Technology is no panacea for custodial deaths
- Recent spate of custodial deaths in TN has again highlighted methods used by police during interrogation.
Custodial deaths in India
- 2001 - 2018: 1,727 persons died in police custody, but only 26 policemen were convicted for such deaths.
- Custodial deaths are common despite enormous time and money being spent on training to embrace scientific methods of investigation.
Technology Available
- Body cameras and automated external defibrillators.
- Deception detection tests (DDTs): polygraph, narco-analysis and brain mapping.
- Brain Fingerprinting System (BFS): Helpful for solving crimes, identifying perpetrators, and exonerating innocent suspects.
- Robots: Police departments are using robots for surveillance and bomb detection.
- Automated interrogation technology called The Automated Virtual Agent for Truth Assessments in Real-Time (AVATAR).
Valid concerns
- Risk of bias, automated interrogation tactics, threat of ML algorithms targeting individuals and communities, and the hazard of its misuse for surveillance.
- Restrictive Tool: While technology available is constantly improving, it is a restricted tool that can’t eradicate custodial deaths.
- Multi-pronged strategy: by decision-makers encompassing legal enactments, technology, accountability, training and community relations.
- Change Evidence Act: Place the onus of proof on the police for not having tortured suspects is important in this regard.
- Draft bill on Prevention of Torture, 2017 needs to be revived.
Conclusion
- Technology may make policing more convenient, but it can never be an alternative for compassionate policing established on trust b/w police and citizens.