Crime Prevention Technology

Crime Prevention Technology Over the years, government agencies have sought ways to combat crime. Our Criminal Justice System is in a state of crisis due to prisons being over crowded. It is better to prevent a crime than to punish the individual for a crime once it has affected more parties. It is evident with the number of crimes reported in the media, instead of reducing the number of crimes taking place, it is increasing. That itself shows the urgency nations attention on crime prevention. Research indicates that certain individuals in society are more prone follow and maintain a criminal career. Furthermore, there appears seems to be with an obvious pattern among the individuals who have been jailed for committing serious crimes. For example men from disadvantaged backgrounds, with disloyal personalities and poor impulse control are regarded as having high risk personality to commit crime. As a result, it is important that Sri Lankan Criminal Justice System recognizes these high risk individuals and implement certain preventative measures to discourage them from a criminal path. 3. Today it has become important more than ever to control these individuals who are seriously damaging the nations will. As indicated by research, there appears to be a strong link between the seriousness of the act (ex, rape, armed robbery and murder etc.) committed by an individual and the number of times these individuals have come into contact with the Criminal Justice System. Therefore, it is easy to assume that the re-offending rates in Sri Lanka would be significantly higher. Hence, it is essential that the governing bodies work towards bringing down the rates of re-offending in Sri Lanka. With the help of modern technology this may become a more attainable goal. AIM 4. To indicate the role and importance of technology to prevent crimes and through that maintain law and order in Sri Lanka EXPLANATION ON CRIME 5. Crime could be defined as a breach of laws for which a countrys Criminal Justice System may ultimately enforce a guilty sentence. Crimes can be classified into felonies, misdemeanours and infraction. a. A felony is considered to be the most serious type of crime and it includes the issues related to assault, murder, rape, robbery etc. b. A Misdemeanours are less serious than felonies. It is therefore distinguished by the length or gravity of the punishment issued to the individual. These include simple assaults, Driving under the Influence of alcohol or drugs (more commonly known as DUI) and disorderly conduct in public. c. Infractions are the least serious type of crime. It includes common traffic offences, breaching speed limits. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME AND TECHNOLOGY 6. Advancement in technology appears to be a double edged sword as it has created a whole new spectrum of crime and this same technology helps the law enforcement combat, prevent to or capture these criminals. For example, in addition to dealing with crimes such as murder, robbery, rape law enforcement agencies are forced to deal with internet crimes such as internet hackers, internet stalkers, internet viruses and the use of the internet to cheat are the example of a few. On a positive aspect this same technology could be utilized to increase the power and range of the law enforcement agencies. For example, technology could be used to prevent certain types crime from happening to ultimately capturing these criminals who have committed the crime. 7. Surveillance videos, fingerprint technology and DNA evidence could also be used in a court of law to help send to prison and punish these individuals without relying solely on human witnesses. There were many experiences and so many stories where that human memory has had devastating influences on certain individuals who were wrongly confined. On a positive note, most of these wrongly accused have since been released from confinement with the help of modern technology such as DNA evidence and fingerprint evidence. WHAT ARE THE CRIMES IN SRI LANKA 8. According to the Sri Lankan Police website, during the year 2010 home invasions, theft and robbery, knife attacks, homicide attempts to commit suicide and grievous harm are among the crimes that predominately committed by the Sri Lankan population are probably indicative only of reported crime as culturally Sri Lankans are less likely to report personal crimes such as domestic assaults, rapes and childhood sexual assaults because of the disgrace attached to these crimes. For example, often people are either too afraid or too ashamed regarding the circumstances and therefore are less likely to seek help and support from authorities. USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO CURB CRIMES IN SRI LANKA AS AT PRESENT AND AREAS TO IMPROVE 9. Technology is already being used to obtain evidence and capture criminals. However, we do not use technology that much, to prevent crimes in comparison to post criminal activities. Law enforcement agencies rely heavily on fingerprinting technology and the Sri Lankan Criminal Justice System had recognizes these advancements in technology. For example, DNA, fingerprinting, through telephone call details, surveillance cameras, digital photos and videos are now recognized in a court of law. FINGERPRINT TECHNOLOGY 10. Fingerprint technology has been used for more than a century and the FBI in America have used fingerprinting technology as far as 1924 in criminal investigations. Even though, Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies didnt use fingerprinting technology that far back in time, but they have relied on this technology for the past few decades of time. 11. Fingerprinting technology is a relatively cheap and it is still considered to be one of the most reliable forms of evidence in a court of law. A persons individual appearance may change with time, but it is impossible to change an individuals fingerprint. That is the main motive for them to rely on this old technology this much. 12. As Sri Lanka is a developing country we are lack with many resources to use and same goes with expensive technology, even which are readily available to use in the first world nations. Fingerprinting technology is relatively low cost, therefore Sri Lanka doesnt need to depend on foreign countries and we have the technology too. That compels us to use it more as it is readily available within the country. 