The Impact of Digital Surveillance and Artificial Intelligence on Modern Policing: Ethical, Legal, and Criminal Justice Implications
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70829/qbzta420Keywords:
artificial intelligence, digital surveillance, facial recognition, predictive policing, criminal justice, algorithmic bias, body-worn cameras, EU AI Act, law enforcement ethics, data privacyAbstract
Background: The convergence of digital surveillance technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally transformed law enforcement practice in the twenty-first century. Facial recognition technology, predictive policing algorithms, automated licence plate recognition, and AI-enhanced body-worn camera systems are now routinely deployed by police agencies worldwide.
Objective: This review critically examines the ethical, legal, and criminal justice implications of these technologies, drawing on peer-reviewed scholarship, regulatory documents, and empirical evidence published between 2020 and 2025.
Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted, synthesising evidence from criminology, law, computer science, and public policy.
Results: Evidence consistently demonstrates that AI policing tools offer efficiency gains but simultaneously reproduce and amplify racial bias embedded in historical crime data. Legal frameworks lag behind technological deployment, creating accountability gaps. The EU AI Act (2024) represents the most comprehensive regulatory response to date, while the United States retains a fragmented patchwork of state-level policies.
Conclusion: Responsible integration of AI into policing requires binding transparency obligations, independent algorithmic auditing, human-in-the-loop decision requirements, and robust community oversight to safeguard due process, equality, and civil liberties.and providing a prospective outlook on the advancement of construction materials in influencing sustainable, adaptive, and intelligent built environments.
