NCJ Number
203687
Date Published
2003
Length
25 pages
Annotation
After summarizing the research evidence on how new technologies have affected police work and police organization in Great Britain, this chapter analyzes the impact of technologies in changes in the structure and culture of policing; these results are interpreted in terms of theories of technological change and the opportunities for policing reform.
Abstract
The focus of the discussion is on information technology, which has enhanced the capacity of police to collect, retrieve, and analyze information. Modern information management technologies have redefined the value of communication and technical resources, institutionalized accountability through built-in formats and procedures of reporting, and restructured the daily routines of operational policing. The impact of technology on the culture of policing, however, appears to be less significant. The capacity for a more responsive and problem-oriented approach to policing has not been fully exploited, because the technological orientation of policing is toward the use of information primarily for the purposes of arrest and conviction. Efforts to change policing from an incident-based, reactive, and unreflective approach to a more analytical, proactive, and reflective one have not met with great success. This suggests that giving police access to computers, increasing the range and quantity of information that is stored electronically, and automating what were previously manual processes will not necessarily increase organizational effectiveness or change how policing is conducted by an agency. Mobilizing technology for better policing requires linking technological developments to a strategy of planned organizational change that explicitly indicates the types of competencies and work practices that are to be encouraged and supported by organizational resources and reward structures. 6 notes and 79 references