The role of criminal justice practitioners in the development and implementation of technology
What is the role of criminal justice practitioners in the development and implementation of technology in the criminal justice system? Describe some of the controversial issues criminal justice policymakers face when considering an expansion in the use of DNA in criminal justice.
One controversial issue facing criminal justice policymakers when considering an expansion in DNA use is the question regarding how much autonomy should police agencies have with regards to using this type of evidence? Questions around this concern stem from possible misinterpretation or misuse due to lack of training or technical knowledge needed for proper use; furthermore issues relating to bias which may arise if certain demographics are overrepresented in databases used for forensic analysis could potentially lead to unlawful outcomes if left unchecked. Additionally there is debate over when collecting a personâs DNA should be considered appropriate; some argue it should only happen after conviction while others insist on collecting DNA upon arrest regardless if charges are filed or not due its effectiveness at solving cold cases quickly - raising further concerns around civil liberties (including Fourth Amendment Rights) being violated through overly aggressive policing tactics which target certain populations deemed unfavorable by law enforcement officials leading towards unfair profiling practices which could potentially go unnoticed until they cause irreparable harm against individuals/communities who were unjustly targeted because their profile matched criminals' characteristics . Finally there remains controversy over who owns DNA samples collected from individuals: do private companies have ownership rights since they provided product/technology used for sample gathering? Do law enforcement agencies have control even though samples were taken without express permission from subject?? Ultimately this type legal gray area needs clear direction before expansion on DNAs usage becomes widespread otherwise abuses will occur creating dangerous situations where innocent people get wrongfully convicted due faulty interpretation arising from poorly configured software programs utilized by police departments â thus putting victims at risk .