13. Currently, the Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies are in the process of storing fingerprints of criminals who are recognised by the court of law and these fingerprints are stored in databases for easy access and for future reference. The government has recognised the importance of fingerprinting technology. As a result they are in the process of introducing National Identity cards that have an individuals thumb print coupled with other information to help minimise identity theft and for easy identification. BIO METRIC TECHNOLOGY 14. DNA, infrared technology, face recognition are used widely in Western countries. These advanced technologies are used to help basically in preventing unauthorised access to sensitive information or restricted buildings and areas. At present Sri Lanka does not process the resources to use these mentioned technologies even though requirement highly exist. 15. However, DNA technology is used in Sri Lanka mainly to help identify individuals at a crime outlook. It has also been used in the past to confirm an individuals identity. A highly publicised example where DNA was used was during the 2004 Tsunami to identify the biological parents of an infant as several families claimed the infant belonged to them. 16. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka lacks the financial resources to use them on a regular basis. Currently what practise is, after collecting and securing DNA evidence it is sent to a foreign country to obtain the results. This can often be very expensive and highly time consuming. CLOSE CIRCUIT TELEVISION 17. Close Circuit Television or more commonly known as CCTV is relatively new in Sri Lanka. CCTV has the potential to help control criminal and disorderly behavior in community. Research conducted in this area states that CCTV cameras help prevent crime by increasing the chances of getting caught and by further obtaining the evidence required to convict these individuals. Further it would help monitor offenders behaviors and patterns. 18. CCTV cameras may help citizens be cautionary through its presence. For example, research indicates that individuals are likely to be hesitant of committing a crimes commonly happening, such as shop-lifting when they are made aware that all their behaviors and actions are being monitored. Sri Lankan banks and money handling agencies use CCTV to help reduce bank robberies. If a robbery does take place, with its information security personals can activate their contingency plans in preventing robbery is been succeed and even filing so CCTV can then be used to gather evidence. 19. There are five disadvantages in using CCTV, for example it is costly and it can be time consuming to go through the surveillance tapes once a crime has been committed. However, a good surveillance system may help cut down the number of crimes committed. Furthermore, CCTV cameras will help law agencies recognize, catch and convict individuals. It would also help further because, if an individual is caught on camera then there would be no argument as to what is being done. It would become extremely difficult for their layers to argue or make excuses for their behaviors when caught in the action. MOBILE POLICE VEHICLES 20. With the development of the communication, with in a matter of seconds, individuals can inform authorities about a crime, details relating to incidents, regarding a person or any other related issues through a phone. With the introduction of mobile police vehicle system use of that technological advantages have become very effective both for preventives and passive criminal counter actions. 21. It had been used in the past to combat terrorism, because of its rapid and effective accessibility. Same as that it will be effective provided with some improvements to the system. USE OF MEDIA 22. Media plays a vital role in counter criminal activities. We have experienced during the war against the LTTE how effectively it can be used. There were occasions when suspected persons photographs and details were flashed on the screen on televisions, almost immediately and sometimes within a day, the information reached the authorities through vigilant civilians. 23. With the use of media, the authorities could use the population of over 20 million citizens of Sri Lanka to help observe and then report if any criminal activities take place. As it is impossible for governing agencies to monitor everywhere due to the lack of man power and resources it will be an added advantage. Therefore media could be used to distribute current information to the public and authorities could then use information reported by the citizens. 24. As mentioned previously, when it comes to personal crimes from a cultural perspective individuals are less likely to inform authorities. Television programmes such as Thiththa Aththa and Gahaniya use the media to encourage individuals to report and discuss these sensitive issues. On the opposite side of things, the same information that is used to help understand the circumstances of an incident, then it can be used by a criminal to cover his or her tracks. DIFFICULTIES FACED IN USE OF TECHNOLOGY ECONOMY 25. According to recent data, Britain is monitored by 4 million Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras making them the most watched nation in the world. British governing body insists that the use of CCTV cameras should be viewed as being beneficial and protective. Sri Lanka does require a large amount of CCTV systems if it is to cover the required places effectively in entire country. 