Technology and Communication in Criminal Justice Essay Example for Free

Technology and Communication in Criminal Justice Essay Technology affects our everyday life. Technology also affects the criminal justice field, especially in communication. The criminal justice system has different databases thanks to technology. These databases do things that humans wouldn’t be able to do or wouldn’t have the time to do. Two specific types of databases are AFIS and Iris scan. AFIS (also known as IAFIS) stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification System. AFIS is just that, a database created to keep track of fingerprints. Iris scan is the scanning of the iris as a method to identify people based on unique patterns within the ring-shaped region surrounding the pupil of the eye. Even though we use technology every day it can also have its drawbacks. Technological advancements will always come with positives and negatives. A positive is that technology makes life easier for everyone who works in the criminal justice field. A negative would be if a form of technology breaks down or there isn’t any electricity to keep it up and running. AFIS is one of the most important and commonly used databases available to officers. This special database searches the fingerprints of over 74 million subjects in the National Criminal History Record File. AFIS is a system that compares fingerprints. It isnt precise enough to make a final determination on a case but what it does do is cut out all of the people whose fingerprints dont compare very closely to the initial fingerprint at hand. This is a huge asset to the criminal justice system because its probably close to impossible for an officer to sit and compare a million different fingerprints to one single one without the probability of overlooking the correct fingerprint. As humans we are more open to errors where as databases are more reliable with the information they give out. The AFI system comes up with a short list of candidates and the officers can compare that short list instead of 74 million other fingerprints. Another very important and extremely reliable database is the Iris scan which came around in about 1994. The name of the Iris scan pretty much describes itself. Iris scan is the scanning of the iris as a method to identify people based on unique patterns within the ring-shaped region surrounding the pupil of the eye. The color of the iris is different from person to person. If looked upon closely you would be able to see the complex patterns of the iris that make each person unique. The iris is like a snowflake, no two are alike. Since every iris is unique and different it is a perfect way to identify people and it  is harder for people to commit identity fraud since it is an internal organ. A sophisticated high resolution camera is used to take one or more images of the eye. The images are then put into a matching engine where it searches a database for similar irises. This database can search thorough millions of images per second, something physically impossible for a human being to do. Because of this, the technology behind the iris scan is very important to the criminal justice system. The AFIS and Iris scan databases are similar in some ways but also very unique each in its own. These databases can do things in a matter of seconds or minutes that are physically impossible things for offic ers to do in any acceptable amount of time. Both of these types of technology make cases and work life easier for every officer using them. The AFIS and Iris scan make information available to officers as well. They both have to do with peoples unique and distinct body parts so they are able to separate one subject from the other like other databases can’t. They are different because AFIS deals with fingerprints while Iris scans deal with the iris in the eye. Also, a fingerprint can change slightly over time whereas an iris stays the same for the most part throughout someone’s life. Fingerprints are more commonly used though mostly because they are more cost effective. Fingerprinting is also faster and easier to do. In my opinion, technology in the criminal justice field has made communication so much better and easier. Even though technology makes things easier and faster it still has its drawbacks. One of the many positive effects of technology is that communication in the criminal justice field goes around much quicker. At their disposal are technological advancements like faxes, internet, and email. All three can help get information to other counties or stations a lot fas ter than if that technology wasn’t available. For example, if there is a man that is wanted and on the run an officer can fax over the information and a picture to another county. The same officer can also send out a massive email to other stations and counties to keep the eye out for the suspect. An email or a fax can be done in a matter of seconds to just a few minutes. If it wasn’t available the officers would have to depend on phone calls or snail mail which just doesn’t do the job a fax or email with an attached picture would do. The internet is also at their disposal and it is completely stocked with information of great magnitudes. With any great things there are drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks of fax, email or internet is if there is no power. If there is a shortage or a blackout these types of technologies are no longer available for use. They all depend completely on electricity and without it cannot function. There is also the problem of breaks or glitches. There are times when internet or email runs very slowly because of glitches. There could also be a problem with the cords that doesn’t let the internet be used. A fax machine or computer can also easy break or get damaged. They can give out at any given time and will need to be repaired. Sometimes it is easier to use technology but not always convenient. As can be seen, technology is a part of our everyday life. Thanks to technology many useful databases are available to the criminal justice field. Two specific types of databases are AFIS and Iris scan. Technology is used every day but it can also have its many drawbacks. Technological advancements will always come with positives and negatives. A positive is that technology makes life easier for everyone who works in the criminal justice field. A negative would be if a form of technology breaks down or there isn’t any electricity to keep it up and running.

