Title: TechBeat Spring 2000 Series: N/A Author: NLECTC Published: April 2000 Subject: Technology in law enforcement pages: 10 bytes: 63KB Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from NLECTC at 800-248-2742. ------------------------------ TechBeat Spring 2000 Dedicated to Reporting Developments in Technology for Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Forensic Sciences ------------------------------ Technology Tells of Torture Christopher Gardner was a bright, 3-year-old little boy. Like most toddlers, he was the picture of wide-eyed innocence, with light brown hair falling in soft curls around a pair of enormous blue eyes. Christopher Gardner was also the victim of what Sullivan County, New York, District Attorney Stephen Lungen called "one of the most horrifying cases of child abuse this State has ever seen." Christopher died at the hands of his mother and two of her friends while living in a small bilevel house in Bloomingburg, New York. According to Lungen, the trio kicked, bit, scalded, punched, sodomized, and twice threw the child down a flight of stairs in a brutal and ultimately fatal 3-hour torture session. Christopher's mother and a male companion were sentenced to life without parole. The third attacker, a woman, pleaded guilty to felony assault. There was one positive note in this otherwise tragic case: Christopher's mother and her companion pleaded guilty to first-degree murder after seeing a computer-generated demonstration of the progression of the child's injuries--a demonstration created by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)-Northeast Law Enforcement Analysis Facility (LEAF). Lungen got the idea for such a demonstration while trying to find a way to successfully use New York's relatively new capital punishment law. "Our death penalty law is very technical," Lungen says. "It has a provision for torture, but the problem was how to prove torture under the statute. To ask for the death penalty, I had to prove the death was intentional and was caused by torture . . . that it was caused by the mother and her codefendant, both with low IQs." Lungen tasked his investigative staff with identifying resources that could assist in implementing technology to address these issues. One of his staff recalled a recent conference during which NLECTC-Northeast conducted an outreach forum. Lungen contacted NLECTC-Northeast and was put in touch with Chris McAleavey, a project manager at the facility. In his initial conversation, Lungen says that he told McAleavey that he "wanted to do a computer-generated presentation where we could progressively overlay injury by injury, starting with the scalp and working from head to toe. That way we could lay in each injury as we talked. It would let us show that he was tortured to death over a period of 3 to 4 hours, rather than in one brief attack. We had to show that even with their diminished mental capacity, these people at some point knew or should have known the ultimate outcome." McAleavey put together a team built on the expertise at LEAF to address the technical aspects of Lungen's request. Roy Ratley, a program manager at LEAF, admits neither he nor his engineers had ever undertaken a project like this. According to Ratley, LEAF typically works with audiotapes, using U.S. Air Force computer technology to identify and reduce background noise and facilitate the identification of dialects, languages, words, or speakers. For more than 2 years, Ratley says, LEAF has evaluated and tested technologies in these areas and found ways to adapt these technologies for use by law enforcement. But despite their lack of direct experience, Lungen says, the NLECTC- Northeast/LEAF team bought the idea "hook, line and sinker." "We didn't even know if it would be admissible in court," he says. "But those fellas and gals took that idea and put it into pictures . . . and it was just unbelievable." The team chose 38 of the prosecutor's hundreds of crime scene and autopsy photographs that depicted the boy's more than 98 separate injuries. After scanning the photos into a computer, the team methodically removed the injuries and manipulated the photographs to look like natural, uninjured skin. They then put the injuries back in. For example, one photograph showed an uninjured arm, while the next showed the grisly bite mark of one of Christopher Gardner's attackers. "It was very time-consuming," Ratley says. "The biggest impact was that each of our engineers took a body part. One individual worked only on the arms, another only on the back. I got the facial area. It didn't really hit me until I started pulling the injuries off that what emerged was a child's face." At first, although one of the suspects pleaded guilty to felony assault, the boy's mother and male companion maintained their innocence even in the face of first-degree murder charges--charges that carried the death penalty. "I was definitely going to get murder two," Lungen says. "Could I get it to murder one? The defense said, 'No.' But our evidence came about pretty well. This display helped push it over the top." According to Lungen, both suspects abruptly changed their pleas during the jury selection phase of the trial, after their defense attorneys viewed the LEAF presentation. They pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole. Says Lungen, "I'm a little D.A. in a little county. I don't have a lot of resources. I don't have a lot of advanced technology that I can spend fortunes on. I'm also not a big-shot politician. But I asked NLECTC- Northeast for help and they were wonderful. They welcomed us with open arms. It wasn't because of what we could do for them. It was because they had a way to help us. You have no idea how appreciative a guy like me is for that." The Gardner case was an opportunity to demonstrate a new technology, one that ultimately helped lead to the passage by the New York State Assembly of the Christopher Gardner Memorial Act which, if passed by the New York State Senate and enacted into law, will toughen penalties against those convicted of child abuse. It also saved Sullivan County a significant expenditure of money by keeping the case out of court. The Law Enforcement Analysis Facility, Ratley says, offers demonstrations to the criminal justice community in a unique way. "We adapt military technology, testing and evaluating it for use by law enforcement. We don't build products for sale," he says. "We build ideas." For more information about the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Northeast or the Law Enforcement Analysis Facility, call 888-338-0584. For additional information relating to the Christopher Gardner case, call Sullivan County District Attorney Stephen Lungen, 914-794-3344. ------------------------------ Taking the Stab Out of Stabbings The safety of America's corrections officers is about to be augmented by efforts to keep British police officers safe while on duty. One of the major hazards encountered by every corrections officer in the United States is an attack by an inmate armed with a sharp-edged or pointed object. In England, where criminal use of handguns is not prevalent, it is the police officer who also faces assaults by individuals wielding knives, ice picks, and the like. Although the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has led the way in establishing body armor standards relating to ballistics, for its work with stab-resistant body armor NIJ got a helping hand from the Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) of the Home Office in the United Kingdom. According to Kirk Rice, program manager of weapons and protective systems at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Office of Law