In This Discussion You Will Explore How Criminal Justice Pro ✓ Solved

In This Discussion You Will Explore How Criminal Justice Professional

In this discussion, you will explore how criminal justice professionals and offenders are using social media. As you create your initial post, consider the following quotation from Sgt. Jason Cullum of the Evansville, Indiana, police department: The use of social media has helped us identify suspects within minutes of an image being posted. The thought of being featured on a social media post is very unappealing to criminals and especially our youth who truly understand the viral nature of social media. Address the following in your initial post: Describe how offenders may use social media. Describe how criminal justice professionals may use social media. Explain why it is important for law enforcement to be present on social media. In response to two of your peers, discuss how the social media use described in the initial post can affect the community. Reference Cognac, C. (2018, May). Social media as a crime reduction tool. Retrieved from To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric .

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Social media has revolutionized the way criminal justice professionals and offenders interact with each other and the community. Offenders leverage social media platforms to facilitate criminal activities, spread misinformation, or intimidate victims and witnesses. They may use social media to coordinate crimes, share illegal content, or establish networks with other offenders, thus increasing their reach and operational security. For example, some offenders use encrypted messaging apps to coordinate drug deals or to avoid law enforcement detection. Furthermore, offenders often post images and videos that can serve as evidence, but they may also use social media to boast about crimes, which inadvertently exposes their identity and criminal patterns.

Criminal justice professionals utilize social media as a vital tool to enhance crime prevention and investigation efforts. Law enforcement agencies use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to disseminate public safety information, solicit community tips, and monitor criminal activity. Social media enables police to engage with the community proactively, providing a platform for transparency and trust-building. Moreover, law enforcement officials analyze social media data to identify suspects, track criminal movements, and gather intelligence that would be difficult to obtain through traditional methods. For instance, social media surveillance has been instrumental in solving domestic violence cases, locating missing persons, and thwarting planned crimes before they occur.

The presence of law enforcement on social media is crucial because it fosters real-time communication with the community. Through social media, police can quickly inform the public about ongoing investigations, safety alerts, and community events, which enhances overall public safety. Additionally, active social media engagement helps to build community trust, dispel misinformation, and encourage citizen cooperation. As Sgt. Jason Cullum highlights, the viral nature of social media can aid in rapid suspect identification, reducing crime rates and increasing community safety. Law enforcement's strategic use of social media also acts as a deterrent to potential offenders who recognize that their activities are more likely to be monitored and identified online.

References

  • Cognac, C. (2018, May). Social media as a crime reduction tool. Retrieved from [URL]
  • Kozlowski, S. (2019). The impact of social media on criminal investigations. Journal of Criminal Justice Technology, 15(2), 45-60.
  • Lipscomb, S., & Davies, S. (2020). Social media and law enforcement: Strategies and challenges. Journal of Policing Studies, 25(4), 389-404.
  • McEneaney, J., & Phelan, R. (2021). Digital crime prevention through social media. Crime Prevention & Community Safety, 23(3), 226-239.
  • Rader, E. (2019). Social media and criminal justice: Opportunities and challenges. Social Science Journal, 56(4), 547-561.

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