NCJ Number
203769
Date Published
1999
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the various ways the United States is combating random and illegal gunfire, with a focus on two promising technologies: gunshot detection and interactive notification.
Abstract
Gun-related violence increasingly plagues communities across the United States. The past half decade has witnessed many senseless atrocities in which guns were used to kill. Statistics related to the impact of guns and gun-related violence on the American people are offered. Current programs and legislation related to curbing gun-related violence are reviewed and include 1994’s Brady Bill, which requires a waiting period and a background check for pistol buyers, and sentence enhancements for offenders who use a gun during the commission of a crime. The article argues that while this type of legislation, which is intended to control the sale and make of firearms, is necessary, it is insufficient in itself to control gun violence. In order to combat random gunfire in our communities police departments are increasingly relying on state-of-the-art technologies to help in the prevention and detection of criminal activities. The merging of two technologies offers police critical information to be used to help detect and locate gunfire. ShotSpotter, by Trilon Technology, LLC, is a gunshot location system that can accurately detect and locate gunfire in order to help police improve their response time when investigating gun-related incidents. Trilon Technology partnered with Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC) and Bradshaw Consulting Systems, Inc. (BCS), to integrate ShotSpotter with DDC’s The Communicator and BCS’s geographic interface to offer a wealth of information very rapidly to police on the street. Some of the advantages of this integrated system include the capabilities of immediate identification of gunfire; a geographical display of the location; rapid notification of the events to the police in the field; and confidential participation aspects allow citizens to relay incident-related information securely. California’s Redwood City Police Department was the first in the country to use ShotSpotter, and it proved to be a highly effective tool. As a result of the impressive results from ShotSpotter, Redwood City has recently integrated The Communicator and BCS’s geographic interface into its emergency response and community policing efforts. Exhibits offering a detailed look at these technologies are included. Table, exhibits, references