10 June 2004
Science and crime: Keeping one step ahead
DNA identification, CCTV surveillance, national databases and drug analysis – advances in science and technology are allowing the police to prevent crime and catch criminals in ways that weren’t possible a decade ago. This has undoubtedly contributed to the 25 per cent fall in crime seen between 1997 and 2003 in England and Wales.1 New and refined techniques are continually emerging from the scientific community to further this trend, not only to increase convictions and reduce the rate of age-old crimes, but also to combat crimes that themselves use new technologies, such as Internet crime and gun offences. This seminar will present some of the latest developments in physics, chemistry and biology that will help us to keep one step ahead of crime over the coming years. It will also discuss some of the problems of interfacing the two very different disciplines of science, which works on probabilities and risk, and law, which prefers hard facts and numbers. For example, what should be considered when making laws based on science and when using scientific evidence and expert witnesses in court? Finally, the seminar will address the ethical issues surrounding some uses of new technology in crime prevention, such as surveillance systems.
The Institute of Physics is a leading international professional body and learned society, with over 37, 000 members, which promotes the advancement and dissemination of a knowledge of and education in the science of physics, pure and applied. The Royal Society of Chemistry is the largest organisation in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences. Supported by a network of 45, 000 members worldwide its activities span education, science policy, and the promotion of the chemical sciences to the public. The Institute of Biology is the professional body for UK biologists, supporting the bioscience community through its network of more than 14, 000 members and over 60 specialist learned Affiliated Societies.
1
The UK Home Office. Crime in England and Wales 2002/2003. July 2003.