Coke: Behind the Image Essay -- Soft Drinks Papers

Coke: Behind the Image Almost everywhere I go, I see advertisements for â€Å"The Real Thing.† Even during my trip to Mozambique, a country stricken with poverty where the people rarely speak English, native children knew how to ask for their favorite drink, available just down the road at the street vendor‘s hut. Created in 1885 by pharmacist John Pemberton, Coca-Cola has evolved from a tonic peddled by traveling salesmen to cure headaches and hangovers, to one of the most recognized and most widely enjoyed beverages of all time (Oliver 14). On average, North Americans drink at least one serving of Coke per day (CSPI sc1). With over two million dollars spent every year on advertising and with very competitive prices, Coke is appealing to and affordable for people of all ages and financial situations. Although most people believe that Coke is the ultimate companion to a good time, that Coke promotes freedom and fun, that it tastes good and poses no threat to the health, I now see that with its aggressive advertising and inherent health risks, Coke has a hidden agenda to create young addicts and further people’s illusion of control. In 1885 Coke was originally trademarked as the â€Å"Ideal Nerve and Tonic Stimulant,† containing cocaine, wine and kola nut for flavor, and sold in drugstores (Oliver 13). Later, the wine was removed and the cocaine was replaced with caffeine. The beverage was then bottled and sold â€Å"within arm’s reach of desire,† a new concept by Coke businessmen who wanted Coke to be available wherever people were thirsty (Oliver 14). From the early 1900s on, Coke has kept growing, remaining in the top ten lists for both preferred beverages and highest sales (CSPI sc... ...4. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. Manning, Steven. â€Å"Branding Kids For Life.† Nation 20 Nov. 2000:7. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. â€Å"Myopia.† Nutrition Action Health Letter Dec. 1998:16. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. Oliver, Thomas. The Real Coke, the Real Story. New York: Random House, 1986. Sampey, Kathleen. â€Å"Coke Shifts Not-So-Funny Ad Tack, Reaches For Teens in Next TV Push.† Brandweek 9 Oct. 2000:5. Academic Search Elite. Palni SiteSearch. Goshen College Good Library. 9 Mar. 2002. â€Å"Save Harry.† Nov. 2001. CSPI. www.saveharry.com/bythenumbers.html 29 Mar. 2002 Watters, Pat. Coca-cola. An Illustrated History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1978.

Dominican Republic: From a Colony to the Caribbean’s Largest Tourist Destination

After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821 under the rule of a former colonial judge who maintained the system of slavery and limited rights for the mostly mulatto and black population. The ruler, Jose Nunez de Caceres, intended that the Dominican Republic be part of the nation of Gran Colombia, but he was quickly removed by the Haitian government and â€Å"Dominican† slave revolts. Victorious in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, Dominicans experienced mostly internal strife, and also a brief return to Spanish rule, over the next 72 years. The United States occupation of 1916–1924, and a subsequent, calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio Vasquez Lajara, were followed by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina until 1961. The civil war of 1965, the country's last, was ended by a U. S. -led intervention, and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquin Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy,[4] and has been led by Leonel Fernandez for most of the time after 1996. The Dominican Republic has the second largest economy in the Caribbean and Central American region. [10][11] Though long known for sugar production, the economy is now dominated by services. [4] The country's economic progress is exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system. [12] Nevertheless, unemployment,[4] government corruption, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems. The country also has â€Å"marked income inequality†. [4] International migration affects the Dominican Republic greatly, as it receives and sends large flows of migrants. Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues; the total population of Haitian origin is estimated at 800,000. [13] A large Dominican diaspora exists, most of it in the United States, where it numbers 1. 3 million. [14] They aid national development as they send billions of dollars to their families, accounting for one-tenth of the Dominican GDP. [4][15] The Dominican Republic has become the Caribbean's largest tourist destination; the country's year-round golf courses are among the top attractions. [12] In this mountainous land is located the Caribbean's highest mountain, Pico Duarte, as is Lake Enriquillo, the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest elevation. [16] Quisqueya, as Dominicans often call their country, has an average temperature of 26  °C (78. 8  °F) and great biological diversity. [12] Music and sport are of the highest importance in Dominican culture, with merengue as the national dance and song and baseball the favorite sport. [5]

