Which investigative tools were created as a result of the Lexow Committee findings?

Which investigative tools were created as a result of the Lexow Committee findings?

• A. Fingerprint files and crime lab
• B. DNA database
• C. Cybercrime unit
• D. Body worn cameras

Answer: (A)

After the Lexow Committee exposed police corruption, reforms shifted policing toward professional, science-based investigations. Adopting fingerprinting and creating a formal crime laboratory were key steps in that shift. Fingerprint files provided a reliable way to identify suspects, while a dedicated crime lab allowed investigators to analyze evidence systematically, reducing reliance on informants or guesswork. These changes directly answered the call for more trustworthy, evidence-based policing that the Lexow findings highlighted. The other options didn’t come from that era: DNA databases, cybercrime units, and body-worn cameras are modern developments far removed from the late 19th–early 20th century reform period.

After the Lexow Committee exposed police corruption, reforms shifted policing toward professional, science-based investigations. Adopting fingerprinting and creating a formal crime laboratory were key steps in that shift. Fingerprint files provided a reliable way to identify suspects, while a dedicated crime lab allowed investigators to analyze evidence systematically, reducing reliance on informants or guesswork. These changes directly answered the call for more trustworthy, evidence-based policing that the Lexow findings highlighted.

The other options didn’t come from that era: DNA databases, cybercrime units, and body-worn cameras are modern developments far removed from the late 19th–early 20th century reform period.