26. A very basic camera system may cost about Rs. 100,000. As it is very expensive, it prevents Sri Lanka from using the required number of CCTV cameras. This same cost factor affects the use of other effective technologies such as use of DNA or Bio metric technology. LACK WITH KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE AND SKILL PERSONAL 27. Lack of skilled personals and professional knowledge has become another limiting factor in use of modern technology. Sri Lankan education system does not recognise the importance of technology in combating crime with the use of Bio metric technology. 28. There is a huge brain-drain as most educated individuals in this area of expertise are likely to leave Sri Lanka for lack of employment. For example, even if these individuals have the knowledge, as Sri Lanka lacks the infrastructure, required equipment as well as the technology to maintain the level required to have a functioning Bio metric system. This then compels Sri Lanka to depend mainly on foreign technology and expertise. KNOWLEDGE LAPSES AMONG THE CITIZENS 29. Sri Lanka is still a developing country. The ageing populations as well as the citizens in the rural areas in Sri Lanka are not aware of the available technology. For example, our grandparents would not be comfortable using a mobile phone. Even though the younger generation is aware of the benefits computers offer, in comparison to India, Sri Lankas IT literacy rate is comparatively low. 30. Another complication arises in trying to introduce National Identity cards with the thumb print. Even if this technology was introduced, citizens need to be made aware of the basic functions and the methods to use them. LACKS IN INFRASTRUCTURES FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT 31. Infrastructure requirement for sensitive scientific subject like bio metric or commonly known as DNA are not available in the island, for that matter we are totally depended on other countries. This is leading to have more issues with time factor, economic factor and therefore tendency of using these technologies will always with some limitations. 32. Not only the infrastructure, more importantly we do not even have the required equipments. For example we are in a process of introducing an identity card with finger print and with many other details. But to achieve the purpose those authority that are going to check the identity on the ground must be equipped with required mechanism to use the technology. If not having all required data, if those authorities happened to go with manual identification the entire purpose cannot be achieved. TRAINING ISSUE 33. As discussed above, the level of IT literacy is relatively low in Sri Lanka. It would be extremely expensive to train individuals from the beginning and it would also be very time consuming. 34. Training would only be beneficial if the individual chosen is able to understand and remember what is expected of them. However, at the moment it is important to recognize individuals with some basic knowledge and interest in computers. This will help eliminate individuals unsuitable for the training programs. SUMMARY 35. As same as any other field influence of the technology is a factor which is unavoidable for both crime and counter criminal activities. It is well understood that it is better to prevent a crime than to punish the individual for a crime once it has affected more parties. But the available technology that, which we are equipped with is been basically used for post criminal activities. However as at today there is urgency in use of technology for preventive mashers too. Because we are with enough details on that, certain individuals in society are more prone follow and maintain a criminal career. Furthermore, there appears seems to be with an obvious pattern among the individuals who have been jailed for committing serious crimes. 36. Fingerprint technology, DNA or bio metric technology, Circuit Television or more commonly known as CCTV and mobile police vehicle system are used in Sri Lanka in counter criminal activities with many difficulties. Media also plays a vital role in counter criminal activities and again it is a double edged weapon which plays negative role too. 37. Sri Lanka is a developing nation who has many difficulties in case of economy. There for the cost factor is being recognized as the main barrier in using technology against crime. Lack of skilled personals and professional knowledge, lack the infrastructure, lack equipment as well as the technology, training issues are the other difficulties faced by the authorities. 38. Having being identified the areas where, more attention of the authority is highly essential now we have to up lift the awareness of the society to get the proper use of technology in order to achieve our ultimate aim by maintaining countries low and order. RECOMMENDATIONS 39. Sri Lanka is a developing nation. Therefore, we only have access to limited resources. Hence, it becomes important to identify the requirements to prevent crime. It is true that justice cannot be determined by Rupees and cents, however, any changes to the system must be considered with concern for its cost effectiveness. For example, even if certain technologies have been used successfully in Western Countries, it does not necessarily mean that the same technology would be appropriate to use in Sri Lanka. 40. As average citizens may not be aware of the technology available, it may help to have a national wide education programme through the use of media and many other means. This has to be done before introducing any technology which may lead to confusion among the citizens. 41. At the school level children are to be taught about technology and the benefits of computers as we need to train the next generation. In turn this knowledge of the children can be used to educate their families on the same aspect. 