Tense When Using the Subjunctive Mood of Spanish

Learning not only when to use the subjunctive mood, but which form of the subjunctive to use, can be one of the most difficult parts of learning Spanish verb usage. The rules can appear quite complicated at first, partly because the subjunctive mood is nearly absent in English. But learning the tenses — either in the traditional way of memorizing rules and then applying them or by becoming familiar enough with the language to know what sounds right — is essential to gaining fluency. Four Subjunctive Tenses in Everyday Use In normal usage, Spanish uses the subjunctive mood in a single simple present tense as well as three tenses that can refer real or hypothetical past actions: Present subjunctivePresent perfect subjunctiveImperfect subjunctivePast perfect (or pluperfect) subjunctive Remember that, generally speaking, the subjunctive is used in dependent clauses. Which form of the subjunctive is used depends on two factors: The tense of the verb in the main clauseThe time relationship between the subjunctive verb in the dependent clause and the main verb Although there are exceptions, and the rules of grammar in real life are more fluid than is suggested here, the following list shows the most common (but not only) ways in which the tenses are differentiated: If the main verb is in the present, future, or present perfect tense or the imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the main verb, then the dependent verb should be in the present subjunctive. Example: Espero que comas. (I hope you eat.)If the main verb is in the present, future or present perfect tense or imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the dependent verb should be in the present perfect subjunctive. Example: Espero que hayas comido. (I hope you have eaten.)If the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the action of the main verb, then the imperfect subjunctive is used. Example: Esperà © que comieras. (I hoped you ate.)I f the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the past perfect subjunctive (also called pluperfect subjunctive) is used. Example: Esperà © que hubieras comido. (I hoped you had eaten.) These verbs are often the equivalent of English verbs taking the form of had participle. Note that in many cases there are various ways of translating the sentence to English. For example, espero que comas also could be translated as I hope that you will eat. Because there is no future subjunctive in everyday use, verbs in the present subjunctive form often are translated into English using the future tense. Dudo que me compres recuerdos, I doubt you will buy souvenirs for me. Another Analysis of Subjunctive Tenses Heres another way to look at the sequence of verb tenses: If the main verb is in a present or future tense, use either the present subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action (or presumed action) that has been completed.If the main verb is in a past or conditional tense, use either the imperfect or past perfect subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action has has been completed (or presumably completed) at the time of the action in the main verb. These tenses can seem confusing at first. But as you learn the language they will become second nature. To learn more about this topic explained in a different way, see the lesson on the sequence of tenses. Sample Sentences Using the Subjunctive Tenses  ¿Por quà © preferimos que Siri sea una mujer? (Why do we prefer that Siri be a woman?) Both the main verb, preferemos, and the dependent verb, sea (from ser) are in the present tense. The dependent verb refers to an action that takes place in the present. No estoy feliz que el presidente haya ganado la eleccià ³n. (I am not happy that that the president has won the election.) The present perfect subjunctive is used because the election is a completed action. Sus amigos consolaron a Pablo luego de que à ©l perdiera el juego. (His friends consoled Pablo after he lost the game.) Because the main verb is in the preterite and its action clearly took place after the action in the dependent clause, the imperfect tense is used to refer to the completed action. La doctora negà ³ que hubiera comprado un apartamento en ese edificio. (The doctor denied she had bought an apartment in that building.) The action of the dependent verb took place (or didnt) at an indefinite time, and the main verb is in the preterite, so the pluperfect is used.