Criminology

The evolution of the internet has traversed all aspects of the society and it is no wonder that the very technology which has been used to commit crime has been turned by the law enforcement agents to aid in tracking and solving of the criminal activities. The internet has enabled the law enforcement agencies to obtain crucial data and carry out its obligations in a much more easier and convenient manner than before. The advent of the internet has gone a long way in carrying out useful tasks such as crime-mapping, corrections, parole, and probation. It has also been used by the detectives in handling major events such as emergencies, protection and prevention of criminal activities in the society. This paper is going to look at some of the ways the internet has been used by the law enforcement agents in the provision of solution to criminal matters.

The internet as a solution to crime
The internet has been used by the law enforcers in solving crimes that occur in distant places. Pictures that are circulated in popular web sites can be useful in tracking down fugitive suspects who are on the run. For instance, Ryan Millss online photo was responsible for his arrest and shooting of his two accomplices. The law enforcement agents may access certain information online that is not accessible to the public. According to Heffernan, Accurint.com is a Web site designed for law enforcement, and information on the site says it allows the law enforcement agents to access billions of records at a click of a button (Heffernan, 2006 Para 4). Investigators claim that such sites like the Accuritin.com have eased their tasks. These sites help the police to track the activities of individuals including gang members.

In other instances, the police have been able to use information on the social networking internet sites including Facebook and MySpace in curtailing crime. In one of the incidences, the police in Auburn, Maine had a Facebook page up for a period not exceeding three weeks and this was enough to solve a vandalism case leading to the arrests of suspects. The law enforcement agents have also been trailing Web sites such as MySpace, YouTube among other social sites in search for photographs and any incriminating evidence that individuals may be posting on their pages. The law enforcement agents have also been involved in the creation of fake profiles in an attempt to catch the sexual predators with a lot of success. The use of the social networking sites in the fight over crime is not exclusively used in the US as Interpol hailed the technology in its annual international symposium on fugitives. According to Robert Schwartz, who is the executive director of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, many police departments are going to adopt the technology. There is a notion that if the social networking sites are used to catch up with former classmates and friends, why not to find criminals The social network technology just shows how the internet has been adopted by the police and other detectives in providing solution to the criminal activities in our society.

In the United Kingdom, a new internet game was launched allowing supper snooper players to plug into the countrys CCTV cameras and snitch on actual members of the public in criminal activities. The game known as internet Eyes will involve players scouring thousands of CCTV cameras that are fixed in different places across Britain in search for criminals. There is a cash prize of up to  1000 for the player who catches the most number of criminals every month. The camera owners, who include the police, shopkeepers, and the local authorities, will then have to pay a fee in order for the users to watch the footage. In this regard, stopping the crime had to incorporate the incentive of winning the money prize. The players will collect points through the watching of the cameras showing the CCTV footage in real time. They then will be required to click a button on seeing something suspicious taking place. An SMS or text message is then relayed to whomever that is in control of the camera for an action to be taken. The controller then returns a feedback on whether a crime has actually taken place or not. This game will encourage individuals to watch the CCTV cameras and crime reporting is bound top increase.

Conclusion
The advent of the internet has gone a long way in aiding the solution of crime in the world. New technologies that have come up with the internet can be credited for their contribution in enabling the law enforcement agencies deal with criminal activities with a lot of ease than previously thought. With the few examples elaborated above, it can be argued that the internet technology when well utilized will definitely go a long way in helping reduce the crime being witnessed in our society.