The Use of Technology in The Criminal Justice System Has Improved Policing Over The Years By Paving The Way For Stronger Communications, Trustworthy Databases, And The Surveillance of Criminals.

• Police technology enhances communications
• The use of computers allows for stronger databases
• Surveillance is used to find evidence for police when they are not available 
• New technology allows for less lethal weapons 

It is amazing how technology changes the way society functions throughout everyday life. The inventions of cars allows people to travel quickly and to many different places, computers and phones have crated a new platform for people to stay connected, and cameras have allowed for tons of memories to be saved. These are just a few examples of inventions that have changed the world, ultimately for the better. When many people think of phones, cameras, and computers, they do not associate these items with saving lives. In the criminal justice system, the use of technology helps police to do just that. 

The way police officers are able to communicate with one another make a huge difference in the effectiveness of preventing and solving crimes.

Improvements in phones, and radios have allowed for better and more efficient policing throughout the years. Before cell phones were created, landlines were used to contact the police in case of emergency. The problem with this is that if a person was not at home, they were unable to get in contact with an officer quickly. In the chart to the right, data from the 911 resource center, shows that the number of 911 calls made by a cellphone are significantly higher than those made by a wireline. The invention of cellphones allows people to dial 911 whenever and wherever, which allows police to respond as soon as possible, and help those in need.

Another important communications technology is the radio. According to the National Institute of Justice, the use of radios are able to improve first-responders communications.  Radios allow officers to communicate with other law enforcement officials who can tell them where crimes are happening, where they need to go, and keep them updated when things change suddenly. The way officers are able to communicate with both the community and other officials allows for better policing, and technological advancements in this area has been able to improve this issue. 

Computers in the criminal justice system allow for larger databases, accurate data and evidence in crimes, and crime mapping. 

According to Mullen, a survey of United States city police agencies in the 1990s showed that only six percent of responders did not have an in house computer system. This shows that information technology has almost completely taken over the criminal justice system, and is being used in everyday policing practices throughout the country. With the invention of the computer, law enforcement agencies have been able to create databases to research certain individuals, find past records, and locate suspects and criminals. The creation of online databases have been one of the greatest technological advancements in the criminal justice system. The ability to track and keep records or criminal activity and data has improved policing and has made it easier for police to prevent and solve crimes. 

Two specific database that police use the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and the The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). CODIS has allowed police to analyze any DNA that is found at a crime scene, and be able to match this DNA to a criminal that they may have in their system. Without CODIS, matching DNA samples would be impossible, and make finding suspects a lot more difficult. IAFIS is similar in that it analyzes collected DNA, but it specifically focuses on fingerprints only. This databases includes over 70 million US and international fingerprints that police can use to match suspects to fingerprints. 

Police use computers to quickly store information and locate crime destinations. 

Often times when police are interviewing suspects, they need to quickly store the information they are hearing in order to present it as evidence. When interviewing suspects on the street or on the go, officers use the computer systems in their cars to quickly type of information. Computer systems installed in police vehicles are also used to map out crime. The Geographic Information System (GIS), is a map that shows where crime occurs based on location. This lets police know where hotspots, or clusters of crime occur, which allows them to decide how to prevent crime in these areas. 

Cameras are used in the criminal justice system for surveillance purposes, which aims to deter people from crime, and protect both citizens and officers. 

It is common to see surveillance cameras in almost any building in the US today. These cameras are placed usually in schools, stores, and banks to deter people fro committing crimes, and also to catch them if they do. These cameras monitor any suspicious behavior, and allow the police to track sudden movements. Surveillance cameras also are able to protect officers by allowing them to view the environment from a safe distance, before entering the scene (nij.gov). Police officers are able to secretly place cameras in dangerous situations in order to asses the situation without actually being there. 

The most recent use of cameras that we see today are body cameras used by law enforcement. Body cameras are small cameras that are worn by police officers, that record everything that is going on when an arrest is being made. This ensures the safety of police officers from suspects when making an arrest, and also protects suspects from corrupt officers. The United States has recently seen a lot of police brutality occur where the officer has not been charged or held accountable for their actions. This is one of the reasons why many people are urging the use of body cameras in all states so that there will always be video evidence available during an arrest, which will ultimately decrease the amount of corruption. 

Overall, the use of technology has improved the criminal justice system and the efficiency of police work in the field. From communications, to computerized databases, to surveillance cameras, information technology has taken over the criminal justice system and has drastically changed the way police do their jobs. Today, technology is used everyday in the field and helps police to prevent and solve crimes quickly, safely, and accurately.

A Study Shows That The Amount A Person Enjoys A Video Game Is Strongly Affected By The Type of User Interface: Graphics, Controls, & Difficulty of Gameplay

• People are able to interact with their video games by controlling players, solving difficult tasks, and navigating their own gameplay. 
• Gamers are enticed by new games and consoles that are created because they introduce a higher level of technology and graphics.
• There is a difference in the amount of gameplay between genders and age groups.

A video game that I loved to play as a child was a game called Crash Bandicoot. This is a game created by Nintendo for the original Play Station system. In this game, the player acts as the main character Crash, and attempts to defeat his enemy Vortex and save his girlfriend. The player has to go through a series of levels, in which the goal is to collect boxes and fend off enemies to advance to the next level. The player repeats this process in a variety of places and levels to reach the ultimate goal of facing Vortex. 

