2 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINOLOGY Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2 QUESTIONS IN CRIMINOLOGY - Coursework Example And yet, he had managed to throw one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world in a state of utter shock and disarray. An important lesson that this teaches us is that the criminal mind is constantly evolving and characterizations of criminals can change faster than we think. It is important therefore that the research continues and adapts to the changing times. (Ellis, Hartley, Walsh: 2010). Let me argue three specific reasons as to why criminal justice research is of utmost importance. First, modern technology has given criminals more weapons than ever before and also, more opportunities to commit their crimes. The internet, which just two decades ago, was not seen as a vehicle to commit crime is now a favorite haunt of criminals – from con artists embezzling money from gullible individuals, to pedophiles preying on unsuspecting children or selling child pornography, to even identity theft. Hence, if law enforcement wants to keep with the times, it has to keep abreast of this new technology. Even new ammunition, such as new bomb-making techniques, are developing by the day. Law enforcement will be at a loss if it fails to be apprised of these new developments. Second, the profiles of criminal offenders are constantly changing. For example, new research has surfaced disputing the conventional notion that crime is more often than not committed by young men. In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Research it was found that â€Å"offenders aged 25 and over were responsible for the majority of the crime.† (Diplock and Pleckas: 2010: 1). Criminal justice research must be knowledgeable in these trends in order to do better law enforcement. Thirdly, criminal laws are constantly changing, and procedural due process guidelines can be different now than they were before. Hence, legal updating is in order to ensure that law enforcement officials do not overstep their boundaries or otherwise act in a manner