MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract: The following document is about a federal court case, with a goal of informing students and professionals about how it impacted the criminal justice system, unendingly. The United States v. Jones was one of many monumental cases conducted many do not take the time to truly acknowledge. Jones’ case was unique and its circumstances changed the perspective of not only those working for the system but the entire United States population. All the facts and details of the case, the comparisons, the process, the opinions of those working the case, the outcomes and overall difference the case made for the system are discussed. The most important aspect of this legal brief is the question proposed by many writers like, Professor Stephen Lecker of Duke University, which was whether or not the warrantless use of a tracking device on a persons vehicle to monitor their movements on public streets was a violation of ones Fourth Amendment rights. This final decision of United States v. Jones was not as straightforward as we would have liked it to have been but, it did make superior figures (like judges and justices) in the criminal justice system, consider making adjustments to outdated rulings. Due to the accelerated evolution of technology and how different circumstances are today than they were a long time ago, changes were needed to better assess and accommodate persons facing court. Therefore, this case altered conditions for the greater good.

WC=239

READER'S PROFILE: I imagine a reader that is interested in the case or looking to connect/relate the case to another; perhaps a law/ criminal justice student or professional.

READER'S RESPONSE: The order of the document is very functional. You can go to each section knowing what you will find. All the information is useful and easy to understand although, why include the section about other cases and the opinion of the justices. How is it relevant because, nothing the justices stated made a difference. Why should I really take the time to become familiar with this case if the outcome of the case was not straightforward?

* REVISION *

Abstract: The following document is an overview of a federal court case heard by the United States Supreme Court that impacted the criminal justice system. The United States v. Jones case was about law enforcement conduct, procedures, and usage of electronic devices during an investigation. An investigation against Antoine Jones was initiated after the FBI and law enforcement officers in Washington D.C. suspected that he was trafficking narcotics. Law enforcement officers attached a GPS tracking device to Jones’ vehicle and gathered enough evidence to convict him but, the U.S Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the conviction, finding that Jones’ Fourth Amendment was violated through inadmissible evidence therefore, the United States Supreme Court was faced with a difficult question of how far the government can go in monitoring a person’s movements in an age where modern technology may have eroded a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy. The final decision for the case was that the government’s attachment of GPS to the vehicle was unconstitutional but claimed that the Fourth Amendment was also ill-suited for the digital age. Therefore, suggesting that adjustments need to be made for outdated amendments and rulings in order to better assess and accommodate defendants facing conviction.

WC=189

READER'S PROFILE: A trainee or professional in the law or criminal justice field.

READER'S RESPONSE: The order of the document is very functional. You can go to each section knowing what you will find. All the information is useful and easy to understand although, why do you include the section about other cases and the opinion of the justices? How is it relevant? Also why should I really take the time to become familiar with this case? Why and how would need police procedures benefit society?