pending arrest warrants can be ascertained. Persons on probation are not permitted to drive; such particulars can be found out (Gabbidon & Greene, 2005. P. 195). Use of Computers in Court Proceedings The use of the Internet by the courts is on the increase, and the latter are sparing no pains to place public court records on the Internet and to file electronic court documents. Novel procedural rules are being implemented, in order to adapt to this new technology. Moreover, there is considerable savings in terms of time and resources, by adopting electronic filing of court documents. A Kansas study has disclosed a 1 minute reduction in the time taken to file court documents (Chiorazzi & Russell, 2002. Pp. 276 – 277 ). It is common for traffic fines to be paid and court calendars to be made available on the Internet. In addition, courts in several states display what transpires in the court on the Internet. Furthermore, courts in Delaware County, post photographs of domestic violence offenders and the complete judgment of the cases relating to their offense on the Internet. In the month of August 1997, the Seattle Municipal Court implemented a novel method of paying court fines and traffic tickets with a credit card. This made it the first court to employ Internet e-commerce. The use of the Internet has become near ubiquitous, in respect of pro se litigants in divorce or separation, applying or responding to an order relating to domestic violence (Chiorazzi & Russell, 2002. Pp. 276 – 277 ). Utilizing technology for crime and the difficulty experienced in bringing to book such criminals is illustrated by the following incident. A resident of Maryland indulged in extortion by sending electronic mails. His targets were the clients of a patent firm. To conceal his identity, he sent these messages in such a manner that the recipients were under the impression that the company’s executives had sent these messages. The law enforcement agencies scrutinized the company’s computers and convinced themselves that the company executives had not sent these messages. This criminal, then penetrated unsecured Wi–Fi wireless networks and used them to send his threatening messages (Dusting for digital fingerprints, 2005). In addition, to these sources, this person made use of university computer laboratories to perpetrate his crimes. Finally, he made an exorbitant demand, which had some of his personal details; these details were in consonance with the profile created by the law enforcement agencies’ psychologists. These pieces of information led to his arrest and incarceration. The tracking and identification of this criminal had been done on the basis of computers, which were effective in tracking his digital footprints. In order to enhance this novel method of apprehending such criminals, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, established a Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in the year 1999. At the moment, there are six such institutions all over the US, which process around a 108 TB of data, annually (Dusting for digital fingerprints, 2005). Computer Forensics It is important for investigators to analyze the personal computers of offenders. Such analysis provides relevant information that is beneficial to the investigation. The computer operating systems are easy to operate, because of the presence of the graphical user interface. These new operating systems create temporary files. The user may not be aware of those temporary files, as they are created in the background. Some users may not even know that such files exist on their computers (Lewis, Mar2008, p15-20). Analysis of such temporary files would reveal the activities of the user on that computer. These activities would leave a footprint in the temporary file cabinet. An analysis will disclose a timeline of events committed by the user on the computer. Computer forensic experts can determine the login time of the users. The content of the electronic mails sent and received by the user and the list of websites the user had visited can be easily determined by analyzing temporary files. Even the attachment of an external hard disk drive, by the user, can be established by the analysts. The files or documents printed on a computer can be easily ascertained, and the analysts can identify the email application employed by the user, and the password used. Moreover, analysis discloses the websites visited and the searches conducted by the user on the computer and the timeline of these events. Thus, each and every activity of the user on the computer is recorded in some form of evidence within the computer (Lewis, Mar2008, p15-20). Data cannot be deleted by formatting the hard disk of the personal computer. After a disk format, the hard drive merely indicates that its entire disk space is unallocated and available. Thus, a formatting does not delete data from the hard disk drive. In the forensic laboratory, experts can retrieve all the data from a formatted drive by using special techniques. The format date and time can also be identified. To circumvent this risk, new and advanced data removal applications have been designed. These applications format the drive several times and remove all the data from the hard disk (Lewis, Mar2008, p15-20). A hard disk subjected to such treatment, makes it very difficult to retrieve data. Such applications are termed as wiping tools. They write random data to each and every space on the hard disk, and this prevents the forensic expert from retrieving data from the hard disk drive. However, the expert can identify the software used to wipe out the hard disk and the time and date when it had been used. One of such tool is the Evidence Eliminator (Lewis, Mar2008, p15-20). Forensic experts prepare a report of their findings, and these reports are acceptable as evidence in court. It is mandatory for the forensic investigator to provide accurate details of the acquisition of the data by him, and the methods he had employed in the arriving at his findings. Thus the examiner has to document each and every step taken by him, while analyzing the drive. He must be in a position to recreate them if the court directs him to do so. In court proceedings, the examiner is presented as an expert in this field, and the defendant may accept that examiner as an expert (Lewis, Mar2008, p15-20). Conclusion The scarce resources available with the public sector, at the local and state levels, have been hard pressed to meet the demand ensuing from criminal activities. These nefarious activities employ technology that keeps abreast of the latest developments. There is palpable danger to the community; and this can be countenanced, only by imparting the latest computer forensic training to law enforcement personnel. Moreover, such training has to be provided expeditiously and in a synchronized fashion (Stambaugh, Beaupre, Icove, Baker, Cassaday, & Williams, 2001. Pp. x-xi). These new electronic crimes make it incumbent upon law enforcement personnel and forensic scientists to acquire certain minimum levels of training, in order to collate evidence and draw inferences from it. This is of great importance while deposing in court. Not surprisingly, many such personnel opined that such training should address State and local concerns. As such, every person involved with such crime should be provided with adequate training, and this includes judges, officers of the law, prosecutors and defense attorneys (Stambaugh, Beaupre, Icove, Baker, Cassaday, & Williams, 2001. Pp. x-xi). List of References Abraham, A., Franke, K., & Köppen, M. (2003. P. 23). Intelligent Systems Design and Applications. Springer. Chiorazzi, M. G., & Russell, G. (2002. Pp. 276 – 277 ). Law Library Collection Development in the Digital Age. Haworth Press. Clark, R. L. (n.d.). Brevard Uniform Laptop Law Enforcement Tracking System Version 5. Retrieved October 06, 2008, from http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/FCJEI/SLP%20papers/Clark_R.pdf Computers Could Speed Up Traffic Citations. (2008, January 06). Retrieved October 06, 2008, from http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0108/485547.html Dusting for digital fingerprints. (2005, March 12). Economist , pp. Vol.374, Iss.8417, Pp.32 - 33. Gabbidon, S. L., & Greene, H. T. (2005. P. 195). Race, Crime, and Justice: A Reader. Routledge. Lewis, P. (Mar2008, p15-20). Understanding the Basics of Computer Forensics. The EDP Audit, Control & Security Newsletter , Vol. 37 Issue 3; DOI: 10.1080/07366980701885663; (AN 28865386). Stambaugh, H., Beaupre, D. S., Icove, D. J., Baker, R., Cassaday, W., & Williams, W. P. (2001. Pp. x-xi, March). Electronic Crime Needs Assessment for State and Local Law Enforcement. Retrieved October 8, 2008, from National Institute of Justice: http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/186276.pdf Woodward, M. (1999, November 17). Computers, the Internet and Criminal Investigation... . Retrieved October 06, 2008, from http://www.coloradorobbery.org/Articles/computers.htm Read More