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The police now use metal detectors, CCTV and infra-red equipment.

Since the 1960s, computers have been used to store the vast amount of information gathered by the police. This means that it is now much easier for police to cross-check this information, as well as sharing it between forces.

There is a centralised National Computer Record which includes a database of:

• fingerprints
• DNA records
• vehicle details
• information about missing persons

Forensic technology has led to huge changes to police methods.

The introduction of fingerprint technology in the late 19th century allowed police to build up a national database of fingerprint records. Scenes of crime officers (SOCO) would then ‘dust’ the scene for fingerprints to help identify suspects. Police take a suspect’s fingerprints using ink, or increasingly with electronic scanners.

SOCO now rigorously investigate the scene of the crime, as well as the victim, and the victim’s clothes for traces of hair, skin, dust, clothing, blood, and other bodily fluids. They are then able to identify DNA from these samples, and try to match that DNA with suspects.