Law enforcement has more tools at its disposal than ever before. New technology allows investigators to find a wealth of information at a crime scene that can not only prove guilt but can assist in finding suspects.
The FBI's National Crime Information Center is at the forefront of these new crime fighting tactics. The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System allows a fingerprint recovered at a crime scene to be matched against millions of fingerprints kept on file. Close matches are then analysized by hand and suspects can then be identified.
Similiarly, a bullet found at a crime scene can be matched against ballistic databases. A gun used in one crime can be linked to another crime. Crimes previously thought to be unrelated, can be linked in this way.
DNA identification is also extremely valuable in solving cases of rape or murder. Many states are now requiring all convicts to provide DNA samples in order to create databases of DNA information.
These powerful tools are rarely used today however. Computer and communication links between the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are weak. New legislation in Congress seeks to rectify this by giving local law enforcement agencies better access to the FBI's computer systems.
Law enforcement ultimately depends of course on having professional, highly trained, competent police officers. In 1995, New York City saw an unprecedented 31% decrease in violent crime. The reason for this decrease was a change in the way police officers think about their job.
"We're not just report-takers. We're the police!" said Police Commissioner William J. Bratton at one of his many pep talks. New York City's new crime control strategy involves cracking down on all crime including "quality-of-life" crimes. According to Bratton, it's the small offenses such as public urination, aggressive panhandling, drinking and carousing, unlicensed street vending, graffiti, and even traffic offenses that invite and pave the way for a dangerous city.
In 1995, New York City saw a 26 percent drop in auto theft, a 21 percent drop in robbery, an 18 percent drop in burglary and a 13 percent drop in grand larceny.