Enforcement Standards, NIJ became involved with PSDB through an initiative of the U.S. Secret Service, which also has a keen interest in standards for stab-resistant vests. "NIJ is leveraging the research that has already been done by the PSDB," Rice says. "The United Kingdom has a strong program in the stab area. That's because handguns are not much of a threat there, but knives are. We needed their expertise in the knife area so we decided to work with them and supplied them with some equipment and information in the earlier stages of the testing." PSDB looked at the actual mechanics of stabbing, Rice says. Researchers developed an "instrumented" knife blade--that is, a knife blade that could measure the thrust and energy of a stab. In the first series of tests, 500 young, healthy male recruits tried out the blade, stabbing from a variety of directions and using a number of techniques: roundhouse, overhead, jab, and double- and single-handed stab. Using information from the instrumented blade, researchers could determine the kind of energy a human being was capable of delivering. To their surprise, PSDB researchers found that the energies delivered were higher than expected. They suspected the higher numbers could be due to the knife's large built-in handguard, which was incorporated into the knife for safety reasons. PSDB then conducted a second series of tests and took into account that any number of factors can affect the act of stabbing someone. "With a gun, it doesn't really matter who shoots it," Rice says. "What's delivered is always the same. A knife is different . . . depending on the knife's design and a person's technique, strength, attitude, coordination, and body position." By watching high-speed videotapes of the stabs and by examining data collected from the knife, PSDB found that, in the act of stabbing, each subject's hand slipped on the handle, toward the handguard. "In the act of stabbing, the human hand will slip a bit," Rice says. "And as you bear down on the target, you have even more slippage. The handguard the PSDB employed allowed more energy to be delivered. But, in reality, a knife is not going to have such a large handguard." Through the second series of tests the energy load applied to the handguard was measured and then discounted. The resulting "stab energy" number was calculated to be 43 joules. According to Rice, one joule is roughly the equivalent of 1 foot-pound of energy (a 1-pound weight dropped from a height of 1 foot delivers 1 foot-pound of energy). PSDB, he says, determined that for the highest level of protection, a vest should be able to withstand 43 joules of energy, allowing no more than 7 millimeters, or about one-fourth inch, of penetration. PSDB also required a 50-percent overtest, in which the same vest was tested at 65 joules and allowed no more than 20 millimeters of penetration. Rice says that in 1999, PSDB issued a stab-resistant standard for vests to be worn by its law enforcement officers. The agency defined two types of blades--both of which are professionally engineered and made of good quality steel, like a kitchen knife--as being representative of the typical threat on the streets of England. The NIJ stab-resistant body armor project looked at the PSDB research and its standard and adopted the segments that represented the threat to American law enforcement and corrections officers. The NIJ standard, which will be published this year under the title NIJ Standard-0115.00: Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor, puts stab-resistant vests into two categories. What differentiates each category is the kind of threat it is designed to stop, Rice says, not the amount of energy it takes to deliver it. One category of protection stops "engineered," or high-quality blades, such as kitchen knives or those purchased at sporting goods stores or gun shows. This category represents the threat typically found on the street. The second category is specific to vests that stop the type of improvised weapons commonly found in correctional facilities, those of lower quality material that have been sharpened on concrete or some other type of rough surface. Within each category are three levels of protection: the first level stops 23 joules of energy, the second stops 33 joules of energy, and the third stops 43 joules of energy. For example, Rice says, a prison administrator might wear a vest designed to stop improvised weapons and wear the 23-joule vest, while a corrections officer on a high-security unit would probably wear a 43-joule vest. Although NIJ relied heavily on PSDB's research, the new standard also has the input of the National Armor Advisory Board and the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council, both of which are advisory groups to NIJ's National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system. To receive a copy of the upcoming standard, NIJ Standard-0115.00: Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor, contact NLECTC-National, 800-248- 2742. For more detailed information relating to the development of the NIJ standard, contact Kirk Rice at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Law Enforcement Standards, 301-975-2757. ------------------------------ How "Less" is Less Than Lethal? LTL . . . It means less than lethal. It means not using deadly force to bring a violent or noncompliant individual into custody. It, however, does not always mean that the individual is subdued without trauma or injury. So just how safe, how effective, are LTL devices? The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is trying to take some of the guesswork out of the use of LTL devices, specifically incapacitating, nonpenetrating projectiles, also known as blunt trauma weapons. "It's called our Blunt Trauma Program, part of our Less-Than-Lethal Technology Program," says Sandy Newett, NIJ program manager. "We have funded studies that are examining the effectiveness of blunt trauma projectiles and the physiological impact they have on the human body." There are a number of LTL devices on the market, but manufacturers do not always include scientific validation of the effectiveness or safety of their devices, Newett says. One reason is that these types of studies can add considerable development time and money to a device, sometimes delaying its entrance into the commercial market for years. Newett says, however, that, according to anecdotal information and some preliminary operational data, most blunt trauma instruments, such as rubber bullets or bean bag rounds, work well. NIJ wants to add to that level of confidence with the addition of studies that provide scientific, statistical, and operational verification. In one of these LTL studies, Sgt. Ken Hubbs of the San Diego Police Department's (SDPD's) Special Response Team is looking at the types of incidents in which blunt impact projectiles are used. Hubbs has been following the use of less-than-lethal devices since 1987--the result of a number of officer-involved shootings in which the subjects were armed with something other than a firearm, such as a baseball bat, knife, stick, shovel, or some other type of nontraditional weapon. SDPD wanted to find a way to disarm these suspects without the use of deadly force. After much research, testing, and study, the department determined the type of low-lethality munition it preferred. Hubbs, however, continued his LTL research. With the help of NIJ funding, he teamed up with a criminology researcher and has been collecting data from agencies around the country to study the use and effectiveness of blunt impact projectiles. With data from more than 600 incidents, this study will provide a database of information, everything