42. Sri Lanka needs to enhance its databases. It would be beneficial to recognize and train individuals in computing skills. These individuals could then be used to help collect the most relevant data and help store them accurately for future references. 43. On the other hand the governing body needs an eliminating programme to recognize potential individual that would be of value to them in the future after the training is completed. It is important to realize that as we lack the skill levels and the resources to train these individuals, the governing agencies to need help from foreign countries. The initial cost would expensive but in the long run it would benefit Sri Lanka 44. New technology that such as CCTV is likely to become an essential tool when controlling criminals and their behaviors in time to come. However, it is important that law agencies do not only rely on CCTV cameras to attain this goal. For example, if the police force is aware that a certain area has CCTV cameras installed, they are less likely to frequent that particular area. If an individual gets assaulted in an area that has CCTV, the police may not be able to get to that area in time to help the victim. It is true that, the police could use the video to help catch the criminal after the crime has been committed but unfortunately, this may be of little consolidation for the already victimized individual. 45. If we were to increase the number of patrol cars used, we should focus on the crime-ridden areas. This would help maximize the man power and resources used. It may also help if the patrol cars have access to a cellular phone. These vehicles are to be equipped with GPS to gain more advance passion over counter parties. This way, if a crime is reported, the dispatch centre would then be able to direct the closest patrol car to the area. 46. In response to personal crimes such as rape and domestic assault, media could be used to reach out the average citizens still living in the rural areas. It might help to encourage the younger generations to reach out to their elders regarding this matter. If people are made aware that these issues could be resolved with help, more victims may come forward without worrying about being made ridiculed by their peers. It may also help to start these educational policies at school levels and encourage children to speak to their parents and relations. This may then promote gender and social equality in Sri Lanka.

Ash Wednesday Bushfires

The many natural hazards that have occurred over the years have varied from cyclones to droughts, however bushfires are the main hazard Australia is prone to. A bushfire is an out-of-control fire that burns bush, forest and woodland areas. Australia has had a considerable number of hazardous bushfires, the Ash Wednesday Bushfires of 1983 is one of Australia's most devastating. THE LOCATION: Over one hundred fires broke out between February 16th-18th 1983, eight of which were major fires. These fires swept across regions of VictoJ.Dimovskiria and South Australia causing widespread damage. Figure 1 below is a map of Victoria, the red representing where the fires were formed. The eight major fires were started in the following areas of Victoria: * Cudgee, Ballangeich and Framilingham * East Trentham and Mt Macedon * Otways * Belgrave heights and Upper Beaconsfield * Monivale * Branxholme * Warburton and * Cockatoo GEOGRAPHICAL PROCESSES: CAUSES An ignition flame point is needed for a bushfire to start. This ignition is caused naturally by lightning strikes or by a deliberate/accidental flame for example arson, camping fires or carless behavior. Most of the Ash Wednesday fires were caused by an accidental ignition, for example in Cudgee, Mt Macedon, Monivale and Branxholme. The suspected cause for these fires was the clashing of electrical powerlines with tree branches. Bushfires can be influenced by several factors. It is primarily the weather conditions and geographical processes that dictate the behaviour and spread of a fire. Drought plays an essential part in the environment desiccating determining the spread of a bushfire. Due to lack of rainfall, vegetation such as dry grasses, parched native shrubs and other combustible materials build up and become fuel for the fire to burn. Before the Ash Wednesday fires Victoria suffered 10 months severe drought. The relative humidity also results in the right climatic conditions for a bushfire to occur. If the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere is than 20%, it can cause forest fuels to dry out and become highly flammable. The relative humidity of Victoria was exceedingly low in the months leading to the bushfires. At one stage Melbourne's relative humidity reached as low as 6% compared to the usual 43%. This factor greatly contributes to increasing the speed of the fire. High temperatures are necessary for a fire to occur. Hot air from high temperatures is responsible for helping to lower the moisture content of forest vegetation, making the fuel more flammable. February 1983 was one of the hottest and driest Februarys on record, with temperatures reaching a record 46.1 degrees Celcius. Wind plays a major role in the spread of fires. High winds provide the fires with oxygen to burn resulting in larger and stronger flames. In addition wind can also cause spot fires by blowing embers downwind. The wind movement on February 16 also resulted in many fires merging. Weather conditions such as cold fronts also produce severe bushfire conditions. In southern Australia cold fronts are common and dramatically affect bushfires. Figure 2 shows the cold front as it headed towards Victoria on February 16. When a cold front passes, the wind direction will change about 90 degrees and will also cause very hot, dry winds. Figure 3 and 4 illustrates the cold front changing the direction of the fire, causing the long side of the fire to suddenly become the front. WHY IS THE LOCATION PRONE Victoria is prone to the hazard of bushfires because during summer and autumn Victoria