I originally liked this game because of the main character, Crash. Crash was an orange fox who wore jeans, and as a child, he looked extremely cool to me. I began to like the video game more because of the challenges I had to complete to move up to the next level. Knowing that I had the ability to pass each level made the game more exciting, and kept me wanting to play. The graphics, sound effects, and visuals within the game also attracted me to it, and kept the gameplay interesting and exciting. 

What makes a video game enjoyable? 

When creating a video game, one must think about the term user interface. User interface is defined as the junction between a medium and the people who use it. In regards to video games, the user interface is what allows players to interact with game. According to the textbook, Converging Media, the graphical user interface is what created the video game industry. Over the years, advancements in graphics have allowed the video game industry to thrive, and has attracted players of all ages. 

In Melissa A. Federoff’s article, Heuristics And Usability Guidelines For The Creation And Evaluation of Fun in Video Games, she discusses how video games can be evaluated on fun in three different areas. The topics include the game interface, game mechanics, and game play. 

“The game interface includes whatever is used to physically control the game such

as a controller, joystick, mouse, or keyboard” (Federoff). In the game Crash Bandicoot, and controller is used during gameplay, which allows users to control their player by pressing a number of different buttons. The buttons on a controller make it easy for users to navigate through the game. Game interface is a key aspect to the enjoyment of a game, because a difficult interface would make it harder for users to play, and therefore they would lose interest. 

Next, Federoff dicusses the mechanics of a game for player enjoyment. Game mechanics is defined as how a player is allowed to maneuver within in the game, which includes walking, running, driving, jumping, etc (Federoff). In Crash Bandicoot, my player was able to jump, run, walk, and drive a cart to race through different areas of the game.

Also, the overall game play is important to how users interact with the video game. A game should have problems and challenges in which a player must face to win the game. Video games become interesting to many users when they are required to make decisions regarding gameplay in order to advance. 

The video game industry is still growing, and continues to change overtime.

Although Crash Bandicoot was my favorite game, I eventually stopped playing it. One of the main factors that went into the retirement of my gameplay was the introduction of new consoles. Crash Bandicoot was a game made by Sony for the Play Station. While playstation was a leading console for years, companies began to create newer and better systems for games. These systems included the Play Station 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, the Wii, portable game systems, and motion sensing consoles. Unfortunately, Crash Bandicoot was not made for any of the new gaming systems, and as new consoles came out, I began to see what they had to offer, and stopped playing the game.

A study conducted in 2007 illustrated by Lingjin Meng, shows how long people play video games. This data is separated by age and gender, showing how long each group plays video games. This chart shows that as girls became teenagers, their gameplay time decreased from when they were children ranging from ages eight through twelve. This could be another reason as to why I stopped playing my favorite video game as a child. As I got older, I lost interest in playing video games, especially of the action and adventure genre. 

The video game industry is one of the largest forms of human and media interactivity that we see today. The creation of graphics within the media has opened the door to the creation of the cool video games that we see today. People of all ages are able to interact with video games like never before, and break new barriers within the technological world. A lot goes into making video games, and being able to easily navigate and and understand the game is a huge part in user enjoyment. With the amount of video games that have been created over the years, a number of consoles have been created as platforms for all video games. As the industry grows, more and more systems are being created and enhanced to offer users the best experience possible when interacting with video games. 

My post is in response to discussion question number 6. 

Work Cited

Federoff, Melissa A. Heuristics and usability guidelines for the creation and evaluation of fun in video games. Diss. Indiana University, 2002.

Men In Turkey Make A Statement For Women's Rights By Protesting While Wearing Mini Skirts

This photo will originally catch many people off guard, as it is not typically normal to see a group of men wearing skirts. By examining the picture closely, one will see that there is a deeper message behind the men with skirts on. This image is detailed and explanatory because it tells viewers a story without words. From this picture, I can see that the men are walking in the street, they have their arms locked together, they all are speaking, and a few of them have signs. These clues let me know that the men are most likely protesting for something that they are passionate about. This photo also tells me that that it was taken in a foreign country, because the signs are written in a different language other than English. Another thing I noticed in this picture was that the men are wearing men's shirts, shoes, and jackets, but a woman's skirt. This tells me that the men do not usually wear women's clothes, and the skirt is the focus of their protest. 

The men were actually supporting women's rights in Istanbul, Turkey after a girl was brutally sexually assaulted and then murdered. This incident inspired men to wear skirts, telling people that "It is not what you wear, it is what you do." They are saying that women are not getting assaulted because they are wearing dresses and skirts, and that it is not their faults. This image did a great job of explaining this event as it included a lot of details and important scenery. 

About Me

My name is Jasmyn and I'm an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland. I am a freshman here as a Criminology/ Criminal Justice major. I like learning about the criminal mind, and the laws that go into protecting our community and serving justice. I plan to go to Law school after my four years here at Maryland.

I am a cheerleader here at the University, and I cheer for our Women's Basketball team.  I plan to get a lot more involved over the years by looking into clubs, internships, leadership opportunities, and joining a sorority.

My time is spent hanging out with friends, going to practice, performing at games, and studying for classes of course :)