FREE online courses on the Basics of a Computer - COMPUTER APPLICATIONS -
Law and Order
The enforcement of law and order
depends to an extent on the availability of up-to-date information. Police
forces make extensive use of the information retrieval capability of computer
systems for this purpose. Records are maintained concerning accidents, vehicle
owners, disqualified drivers, traffic tickets, stolen vehicles, and
fingerprints, criminals, wanted and missing persons, stolen property and drugs.
Some of these records are stored on microfiche. It is important for police in
all regions to have access to these files of information and for response time
to enquire to be immediate; crime is not local and it does not stand still. A
large network of terminals is needed with each terminal linked on-line to a
large central computer system. Networks can be linked together, e.g. through
Interpol, for fast, worldwide investigation of cases of internal significance.
Computer is finding their way into
solicitors and lawyers offices for the purpose of legal data retrieval as well
as for conventional accounting and record keeping. Typically an office is
provided with a terminal link to a vast data bank of legal information
containing statutes, statutory instruments and accounts of past cases. A service
organization is responsible for setting up and maintaining the data bank and
lawyers who subscribe can conduct searches for information helpful to their
client's problems.
