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By Greg Bartlett

GPS systems, especially vehicle tracking systems, are becoming more popular in court rooms in many different cases, but especially in criminal cases. These systems can be used to track suspects, which helps the law enforcement officer follow their movements from a safe distance. Previous offenders may be forced to wear a GPS tracker on a bracelet or anklet so that officials can make sure that they are not getting into more trouble.

GPS systems have already been used in investigations and to help law enforcement officers make arrests. In one case in California, a suspect of several convenience store holdups was being monitored with a vehicle tracking device. When he held up another convenience store, the tracker proved that he had parked two blocks away from the store around the time of the holdup and left a few minutes after. This information from the tracker was used along with DNA evidence and a search warrant to make an arrest.

One of the many kinds of GPS systems also helped in the convicting of a man in New York, changing the charge from reckless endangerment to murder. This information was used to prove that George Ford purposefully murdered the babysitter that he had hired instead of accidently as he claimed. This tracking device, which had been planted by the man’s suspicious wife, provided information that contradicted what the man claimed had happened.

Because GPS systems are still relatively new, many questions are popping up about the privacy laws that GPS systems may be infringing upon, but no one can argue that these systems have not been very instrumental in several criminal cases. Lawmakers as well as the courtrooms will continue to evaluate these systems and their various uses to come up with regulations that will help to protect the law-abiding citizens of this country and at the same time bring to justice those that have broken the law and could be dangerous to society.

GPS tracking devices have created a new accountability in families as well as businesses. They also serve to protect the lives of law enforcement officers by allowing them to track the movements of suspects subtly from a safe distance. These systems are also becoming helpful in crime prevention. As these systems become more common and people see how effective they can be in criminal cases, they will be discouraged from criminal activity.