from the type of incident to the kind of projectile used, to whether or not it worked, to type and extent of injuries. "They're looking at whether the suspect was a 250-pound man or a 100-pound woman, what happened during the incident, whether alcohol or drugs were involved, along with a variety of other factors," Newett says. "Preliminary data have revealed that about 61 percent of the incidents in which a blunt impact [LTL] projectile was used involved 'suicide by police.' This is when a suspect attempts to force police [to use lethal means] to kill him. More information will be available when the study is published." In another study, a biomechanical surrogate developed by the automobile industry is being modified and validated for LTL blunt trauma. NIJ is focusing specifically on the chest area to determine the level of trauma caused by relatively high-velocity, low-mass blunt-impact projectiles (automobile tests look at low-velocity, high-mass impacts). In addition, research from the sports arena, specifically baseball, is adding to the knowledge base. "You can calculate the kinetic energy of a device," she says. "However, this may only give you a clue as to what kind of injury you might get. And even then, it's not been validated scientifically or operationally. The biomechanical surrogate will provide that information at a level of confidence for blunt trauma weapons that hit the chest. We can then provide the information to law enforcement and corrections." Another NIJ-funded study is looking at the various empirical and theoretical models that have been previously used to predict the probability of injury. This study is building on similar work already done by the military and will examine the strengths and weaknesses of each model. The final component to the Blunt Trauma Program, Newett says, is the development of the ring airfoil projectile (RAP). (See "NIJ Takes the RAP," in TechBeat, Winter 1998.) Created more than 30 years ago by a U.S. Army engineer, this 21/2-inch, 1-ounce rubber ring flies straight at about 200 feet per second. Its impact on the body has the feel of being hit by a fastball thrown by a major league pitcher. The ring has cavities that can be filled with pepper powder, which is expected to make the device much more effective. In its initial incarnation, the RAP was fired by a launcher-adapter that fit over the barrel of a M16A-1 rifle and was propelled by a 5.56mm low-grain blank cartridge. NIJ's work has been to create a new kind of launch device. According to Newett, the engineering on a pistol-grip launch system that fires the RAP from a single-use cartridge is nearly complete and will be ready for demonstration sometime this summer. For more information on NIJ's Less-Than-Lethal Technology Program or the Blunt Trauma Program, contact Sandy Newett, 202-616-1471. For a copy of "NIJ Takes the RAP," call the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, 800-248-2742, or log on to the center's Web site, JUSTNET, at www.nlectc.org. ------------------------------ PDQ: Tracking Down a Vehicle Poking around an auto junkyard can now be considered a scientific expedition . . . when it involves a new database that treats automotive paint like a fingerprint. Called the Paint Data Query, or PDQ, this database uses records of automotive paint samples analyzed to pinpoint the manufacturer, make, model, and year of a suspect vehicle. A National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-funded collaborative effort between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), PDQ takes the analysis of a paint sample and, like AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), compares it to its database of known samples. PDQ then generates a hit list of possible makes, models, and years, including whether the vehicle is a car or truck; the plant where the vehicle was manufactured; and the chemical and structural analysis of the sample. In addition, the software for the PDQ program is free, with one condition. User agencies supply street samples--paint samples taken from junkyards or crime scenes--to the FBI or the RCMP for analysis and inclusion in the PDQ database. Samples from crime scenes are accepted provided the source of the sample has been validated with a vehicle identification number. According to Lynne Lamoureux, PDQ project team supervisor of the RCMP Forensic Laboratory's Chemistry Section in Ottawa, Ontario, the PDQ project has been under way since 1996. It was built on the RCMP's original vehicle paint chip database, developed 25 years ago. "It [the original database] was the same type of thing," Lamoureux says. "It was a collection of paint samples, the individual layers of which were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. The data were stored on the RCMP mainframe until the moment came when the database took up too much space. The project was 'kicked off' the mainframe, but in 1993 a program was developed to run on a PC." While an RCMP programmer worked on developing the PC-based program, a group of forensic scientists from the United States and Canada, who were members of the Scientific Working Group for Materials Examination (SWGMAT), decided that something needed to be done to help investigators solve hit-and-run accidents. Requests for proposals were sent out, and though a number of proposals were returned, development costs were in the millions of dollars. However, an RCMP representative to SWGMAT mentioned that the RCMP was already working on a vehicle paint sample database with an estimated development cost of less than $1 million. Now in its fourth year, with funding from NIJ through the Office of Law Enforcement Standards, PDQ contains more than 9,000 paint systems encompassing more than 33,000 layers in a database that can differentiate vehicles based on the paint's chemistry, color, and the number and sequence of layers. (A paint system is composed of a number of distinct paint layers.) PDQ uses the data from such methodologies as microscopic examination, infrared spectroscopy, and topcoat color verification. It also utilizes the Munsell¨ numbering system to assign a color to undercoats. The database includes most domestic and foreign manufacturers and most of the vehicles marketed in North America after 1973. More than 60 percent of the samples have come from the street. The rest were submitted by manufacturers. To add to the database, in 1998 the RCMP developed agreements with the German Forensic Science Institute and the Japanese National Police Agency. These agreements provided for the use of PDQ in Europe and Japan in exchange for data and samples collected from the European Economic Community and Japan. This resulted in an additional 1,500 samples a year. By 1999, PDQ had been accepted as the database standard by 22 European countries, all of which agreed to annually provide data and samples. This kind of international cooperation has made PDQ the only worldwide, comprehensive database of automotive paint. In the United States, PDQ is used by city, county, and State laboratories. In exchange for the database, agencies are required to collect 60 street samples annually. The FBI coordinates the U.S. samples; Lamoureux and her team of four scientists coordinate those collected in Canada. "In the beginning, we relied heavily on manufacturers to supply us with the finished product," Lamoureux says. "Manufacturers tend to be reluctant to give away the recipe of their paints, so we do the analysis and rely on our infrared data. We still rely on the manufacturers for samples, but we also collect street samples from the vehicles themselves. These street samples help to 'check' the information and samples provided by the manufacturer." PDQ was instrumental in solving a Washington State hit-and-run accident, Lamoureux says. Investigators did not have the PDQ database in-house and so faxed their laboratory's analytical data to the RCMP. The result was a hit on a Canadian manufacturing plant that was a joint venture between General Motors and Suzuki. Produced at the plant are the GM Tracker, the Suzuki Sidekick, and four other models. PDQ gave investigators all six models within a range of six model years (1994- 1999). The investigators then enlisted the help of the media, which put out a call for information. They struck pay dirt when a body shop employee who was working on a damaged Sidekick read about the investigation and called the police. Subsequently, the owner of the vehicle was questioned by investigators. She admitted she was the owner and driver of the suspect vehicle. Lamoureux adds that it is important to clear a case very quickly because people involved in hit-and-runs tend to get their cars repainted. "If a car is repainted, it depends on how the repainting is done," she says. "If the vehicle is completely sanded down to the metal, you could not prove it was the same one. You also have to be careful in your investigation. In the Washington case, the unknown paint sample had the same structure as the suspect vehicle but it also had the same structure as every other nonrepainted white Suzuki Sidekick and GM Tracker in the city. PDQ does not narrow the search down to one specific vehicle." Agencies interested in using PDQ must be trained by the RCMP or the FBI. Once training is completed, they receive a CD-ROM that includes spectral data derived from infrared analysis, a text-based search tool, a series of manuals, and a code book for the various vehicle makes and models. The CD-ROM is updated every 6 months. "The manuals tell you which vehicles are in the database and which ones are not," Lamoureux says. "Because we don't have every make, model, and year, we ask agencies to try to target those holes when they collect samples. Our requirement is that agencies or lab systems collect 60 samples every year, but that may change. In the beginning, we only had 14 agencies using PDQ. But now we've trained 50 agencies in the U.S. and all the labs in Canada, and interest is growing. We have tons of samples, so we're being a little picky so we can fill the holes in the database. As we train more agencies, we may change the number of samples we require. This is a decision that will probably be made by SWGMAT in conjunction with the RCMP and the FBI." Agencies have to pay for a Munsell color system, which is a book of color chips with numbers assigned to each color. The Munsell system allows investigators to compare the chips to a sample of the undercoats and assign a number to it that corresponds with the PDQ database. Agencies also must buy the Sadtler SearchMaster, a program that searches for the spectral data for each layer. For more information about the PDQ database and its components, call 888-841-5111 in the United States or 613-998-6044 in Canada. Or, e-mail Lynne Lamoureux at Lynne.Lamoureux@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. ------------------------------ TechShorts Technology News Summary TechShorts presents a sampling of article abstracts that are published weekly as part of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center's (NLECTC's) online information service: The Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary. Offered through JUSTNET, the World Wide Web site of NLECTC, this weekly news summary provides synopses of recent articles relating to technology developments and initiatives in law enforcement, corrections, and the forensic sciences that have appeared in newspapers, news magazines, and trade and professional journals. The summaries also are available through an electronic mailing list, JUSTNETNews. Each week, subscribers to JUSTNETNews receive the summary directly via e-mail. To subscribe to the JUSTNETNews/Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary, e-mail your request to asknlectc@nlectc.org or call 800-248-2742. Please note that providing synopses of articles on law enforcement and corrections technology or the mention of specific manufacturers or products does not constitute the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Justice or NLECTC. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the NLECTC Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology News Summary should be cited as the source of the information. Copyright 1999, Information, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. Camera Enforcement To Catch Red-Light Runners Business Wire In a number of States, including New York and California, tests involving automatic camera use have yielded positive results in regard to reducing the number of drivers who run red lights. The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) has found that when law enforcement uses automatic cameras to track the license plates of offenders, the rate of red-light running decreases. FHA believes using this method could lead to a 20-percent to 60-percent decrease in red-light running. Video Visiting Is Latest Jail Trend Los Angeles Times Jail facilities across the United States are turning to video set-ups as a solution to security and smuggling risks associated with visits to inmates. While the Federal prison system has not installed video systems and only the Hawaii State prison system uses one, numerous county jails in Florida, California, and other States are replacing face-to-face visits with safer, cheaper video conferences. The Santa Clara County, California, Department of Corrections public information officer, Bryan Peretti, predicts that the trend will increase despite complaints from inmates and the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project that the system practically eliminates the purpose of a visit. In most jails that use video visits, the inmate and the visitor are in separate rooms or even buildings, which does away with the need to search either person before and after a visit, which in turn reduces the burden on prison staff. Cutting staff is one way the system saves money, but another source for cost savings through video visits is that jails do not need to erect expensive security facilities for visitors. In all, about 12 jails in the United States have instituted video as an option or a requirement, says Michael Black of Datapoint Corp., which manufactures the systems. John Boston, a prisoner rights advocate, decried the trend and suggested that inmates who cannot see their families face-to-face are more apt to commit more crimes when they are freed. A New Look at Old Crimes Los Angeles Times The recent fall in the homicide rate in Los Angeles has allowed detectives to take another look at older unsolved homicide cases for which they did not have enough time when the murder rate was higher. In addition, there are new technologies today, such as computer databases and DNA tests, that help police solve crimes that were committed before the technology was available. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), homicides are down in the city, from 1,092 in 1992 to 424 in 1999, and the reduction in murders is area-wide, allowing detectives to solve older crimes on their downtime. LAPD has said that the work has been the decisions of the detectives and officers involved, and there has been no special directive from the department itself. The new technology available to detective forces has put the burden on the LAPD Scientific Investigation Division (SID) to determine DNA evidence from genetic material collected at older crime scenes that has had no use until recently. The older cases, however, must wait while evidence from newer ones is analyzed, as SID is limited in its resources as well. Greg Matheson, assistant director of the SID crime lab, believes that in addition to the DNA samples analyzed for 550 cases in 1998, the unit has a backlog of 200 cases waiting to be investigated. Besides DNA and ballistic analysis machines, fingerprinting has improved due to the advent of a machine in 1986 to scan fingerprints in terms of geometric patterns, a much quicker and more accurate method than used before. But the most important factor has been increased time for detectives to spend investigating old murders through interviews and examining old evidence that has lain dormant while the homicide rates were at their highest in the early 1990s. Although the cases are usually more expensive and time consuming to investigate, all involved believe that the moral necessity of the work precludes any thought of economics. State Will Expand DNA Sampling of Felons at Start of 2000; Any Felon Released or on Probation Will Have To Submit to a DNA Test Wisconsin State Journal As of January 1, 2000, every felon released or on probation will be forced to submit DNA samples for Wisconsin's DNA databank. Wisconsin is expanding the use of DNA because the "technology is more affordable," according to Wisconsin's State Attorney General Jim Doyle. Doyle proposed the expansion earlier in 1999, and his idea was supported by the State government with an allotment of $1.25 million in the 1999-2001 State budget to be used specifically for this task. Wisconsin has been collecting all sex offender DNA since 1993, and Doyle says that adding all felons will more than double the DNA database, increasing convictions of repeat offenders. Over the last 6 years, the DNA databank has helped solve approximately a dozen sexual assault or homicide cases. In several of the cases, the perpetrators would have remained unknown because of the lack of any other evidence. Deputies To Test Tiny Videocams Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has implemented a trial period for the latest law enforcement technology: body-mounted cameras. Fourteen deputies have been equipped with special vests outfitted with a black box visible on the chest, which houses a camera, a power source, and an antenna that transmits to a recorder in the trunk of their cruisers. If the pilot program proves a success, Sheriff Lee Baca will make them mandatory throughout the department. Some issues still need to be worked out, among them, privacy rights, the possibly overwhelming production of tapes (up to 295,000 per year), and that the cameras are only used at the deputies' discretion. But the department hopes that the tapes will be useful in court, boost public awareness of what the deputies are doing, and allay fears of racial profiling. "This system will ensure we're stopping people for the right reasons," says Baca. Digital Video for ATM Security Catching On American Banker Banks are increasingly junking their videotape systems and replacing them with digital video storage devices to increase automated teller machine (ATM) security. Several large banks, including Wells Fargo and Chase Manhattan, are piloting the new technology at various ATM locations. Security experts say that digital video storage, where images are saved as computer files instead of on videotape, allows images to be viewed thousands of times at the same quality and avoids the deterioration that comes with pictures stored on videotapes, which can often fade and become fuzzy after only five uses. New regulations in New York, spurred by an attack captured by an ATM camera whose tape quality was too poor to aid police, require that videotapes be reused only 12 times and be discarded after 1 year of operation. The regulations also encourage banks to find other ways to ensure image quality is improved. Although digital video storage systems are about 50 percent more expensive than analog videotape systems, many proponents contend that they will cost banks less money in the long run. It's Getting Tougher To Be a Bad Guy; Nez Perce County Sheriff Uses Grants To Purchase High-Tech Crime-Fighting Tools Lewiston Morning Tribune COPSMORE, a Federal grant of $269,000, is enabling the Nez Perce County, Idaho, police to install technology upgrades. New upgrades include equipping sheriff vehicles with laptop computers, a high-tech fingerprint scanner in the county jail, computerized mug shots, and a bar code machine to tag evidence and inventory. Sheriff Randy Kingsbury says the new technology will allow the police to do a more efficient and safer job. The automation of manual tasks should allow deputies, sheriffs, and staff more time to focus on other tasks. The county is paying the $62,000 difference between the cost of the equipment and the grant. [Editor's note: COPSMORE (Community Oriented Policing Services- Making Officer Redeployment Effective) provides funds to acquire new technologies and equipment and hire civilians for administrative tasks. For more information about COPSMORE, contact the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at 202-514-2058 or access www.usdoj.gov/cops/.] ------------------------------ Innovative Technologies for Community Corrections Conference Denver, Colorado -- June 1 - 2, 2000 Topics Include: --The application of innovative technologies in community corrections. --Practical applications of technologies. --Live demonstrations from developers and vendors. For more information and a registration form, please contact Joe Russo or Sue Kaessner at 800-416-8086. Registration forms must be submitted by May 5, 2000. Hosted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center - Rocky Mountain ------------------------------ All About TechBeat TechBeat is the award-winning flagship publication of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system. Our goal is to keep you up to date on technologies currently being developed by the NLECTC system, as well as other research and development efforts within the Federal Government and private industry. TechBeat is published four times a year. Managing Editor, Rick Neimiller; Contributing Editor/Writer, Lois Pilant. Individual Subscriptions: TechBeat is available at no cost. If you are not currently on our mailing list or need to change your mailing label information, please call us at 800-248-2742 or e-mail us at asknlectc@nlectc.org. Department Subscriptions: If your division, department, or agency has more than 25 individuals, we can drop ship as many copies as you require. All you have to do is provide us with the quantity needed, a shipping address (no post office boxes, please), and a contact name and telephone number. Your only obligation is to disseminate them once they arrive. If you require fewer than 25 copies, please provide us with the names and addresses of individuals who are to receive the newsletter and we will send copies directly to them. Contact Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor, at 800-248-2742, for additional information or to subscribe. Article Reproduction: Unless otherwise indicated, all articles appearing in TechBeat may be reproduced. We do, however, request that you include a statement of attribution, such as: "This article taken from the Fall 1999 issue of TechBeat, published by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, a program of the National Institute of Justice, 800-248-2742." Photos: We are always on the lookout for good-quality photographs that depict the many aspects of the law enforcement, corrections, and forensic sciences communities and illustrate the tasks and situations they face on a daily basis. Photos should be in either