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Issues in Criminal Justice and Technology
home > Unit 2: technology in Criminal Justice practice
Tools (continued)
- New devices created beginning
in early 1960s to respond to protests and riots. "The problem
with some of these was that the manufacturers were more interested
in profits than in whether the device actually worked. Safety
and liability issues were not always addressed; the push was
simply to get
a new device to the market.- tear gas (CN) and CS used in response to civil rights and anti-war protests.
- CR gas: 6x potent than CN gas,
20x potent
than CS.
- Other devices:
- Beginning in late 60s, bullet
alternatives:
- Wooden bullets, originally from Hong Kong, designed to be "skip fired," or ricocheted off the ground to strike the combatants in the legs. If fired directly, broke bones or fatal, injured bystanders if they bounced wrong way.
- Rubber bullets were designed so police could outdistance rock throwers: delivered hard blow, caused severe bruising.
- Water cannons: popular in Europe, but not in US.
- Others, such as "Sound Curdler" (speakers attached to helicopters or vehicles and emitted earsplitting shrieks at irregular intervals) were tried, but never really worked well.
- Electronic devices controversial because of association with cattle prods. Perhaps best known is TASER, which shoots pair of tiny barbs, attached to wire. They lodge in suspect's clothes, current flows, short pulses cause series of muscle spasms like a muscle cramp -- person involuntarily loses muscle control. Less accepted now due to Rodney King incident. Stun guns similar but don't shoot the wires. May not be appropriate when officer is in close proximity. High voltage (but it's amperage, not voltage, that's dangerous.
- Pepper spray:
"Many believe that pepper spray is the most effective recent nonlethal tool to find its way into policing. Members of an NIJ-supported Less Than Lethal Liability Task
Group examining less-than-lethal technologies concluded in the fall of 1997 that they knew "of no reason why law enforcement authorities should not continue using OC spray in an appropriate manner and under appropriate circumstances."
- Beginning in late 60s, bullet
alternatives:
Current
efforts:- Most new devices haven't worked
well, and batons have caused problems, so National Institute
of Justice began to address the needs of law
enforcement for nonlethal tools after Tennessee vs. Garner decision.- 1992 and 1993: NIJ initiated series of cooperative agreements, and grants to find out exactly what police needed. Panels of representatives from all levels of law enforcement and criminal justice as well as social scientists and legal professionals. Asked to advise NIJ on the needs of policing, possible less-than lethal tools that could address those needs, and the related social, policy, and liability issues
- DOE's national laboratories and the DOE's Special Technologies programs worked to develop new technologies. \
- Original idea was to find an
alternative to deadly force. "But that effort is now geared
more specifically toward finding
tools and devices that can subdue subjects without harm."
Scientists and researchers have a set of parameters for less-than-lethal tools:- It must improve on a present practice;
- It cannot overburden the officer;
- It must be inexpensive;
- It cannot require extensive training or dedicated manpower;
- It has to work.