experiences hot, dry climate which causes the vegetation to dry out. Victoria's forests mainly consist of Eucalyptus trees, which contain large amounts of oil making these forests highly flammable. Southern Australia also experiences strong winds in summer, which result in increasing the damage of the fire. Figure 6 on the left shows the areas of Australia that are prone to bushfires. IMPACTS The impacts of a hazard when it strikes a town or region can be very dramatic. The impacts can be categorised into environmental, economic and social impacts. ENVIRONMENTAL The Ash Wednesday fires caused widespread damage to the environment burning over 210,000 square hectares of Victorian land in total and 21,000 in South Australia. The land burnt Dandenong National Park, the Wombat State Forest, pine plantations and the Otways Forest. Although the Ash Wednesday bushfires regenerated the bushland they caused extensive damage to native habitats and also resulted in the death and injury of many animals. The fires also caused changes to biodiversity levels, high levels of erosion, disrupted the water quality in local streams and waterways and also released thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Figure 7 shows the CFA rehydrating a koala that survived the fire. ECONOMIC The economic impacts caused by the Ash Wednesday bushfires were very large. It not only affected the local communities but also the whole of Australia. The total cost of property related damage in Victoria was estimated at over $200 million. In addition the damage to valuable timber in state areas and timber plantations was estimated at over $50 million. All together the cost of damage was over $950 million. A large majority of individuals experienced property loss and many were not insured against bushfire therefore lost all their life savings. Even those who were insured did not receive everything back from insurance agencies and had to make do with what they were given. Figure 8 on the right shows the large areas burnt by the fires SOCIAL IMPACTS The Ash Wednesday bushfires brought death, destruction and hardship on people's lives. Many people were not prepared for a bushfire of that degree. It was the biggest fire Victoria had seen and took many by surprise. The number of casualties was 75 including 13 CFA fire-fighters and many more were injured. There was also the loss of over 2,000 residential homes in Victoria and in South Australia 383 more. Figure 9 on the left is a photograph showing a street of houses all burnt down. The impact of the fires was very difficult on individuals, especially the ones the lost friends and family members in the fires. There were also many health problems caused by the fires, both mental and physical. These health problems were caused from stress, smoke inhalation, asthma attacks and the trauma sustained. â€Å"It was just this bloody great force. It wasn't fire by itself. It wasn't just the wind. It was something different to that†¦a monster† was a statement made by John Baxter. The above statement shows how many residents may have reacted or felt about the fires. POSSIBLE STRATEGIES To protect Victoria and the environment from another disastrous bushfire, some management strategies need to be implemented. These could include: * Local residents should remove any fire prone objects in and around the home for example clearing leaves in gutters and raking and discarding dried leaves around fire seasons. * An education and awareness program could be developed to inform people on the risks on living in fire prone areas. Topics should include how and why people die in bushfires, how to insure their homes against fires and prevention measures. * A warning system should implemented to warn the community on incoming fires. To supplement this an evacuation drill should be put in place so the local communities know what to do in the case of a bushfire. * Local communities should become more involved in forest management and conservation to ensure the future protection of the environment for future generations.

10 Facts About Marsupials

The Out Of The Enclosures, Into The Wild Compromising...

Out of the Enclosures, Into the Wild: Compromising Animal Rights Recently SeaWorld has come under a significant amount of scrutiny in regards to their orca whale program. Their whales have become increasingly aggressive over the years, hurting and even killing their trainers. SeaWorld and other facilities like it claim that they have these programs in order to conserve species and save them from extinction, but is the damage to the mental and physical well-being of these animals worth it? Orcas are considered highly intelligent and social animals. In this paper, I will discuss the problems associated with SeaWorld and why conservation programs are important in order to come to a compromise between freedom and captivity. Orca whales display a wide range of intricate behaviors that indicate a high level of social intelligence (Anderson 1). In the article, Orca Behavior and Subsequent Aggression Associated with Oceanarium Confinement, the authors state, â€Å"We observed in the animals what appeared to be pranks, tests of trust, limited use of tactical deception, emotional self-control, and empathetic behaviors† (Anderson 1). This suggests the orcas have human-like tendencies and that they are very bright. These creatures are friendly, naturally happy, understanding, and relatedly seeking companionship (Wise 937). The orca’s brain has an additional part, the para-limbic cleft, that humans do not have; this suggests that whales have a sense of self and have a sense of socialShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesand reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any formRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesUniversity PROJECT MANAGEMENT: THE MANAGERIAL PROCESS Published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10020. Copyright  © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in