Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, wearing a face covering in public was limited to a handful of circumstances, such as protecting against cold weather or wearing a mask on Halloween. At most other times, wearing a face mask would raise suspicion, often associated with criminals attempting to conceal their identity from cameras. However, the coronavirus has made face masks a common sight, confounding facial recognition technology intended to catch criminals from camera footage.
The coronavirus, also called COVID-19, has caused many changes to American life, most notably in the form of social distancing rules intended to restrict the spread of the disease. However, even as quarantines begin to be relaxed, the practice of wearing face masks in public may persist, even after it stops being legally required to do so. Partly this is the result of continued concerns about the spread of the virus but is also partly a result of giving people peace of mind, both to themselves and the people around them.
However, this has had the unintentional side effect of making facial recognition technology far less useful as a tool for law enforcement. Face masks conceal people’s facial features, after all, making it harder to track their identities through camera footage or other means of surveillance. Additionally, wearing a face mask in public is now seen as polite, rather than inherently suspect, making it harder to pick out people with potentially malevolent motives. This can make catching criminal suspects harder, and it is likely to have an impact on convictions as it becomes more difficult to prove a suspect’s identity from security cameras or witness testimony.
If you or someone you know has been arrested for a criminal offense, you will need legal counsel to help you preserve your rights and work to get the best possible outcome for your matter. A New York criminal defense lawyer, who is experienced in handling criminal cases of all sorts, can advise you of your legal rights and will fight for your best interests in court. If you or your loved one has been arrested, contact the Suffolk County criminal defense attorneys at McGuire, Peláez and Bennett at (631) 348-1702.
Send Us An Email