Technology and Communications

Technology and Communications Name Institution The topic of using technology and communication in the criminal justice system is fueling a lot of debate from scholars and practitioners in the criminal justice industry. This owes to the reality that Dror and Mnookin (2010) completed a study on the topic in question. The authors reveal that the use of technology in the criminal justice system is rising rapidly. Why is the use of technology in the criminal justice system rising? Perhaps the increased use of computers to solve problems that were particularly reserved for humans is the main reason for the increased use of technology in the criminal justice system. It is notable that there are different technologies used in the industry under discussion. Ultimate examples used in the criminal justice system are the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and the Iris Scan. This work discusses the positive and negative effects of new technologies on communication by comparing AFIS and the Iris Scan and provides reasons why I would wish to work with the Iris Scan. To begin with, the Iris Scans examine the colored tissue around the pupil and can be performed by regular video camera when an individual is at least two feet away. According to Khaw (2002), everyone has a unique iris because of a “chaotic morphogenesis” that occurs in the seventh moth of growth. The author further reveals that the iris has 266 identifiable characteristics that make everyone’s iris unique. Furthermore, the iris is protected by the aqueous humor, cornea, and the eyelid, which reduces the probability of damage to the iris. The iris is also free from the negative effects of aging because it remains stable in the entire lifetime. It is also notable that the use of contact lenses or glasses (both clear and colored) has minimal hindrance to the iris scan hence, has no effect on the technology. As aforementioned, another technology used in the criminal justice system is the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. It is used to scan fingerprints and store individual’s information on a database. Unlike the Iris scan, the AFIS has 70 identifiable characteristics. It is crucial to mention that this does not imply that any two people could have identical fingerprints (Dror and Mnookin, 2010). Fingerprints are always present in almost any surface thus, it is the most common technology used in the criminal justice system. However, the process of obtaining fingerprints is long and it can take weeks or months. Furthermore, criminals could use gloves because the use of gloves interferes with the fingerprint technology. All in all, it is still a useful technology in the criminal justice specialty...