The Impact of Cell Phones on Crime
Cell phones have had a positive and negative impact on crime. They have had more of a positive effect with victims receiving help where they might not have before. The negatives have been the use of cell phones for tools in committing crimes. Unfortunately, the cell phone has had a negative impact on traffic crimes too, such as fatal accidents.
Other People Are Reading
-
Speed Of Crime Reporting
-
Cell phones have become a tool in the speed for reporting a crime. Almost everyone is carrying their cell phone on them when they are out in the community. When a crime is taking place there is no more looking around for the nearest phone, you have one on you. This allows the crime to be reported sooner than it was before cell phones were prevalent. Quicker reporting means a quicker response time by authorities.
Cell Cameras
-
Many cell phones have cameras, which is another feature that is helping in crime reduction. A report in the Oregon News cites cell phones for cutting down on vehicle hit-and-run crimes. People are snapping pictures of the cars leaving the scene and the police are able to track the suspects through these pictures. The pictures also act as evidence for the prosecution of the crime.
-
Tracking
-
Cell phones can be tracked by authorities as long as they are turned on. If an abduction victim has her cell phone on, her location can be tracked and she can be rescued. Police can look at the last phone calls made and received on a missing person's cell phone through the carrier's records. By finding what cell towers picked up these calls, officials will have a starting point for a missing person's last known location. Cell phone records have been used in solving murders and other crimes. In a 2006 article, Law Enforcement.com reports that cell phone records were able to place a criminal at the scene of a fatal shooting, leading to his conviction for the crime. The New York Times reports in a 2009 article that the cell phone tracking has been used for more than a decade and has helped in solving numerous crimes.
Hard To Trace
-
Cell phones, especially the disposable ones, have made it more difficult for police to trace or listen to the calls of known drug king pins and crime figures. Tapping phones used to give authorities many leads and evidence of crime activity. This has been foiled by the prevalent use of cell phones. Drug dealers might get a new cell phone weekly just to avoid these tactics, which could lead to their arrest.
Traffic Crimes
-
Cell phones have been a cause of crime in and of themselves. Despite the many laws and warnings, people are still talking and texting on their cell phones while driving. This is causing numerous traffic accidents, some of which have turned into crimes. When someone dies due to this negligence, arrests are often made for involuntary manslaughter.
-