color print or color slide format. Prints should preferably be 5 inches by 7 inches or larger. Duplicate prints/slides made from the originals--and not the originals themselves-- should be sent, as we cannot accept responsibility for prints/slides that may be damaged or lost. Appropriate credit will be given to contributing photographers when their work is published. Please include your name and daytime telephone number when submitting any photographs. Contact Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor, at 800-248-2742 for additional information. Questions/Comments/Story Ideas: We welcome all questions, comments, and story ideas. Please contact Rick Neimiller, TechBeat managing editor, at 800-248-2742, or e-mail to rneimiller@nlectc.org. ------------------------------ From the Director, Office of Science and Technology Law enforcement, courts, and corrections officials and officers working in the field know how crucial technology is to their day-to-day operations. In some circumstances, having the right tool can even mean the difference between life and death. The technological revolution that has swept society as a whole in recent years has also affected the criminal justice system. Some technologies that not long ago seemed advanced--vests that can stop bullets and electronic monitoring of probationers--today seem commonplace. But the revolution continues apace, with ever more spectacular advances now being made, or in the testing stages, or on the drawing board. As the research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has, since its founding 30 years ago, been in the forefront in sponsoring the development, testing, and demonstration of technology to improve the justice system. The development of DNA testing standards, soft body armor, and improved fingerprint evidence collection are some of the many areas in which NIJ has played a leading role. More recently, with strong support from the Administration and the Congress, NIJ has accelerated the pace of its efforts. Less-than-lethal technologies to minimize the use of force, computerized mapping to pinpoint and analyze crime patterns, concealed weapons detection to prevent violence, methods of stopping fleeing vehicles to apprehend suspects, and improvements in DNA laboratories to aid in evidence testing--all these capabilities, and others, are now being explored by NIJ. Their application can mean even greater transformations in law enforcement operations. TechBeat plays an important role as an essential link communicating the latest information about these developing technologies from the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center. By keeping law enforcement, courts, and corrections personnel current about the tools they can use, the newsletter makes a difference in controlling crime and ensuring justice. David G. Boyd, Ph.D. Director Office of Science and Technology National Institute of Justice ------------------------------ The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center is supported by Cooperative Agreement #96-MU-MU-K011 awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Analyses of test results do not represent product approval or endorsement by the National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice; the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce; or Aspen Systems Corporation. Points of view or opinions contained within this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Office for Victims of Crime. ------------------------------ NIJ Technology Institute for Law Enforcement July 23-28, 2000 Washington, D.C. Agenda: Provides participants the opportunity for continued education on existing and developing technologies related to law enforcement and for problem solving through technology implementation and lessons learned. Registration: Contact the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-National at 800-248-2742 or visit the NLECTC World Wide Web site at www.nlectc.org. Deadline for applications: May 19, 2000 ------------------------------ Surf Our Site --Information on new technologies, equipment, and other products and services available to law enforcement, corrections, and the criminal justice communities, including access to a database of more than 4,000 available products and technologies. --Online News Summary includes article abstracts on law enforcement, corrections, and forensics technologies that have appeared in major national newspapers, magazines, and periodicals and on national and international wire services and Web sites. --Publications from NIJ and NLECTC that you can view or download to your system. --Interactive Topic Boards that allow you to post questions and exchange information with hundreds of professionals in their specialty areas. --Frequently Asked Questions that offer detailed information based on thousands of calls to our information specialists. --Calendar of Events that lists the latest upcoming meetings, seminars, and training. --Links to other important law enforcement and corrections Web sites. For help in establishing an Internet connection, linking to JUSTNET, or finding needed technology and product information, call the NLECTC Information Hotline at 800-248-2742. www.nlectc.org ----------------------------- The 'Center System' The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), responding to recommendations by the law enforcement and corrections community, converted its Technology Assessment Program Information Center (TAPIC) into the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system. Created in 1994 as a component of NIJ's Office of Science and Technology, NLECTC's goal, like that of NIJ, is to offer support, research findings, and technological expertise to help State and local law enforcement and corrections personnel do their jobs more safely and efficiently. NIJ's NLECTC system consists of facilities located across the country that are colocated with an organization or agency that specializes in one or more specific areas of research and development. Although each NLECTC facility has a different technology focus, they work together to form a seamless web of support, technology development, and information. NLECTC-National 2277 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: 800-248-2742 Fax: 301-519-5149 E-mail: asknlectc@nlectc.org The National Center, located just 30 minutes north of Washington, D.C., is the hub of the NLECTC system. It provides information and referral services to anyone with a question about law enforcement and corrections equipment or technology. Its staff manage the voluntary equipment standards and testing program that tests and verifies the performance of body armor, metallic handcuffs, shotguns, and police vehicles and tires. This office produces consumer product lists of equipment that meets a specific set of performance standards and also operates JUSTNET (Justice Technology Information Network), an Internet World Wide Web site that provides links to the entire NLECTC system and other appropriate sites, as well as assistance to those seeking information about equipment, technology, or research findings. NLECTC-Northeast 26 Electronic Parkway Rome, NY 13441 Phone: 888-338-0584 Fax: 315-330-4315 E-mail: nlectc_ne@rl.af.mil NLECTC-Northeast is located at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome Research Site (formerly Rome Laboratory), on the grounds of the Griffiss Business and Technology Park. The center sponsors research and development efforts into technologies that address command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence. This center draws on the expertise of Air Force scientists and engineers in its development of technologies that can