Advantages of Technology Essay

One of the new technology police officers are taking advantage of are the Stun Guns. Stun gun, hand-held electronic device that produces a high-voltage pulse that can immobilize a person for several minutes with no permanent damage in most cases. It is powered by ordinary batteries, which supply power to a circuit containing transformers, oscillators, capacitors, and electrodes. A Taser works by creating an electrical circuit, a closed path through which electricity travels. A battery in the gun supplies the electricity. When the gun is not in use, the electricity can’t flow through it and complete the circuit, because the two darts are not in contact with each other. But when the darts hit a person, they can stick to skin or clothing. The person’s body then closes the circuit, and electricity flows through it, delivering a powerful shock. A series of shocks can be delivered to the same person, once the darts have implanted them-selves. The strength of an electric curre nt is measured in two ways. One measure, called amperage, is the amount of electricity that flows in the circuit. Amperage is like the amount of water that flows through a hose. The second measure, called voltage, is the amount of force behind the electricity. Voltage is like the pressure of water in a hose. Stun guns are designed to be non-lethal–to have a high voltage but a low amperage. In other words, the guns put a lot of pressure behind low-intensity electricity–like a hose that shoots a thin stream of water. The high voltage allows the current from the darts to jump through even thick clothing, but the low amperage limits the amount of electricity flooding through the body (Jozefowicz, 2006). Supporters say that electroshock guns are a safer alternative to devices such as firearms. TASER International uses the term â€Å"non-lethal† as defined by the United States Department of Defense – which does not mean the weapon cannot cause death, but that it is not intended to be fatal. Non-lethal weapons are defined as â€Å"weapons that are explicitly designed and primarily employed so as to incapacitate personnel or material, wh ile minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesired damage to property and the environment.† Supporters say that electroshock weapons and tasers are more effective than other means including pepper-spray (an eye/breathing irritant), batons or other conventional ways of inflicting pain, even hand guns, at bringing a subject down to the ground with a minimum physical exertion (Agnes, 2004, p. 1423). I am for police stun guns and I believe  stun guns are great because they’re used instead of deadly force, but unfortunately most of the time, they’re used instead of yelling, handcuffing, and repeating instructions. It should be required that the stun gun spray ink on the hands of the person who discharges it, then at least the people would have some incentive to use restraint with them. Or maybe even put a counter on it, so the cop has to write a report of why he discharged it. Stun guns do not kill (except in very odd cases) help protect both the police and the person they are up against from being too hurt. Critics, however, charge that police officers who are r isk-averse resort to tasers in situations where previously they would have used more conventional, less â€Å"extreme† techniques, such as trying to reason with a cornered suspect. Another new technology that not only police officers are taking advantage, but also the public is the patrol car video surveillance. One of the biggest limitations of police officers and other agents of the law is the inability to properly assess a large or dangerous situation in times of need. Errors in judgment about riots, car chases or other instances of civil disobedience could wreak havoc and cause danger to innocent bystanders, participants, or the officers themselves. Video surveillance cameras and other methods of communication between officers provide a valuable solution to a pressing problem. Surveillance methods used by officers and police departments may vary, and can be anything from a video surveillance camera mounted on the dashboard of a patrol car or the skids of a helicopter, to an unmanned aerial drone or a red light camera at an intersection. Each of these surveillance cameras brings a different benefit to police officers and has been valuable in times of need. As freeways and interstate travel became more popular, more and more police officers and state troopers were needed on highways and interstates to control speeding, drunk driving, and other unsafe driving practices like tailgating. As behaviors like road rage became more widespread, unwarranted attacks on officers increased. Dash-mounted video surveillance cameras recorded these attacks and provided evidence in the prosecution of the attackers (Agnes, 2004, p. 1517). A patrol car’s video camera can prove to be a powerful training tool that allows the police to carefully review actual patrol stops, and subsequently help their  officers to identify potential safety or procedural problems that may require modification or improvement. They also help in preparing evidence for court. In regard to stun guns, I believe that many police agencies consider a stun gun as a welcomed alternative to the deadly force of a conventional gun. References Agnes, Michael (2004). Webster’s New World College Dictionary (4th ed.). Cleveland, Ohio:Wiley. Jozefowicz, C. (2006). â€Å"Undue force? Taser stun guns are designed to be nonlethal, but criticssay the guns have killed some people.† Retrieved December 9, 2007, from CurrentScience, a Weekly Reader publication 91.12 (March 3, 2006): 10(5). GeneralOneFile. Gale. University of Phoenix Advantages of Technology Essay Over the past few years, technology has been changing and expanding in every way possible. Even though it might seem like todays technology has reached its limits, that is far from the truth. It was only about twenty years ago that â€Å"personal computers† became small enough and affordable enough to buy and use. Ever since, technology has been changing peoples lives for the better. One way that technology has changed our lives for the better is by making business results faster and more accurate. â€Å"Think back to how business was done a few decades ago. There was no email,Internet, mobile marketing, telecommuting or smartphones. Now communications are instantaneous, huge amounts of information move through email and the Internet and powerful tools are in the hands of owners and employees. Innovations in technology have improved operations at companies of all sizes and helped turn small local businesses into global businesses† says the Houston Chronicle. This shows that the use of technology has had a huge impact on how businesses run, causing a huge increase in economy growth. One other example of an advantage in technology is it has boosted entertainment through games and computer programs. â€Å"Videogame systems such as Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s X-Box have created a boom in at-home gaming. With the growing popularity of smartphone applications, games can now be played almost anywhere.The upside for consumers? They get easy, convenient access to an enormous variety of entertainment, all available whenever they want it. Movie lovers can rent a movie for $1 from their local Redbox during a trip to the grocery store or stream a movie directly through their TV using Netflix or Apple TV. Music fans can listen to their favorite band’s album online while trading digital files of songs with friends† says contributor Elizabeth Blackwell. This shows that technology really has boosted entertainment for people, for the better. We have games, movies, and music right at our fingertips with the touch of a button. I’m sure everyone is not near as bored as they were decades ago! In conclusion, technology truly has changed our lives for the better with all of its amazing advanages. From computers, to phones, to brilliant machines, we’ve got it all! Maybe one day robots will walk with us on earth. If the rapid growth of technology continues, who knows? Anything is possible.