Beliefs about computing: Contrary evidence from a study of mobile computing use among criminal justice personnel

In this paper, we explore how technological determinism can act as a belief system. To do so, we draw on a multi-organization field trial of uses of mobile computing by criminal justice personnel. Our findings make clear that mobile computing does not yet meet operational needs. In high contrast, we find that the belief these mobile computing technologies will solve the preponderance of organizational, informational, and communication problems that beset contemporary criminal justice efforts is unchanged by the shortcomings of the current environment. While the devices, applications, and telecommunications network never worked as intended or expected, their introduction was met with acceptance, enthusiasm, and the deterministic belief that they would make work better. We go beyond the common explanation of learning from a field trial and explore the contradictions inherent to the findings through the lens of technological determinism. In doing this, we highlight several implications that deterministic beliefs have regarding organizational value of field trials and research conceptions regarding the introduction of new computing technologies.