be used to detect weapons concealed on individuals, an effort that is expected to yield stationary equipment for use in buildings and handheld devices for field and patrol officers. Other areas of research and development include through-the-wall sensors, audio processing, image processing, timeline analysis, computer forensics, secure communications, and command/control. NLECTC-Southeast 5300 International Boulevard North Charleston, SC 29418 Phone: 800-292-4385 Fax: 843-760-4611 E-mail: nlectc-se@nlectc-se.org Two of the focus areas of NLECTC-Southeast are corrections technologies and surplus property acquisition and distribution for law enforcement and corrections. The center facilitates the acquisition and redistribution of Federal surplus/excess property to State and local law enforcement and corrections agencies. The equipment must be used for law enforcement purposes only. Utilizing the JUSTNET Web site, the center educates law enforcement and corrections professionals about Federal surplus and purchasing programs. The efforts of NLECTC- Southeast have resulted in agencies receiving equipment they would not ordinarily have access to or might not have been able to afford due to budgetary constraints. This facility also studies the needs of corrections agencies. It is guided in this mission by a committee of criminal justice, law enforcement, and corrections practitioners that identifies requirements and sets priorities for research and development. NLECTC-Southeast is allied with the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR). NLECTC-Southeast's other areas of focus include information management and technologies, simulation training, and designated special projects. NLECTC-Rocky Mountain 2050 East Iliff Avenue Denver, CO 80208 Phone: 800-416-8086 or 303-871-2522 in the Denver area Fax: 303-871-2500 E-mail: nlectc@du.edu Located at the University of Denver, NLECTC-Rocky Mountain focuses on communications interoperability and the difficulties that often occur when different agencies and jurisdictions try to communicate with one another. This facility works with law enforcement agencies, private industry, and national organizations to implement projects that will identify and field test new technologies to help solve the problem of interoperability. NLECTC-Rocky Mountain also houses the newly created Crime Mapping Technology Center, the training and practical application arm of NIJ's Crime Mapping Research Center, which is staffed by NIJ social scientists and scholars who utilize crime analysis research to improve police field operations and develop crime-mapping software for small, medium, and large departments. The Rocky Mountain facility also conducts research into ballistics and weapons technology, as well as information systems. Sandia National Laboratories has been designated as a satellite of NLECTC-Rocky Mountain. The laboratory works in partnership with NLECTC-Rocky Mountain and focuses on technology for detecting and neutralizing explosive devices (Operation Albuquerque). NLECTC-West c/o The Aerospace Corporation 2350 East El Segundo Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90245-4691 Phone: 888-548-1618 Fax: 310-336-2227 E-mail: nlectc@law-west.org NLECTC-West is housed on the grounds of The Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit corporation that provides technical oversight and engineering expertise to the Air Force and the U.S. Government on space technology and space security systems. NLECTC-West draws on The Aerospace Corporation's depth of knowledge and scientific expertise to offer law enforcement and corrections the ability to analyze and enhance audio, video, and photographic evidence. In cooperation with The Aerospace Corporation, this NLECTC facility also has available an extensive array of analytic instrumentation to aid in criminal investigations, such as a scanning electron microscope, an x-ray microscope, and a mass spectrometer, all of which are used to process trace evidence. Its other areas of expertise include computer architecture, data processing, communications systems, and identifying technologies to stop fleeing vehicles. Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC) 225 Broadway, Suite 740 San Diego, CA 92101 Phone: 888-656-BRTC (2782) Fax: 888-660-BRTC (2782) E-mail: brtcchrisa@aol.com The Border Research and Technology Center works with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Customs Service, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California to develop strategies and technologies that will facilitate control of the Southwest border. One of its most recognized accomplishments has been the implementation of SENTRI (Secured Electronic Network for Travelers' Rapid Inspection). BRTC also works on joint ventures to identify technologies that will stop fleeing vehicles and is currently participating in a project to detect the heartbeats of people concealed in vehicles or other containers. Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8102 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8102 Phone: 301-975-2757 Fax: 301-948-0978 E-mail: oles@nist.gov Supported by NIJ, the Office of Law Enforcement Standards applies science and technology to the needs of the criminal justice community. While its major objective is to develop minimum performance standards for equipment and technology, which NIJ promulgates as voluntary national standards, OLES also undertakes studies leading to the publication of technical reports and user guides. Its areas of research include clothing, communications systems, emergency equipment, investigative aids, protective equipment, security systems, vehicles, and weapons. It also develops measurement methods for analytical techniques and standard reference materials for forensic scientists and crime labs. Since the program began in 1971, OLES has coordinated the development of nearly 200 standards, user guides, and advisory reports. Housed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, OLES works closely with NLECTC-National to conduct tests and to guarantee the performance and quality of equipment used by police and corrections. Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) Wheeling Jesuit University 316 Washington Avenue Wheeling, WV 26003 Phone: 888-306-5382 Fax: 304-243-2131 E-mail: oletc@nttc.edu The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, a program of NIJ, is located at Wheeling Jesuit University. OLETC's mission is to work with industry, manufacturers, and laboratories to facilitate the commercialization of technologies for the law enforcement and corrections marketplace. OLETC provides special services and assistance to innovators, entrepreneurs, universities, Federal and other laboratories, and U.S. manufacturers nationwide in commercializing technologies that will enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and corrections practitioners. A national partnership is being developed to provide a continual pipeline of innovative products, concepts, and value-added services that will expedite the commercialization of new products and services needed for State and local law enforcement and corrections communities. OLETC has directly assisted in commercializing several innovative products, including the RoadSpike [TM], a novel vehicle-stopping device; Tiger Vision [R], a special low-cost, handheld night vision device; an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Training Kit; and the Counterpoint Stab and Slash Protective Vest. OLETC has identified more than 70 additional emerging technologies and concepts that are currently being evaluated for possible commercialization. National Center for Forensic Science University of Central