Assignment:
Write 400 to 600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas:
Technology and its impact on the admission of evidence
Facial recognition software has come a long way in a short period of time, and is believed by many to provide a technological boost to law enforcement’s ability to identify potential suspects. One of the problems law enforcement often faces today is the availability of photo or video images from a crime, but no way to effectively identify an individual shown on the photo or video.
Research facial recognition software, its reliability, effectiveness, and admissibility.
In addition to your general discussion on facial recognition software, please answer the following questions:
- Is there a consensus in the scientific community on the reliability of facial recognition software?
- Are there any courts that have admitted evidence based on facial recognition software?
- How have courts traditionally dealt with new technologies and their evidentiary impact on the criminal trial?
- What, if any, barriers stand in the way of courts using facial recognition software?
- Do you believe that the admission of evidence based on facial recognition software will ever become commonplace in our criminal justice system? Why or why not?