Delhi gang-rape: How technology can prevent such cases

BANGALORE, INDIA: 'The India's bravehart' is no more. But is there any guarantee that there will not be another gang-rape in the near future? The Delhi rape case is a classic example of how insecure women are in the country.

Such incidents have happened in the past and are still happening. Isn't there a solution? Of course, there is. Sophisticated and advanced technology can prevent such incidents, if not curb completely. That is possible only with adoption of technology as has been done in other countries.

India has established its presence in the global market for its achievements in IT/ITeS space. Yet, the usage of technology for ensuring law and order in the society is minimal. Stricter laws and fast track courts ensure justice is done to the victim, but it is only with the help of technology, the law enforcement agencies can prevent crimes.

Here are some of technologies adopted by various countries to prevent crime:

1. Hi-tech flashlights: The US Department of Homeland security has developed a hi-tech flashlight, named Dazzler. The Dazzler emits LEDs that can cause immediate immobility through extreme physical imbalance like nausea and disorientation. This flashlight could be used by individuals to deactivate a criminal and run away from the crime spot and call up the police.

2. Car slowdown technology: In this technology, a car or any vehicle could be slowed down to about five miles per hour. Automobile giant General Motors has equipped its cars with a unique in-vehicle safety system called OnStar. The system is GPS enabled and also comes with a vehicle slowdown feature. Cops can direct an OnStar operator to transmit a signal to the car. The signal restricts the vehicle's fuel reserves and slows it down.

3. Deployment of 'Soft technology': Apart from CCTVs, street lighting, metal detectors and other citizen protection devices, the government must deploy 'soft technology' like threat and risk assessment instruments, facial recognition software used along with CCTVs. Software for sex offender registration and a database to profile potential offenders should be maintained.

4. Pan city CCTVs: Our roads and public transport facilities are not covered extensively by CCTVs. Funding of CCTVs is a costly affair, but it is important to ensure law and order in the society. At times, it could also help the police to fight terrorists. Even if some of the public places in big cities in India have CCTVs, most of them are defunct. The functionality of CCTVs must be ensured on a timely basis. China had deployed a 200,000 camera CCTV system that would alert police when inordinate numbers of individuals cluster at one location. China has developed software utilizing China's national ID database and facial recognition software that will allow the police to identify individuals under video surveillance. In 2006, China spent over $3.4 billion on development and implementation of CCTV systems.

5. Predictive Analytics Technology: Researchers are trying to develop a software that tries to determine specific areas in a city that are prone to crime. Through the Predictive Analytics Technology, a police officer can look at a screen displaying a city map. An alert will be generated if crime takes place in any part of the city. Through this technology the department receives data about an assault that is likely to happen in the next few hours. With such readily available information, the police can deploy its forces to the crime spot and prevent crime.