Florida P.O. Box 162367 Orlando, FL 32816-2367 Phone: 407-823-6469 Fax: 407-823-3162 E-mail: natlctr@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu The newest addition to the NLECTC system, this facility is housed in the University of Central Florida and initially will focus on arson and explosives research. Its mission is to conduct fundamental research into the basic nature of fire and explosion reactions, provide the support to develop standard protocols for analyzing arson and explosion debris, promote the use of electronic media to access and exchange information about the forensic sciences, and provide educational opportunities to practicing professionals and full-time students. This new facility will draw on the experience and expertise of the university, which houses a forensic science program with an active research program, as well as the Institute of Simulation and Training, which is currently exploring ways to simulate explosive reactions to study various chemical processes. ------------------------------ New Publications The following publications are available from the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-National: Office of Justice Programs Technology Resource Guide. This first-of-its-kind resource guide, coming this summer, delivers valuable information on law enforcement and corrections technology programs and activities of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, including available technologies; funding sources and demonstration programs; equipment standards, testing, and evaluation; current research and development initiatives; and training. National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center Publications Catalog 2000. This document provides a listing of NLECTC and other government publications of interest to law enforcement, corrections, and forensic science practitioners. Categories include communications, forensics, less-than-lethal weapons, protective equipment, and weapons and ammunition. NLECTC Tests Autoloading Pistols for Law Enforcement Use. This bulletin summarizes test data and results from NLECTC's recent evaluation of 23 models of autoloading pistols in accordance with Autoloading Pistols for Police Officers, NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A). It also includes the Autoloading Pistol Consumer Product List (CPL), which lists all models that were tested and found to comply with the requirements of the NIJ standard. Equipment Performance Report: 1999 Autoloading Pistols. This report provides a complete listing of the test data obtained during NLECTC's recent evaluation of autoloading pistols to determine their compliance with NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A). The report contains test results and data from 23 models of autoloading pistols, provided by 8 manufacturers. Understanding Wireless Communications in Public Safety, A Guidebook to Technology, Issues, Planning, and Management. This guidebook was developed to help unravel the issues, terms, and options surrounding wireless communications. The publication targets managers who are responsible for funding and/or managing communications at their agencies, but who have little or no technical background in wireless technology. TechBeat, Winter 2000. This TechBeat features an innovative training program for bomb technicians; Sandia National Laboratories' "vulnerability analysis" project for prisons; and the Infotech initiative, a project that allows officers at fixed or mobile locations to enter queries and search databases in other jurisdictions. To obtain any of the above publications or to receive additional copies of the TechBeat newsletter, write NLECTC, P.O. Box 1160, Rockville, MD 20849-1160; telephone 800-248-2742. Publications can also be downloaded from JUSTNET at http://www.nlectc.org. ------------------------------ Sign Up To Receive Free Reports From the National Criminal Justice Reference Service In addition to funding the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, NIJ supports the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), an international clearinghouse on crime and justice information. NCJRS staff respond to reference questions, provide referrals to other resources, distribute NIJ and other Office of Justice Programs (OJP) documents, and maintain a mailing list of more than 45,000 registered users. In addition, NCJRS sponsors the NIJ Criminal Justice Conference Calendar at http://www.ncjrs.org/calendar, which lists conferences and meetings of interest to the criminal justice community. If you are interested in signing up for the NCJRS mailing list, you may request a registration form using any of the following methods: Fax-on-Demand. Dial 800-851-3420, select option 1, then option 2. The registration form is #1 on the document index. The form will be faxed to you immediately. Fax. You may fax your request for a registration form to 410-792-4358. You will receive a form promptly in the mail. E-mail. Send an e-mail to askncjrs@ncjrs.org and request a registration form. It will be sent to you in the mail. Write. Send a written request to NCJRS, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849- 6000. Call. You may call an NCJRS information specialist and request a registration form. The number is 800-851-3420. As a registered user, you will receive the bimonthly NCJRS Catalog, the quarterly NIJ Journal, and selected reports based on your criminal justice interests. For more information about NIJ and NCJRS, visit their Web sites: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij and http://www.ncjrs.org. ------------------------------ Technology Acquisition Assistance Night Vision Goggles The Problem: Pay $2,000 to $5,000 for a quality night vision device (NVD) and hope it doesn't break. Repairs can range from $500 to $2,000. Or, purchase a less expensive NVD and sacrifice quality, plus face the possibility of having to send it out of the country for repairs. The Solution: A loan-lease program for night vision devices at a yearly cost of $300 per unit. Law enforcement and corrections agencies now have the opportunity to acquire NVDs with a commercial price of $4,300 for just $300 per year under a loan-lease program sponsored by the Crane, Indiana, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NAVSURWARCENDIV Crane). Called the Night Vision Systems Law Enforcement Support Program, this initiative puts high-quality night vision goggles (model AN/PVS-5) refurbished to military standards into the hands of departments large and small. These goggles are excellent for incidents where suspects are hiding in wooded areas at night. If the goggles need to be repaired at any time, NAVSURWARCENDIV Crane will immediately ship a replacement at no additional cost, resulting in minimum downtime for the department. As new versions of the goggles become available, the center will replace the AN/PVS-5s with upgrades at no additional cost. In addition, the center has included in the program the repair of agency-owned night vision and thermal imaging equipment at actual repair cost. In the future, NAVSURWARCENDIV Crane plans to extend the program to include light-intensifying handheld night vision scopes and pocket scopes. The $300 fee covers refurbishing and administrative costs. Who To Contact: Preferably, requests for enrollment in the Night Vision Systems Law Enforcement Support Program should be faxed on department letterhead to Steve Roberts, Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, 812-854-1701. The fax should include the number of officers in the department, number of goggles requested, and a point-of-contact and phone number. For program-specific information, call Steve Roberts at 812-854-5847.