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Month: August 2017

Political Restraint or the Market Levels of Criminal Homicide: A Cross-National Application of Institutional-Anomie Theory

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Abstract

This article examines the effects on national homicide rates of political efforts to insulate personal well-being from market forces. Drawing upon recent work by Esping-Andersen and the institutional-anomie theory of crime, we hypothesize that levels of homicide will vary inversely with the "decommodification of labor." We develop a measure of decommodification based on levels and patterns of welfare expenditures and include this measure in a multivariate, cross-national analysis of homicide rates. The results support our hypothesis and lend credibility to the institutional-anomie perspective. The degree of decommodification is negatively related to homicide rates, net of controls for other characteristics of nations.

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Murder By Numbers: Researchers Compare The Crimes And Minds Of Individual Vs. Multiple Killers

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Crime investigators such as the RCMP, FBI and even the CIA have powerful new knowledge at their disposal to potentially help solve murders, thanks to a ground-breaking study involving UBC Okanagan forensic psychology researchers. Their findings could help police generate predictions about the characteristics of a killer or killers based on the crime scene evidence and victim. The study, Partners in Crime: A Comparison of Individual and Multi-Perpetrator Homicides, looked at 124 cases of convicted Canadian male offenders a third of the cases involving multiple people during the crime to determine what the crime scene could reveal about the nature of the suspect, and the likelihood of multiple perpetrators being involved. “It was the first empirical study of this nature,” says Stephen Porter, professor of psychology at UBC Okanagan and a practicing forensic psychologist. “We really had no literature to draw upon to come up with predictions, so it was very exploratory in nature.”

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The Media, the Jury, and the High-Profile Defendant: A Defense Perspective on the Media Circus

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I. INTRODUCTION

Throughout American history, there has been tension between the Sixth Amendment right of a criminal defendant to receive a fair trial and the First Amendment right for freedom of the press to publish news about criminal trials. Over the last seventy-five years in particular, media coverage of trials has steadily increased as a result of rapid advancements in technology. The increase in media coverage has led to the use of the term “high-profile” to define cases and defendants subjected to heightened media scrutiny. Initially, the use of cameras, and then television, in the courtroom triggered the heated constitutional debate over the proper balance of the First and Sixth Amendments. Beyond the traditional types of mass media, including newsprint and television reports, the Internet is a phenomenon that has rapidly and immeasurably changed the way in which the general public accesses information; its relative speed and broad, global reach portend an age where media has an even greater effect on juries

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Murder in a Comparative Context

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The very scary, yet fascinating, thing about murder is the perception that it is a random occurrence that could happen to anyone at any time anywhere. These perceptions might seem validated by the FBI Crime Clock telling of a murder every 31.5 minutes (FBI, 2006) and by news stories detailing random killings, such as the recent execution-style killings of four college kids in Newark, NJ by robbers and the murderous gun rampage of a Virginia-tech student. Despite these images of murder, the reality is that murder most often is not “random violence.” That is, there are statistically identifiable, predictable patterns to murder offending. This chapter explores these statistical patterns of criminal homicide, primarily in the United States, and offers qualitative accounts of various types of murder. This chapter aims to answer the following questions: How common is murder? When and where has murder been most frequent? Who is most likely to commit murder? And, most importantly, Why would someone

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A Bibliography Related to Crime Scene Interpretation with Emphases in Forensic Geotaphonomic and Forensic Archaeological Field

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Introduction

The following bibliography consists of resources that contain information related to the recovery of evidence in outdoor contexts. In practice, archaeology and criminalistics share the goal of systematically documenting, collecting and interpreting physical evidence for the purpose of understanding the factors which affected the depositional history of that evidence. Archaeological method and theory can extend far beyond the recovery of buried remains. The goals of forensic science in general, and archaeology specifically, are similar in many ways. This is evident in their respective definitions. Archaeology may be defined as “the systematic recovery by scientific methods of material evidence remaining from man’s life and culture in past ages, and the detailed study of this evidence” (American Heritage Dictionary, 1978:67). If the temporal references in this definition are removed it becomes interchangeable with broader definitions of “forensic science”. One of the most often addressed areas in forensic science literature is that of homicide victims. Among outdoor crime scenes, an

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Psychological and Behavioral Characteristics of Child Pornography Offenders in Treatment

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Abstract

Child pornography (CP) offenders represent one of the fastest growing groups in the criminal justice system. These offenders often present with diverse backgrounds that differ from most criminal groups. Many have no prior criminal history. Some are deeply immersed in highly sophisticated criminal networks involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. Understanding the diversity of these offenders is crucial to the development of effective public policy. This paper provides an overview of the results of a study that examined the incidence of hands-on sexual criminality, crossover behavior, and the onset of (online and offline) sexual criminality among a sample of CP offenders who participated in a prison-based treatment program. The paper concludes with recommendations for a research agenda based on existing empirical and theoretical work in other, but related, areas of study. Introduction Child pornography offenders, the vast majority of whom are first time offenders, have been entering the criminal justice system at an alarming rate for the past two

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Live Casualty Simulation

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Live Casualty Simulation

Instructors/Senior Medics make the BEST live simulated casualties. Instructors understand what happens to the human body once a traumatic injury is inflicted. In most cases, Instructors/Senior Medics have SEEN and TREATED an actual traumatic casualty. They will have a substantial understanding of what a traumatically injured patient should LOOK and ACT like. Therefore, if an Instructor/Senior Medic is used as the live simulated casualty, the simulation training will be more realistic. Moreover, what better way to test students than to have them ACTUALLY TREAT their instructors? If an Instructor/Senior Medic is not used as the live simulated casualty, a student or non-medical person should be briefed in detail on how they should ACT as a live simulated casualty.

Section 1 – Brief the Casualty

Each live simulated casualty must be briefed on EACH of their injuries BEFORE the training event is conducted. Live casualties must understand the impact of each wound on their body

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Deliberation and Premeditation in First Degree Murder – Cummings v. State

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An intimate, clandestine relationship had developed between defendant and decedent, and they often took long automobile trips together. On July 28, 1960, the decedent drove from Chicago with her sister to the home of relatives in Baltimore. The defendant, who had expected to make the trip with the decedent alone, followed in his car the next day. Pursuant to plans made by telephone, defendant met the decedent for breakfast early in the morning of July 30, at a shopping center in Baltimore, but the decedent hurried off saying she would meet defendant later in the day. She returned at approximately 12:30 p.m., parked the station wagon she was driving near defendant's Cadillac, and walked over to his car. The defendant said he was tired and felt miserable and needed a place to stay. When the decedent refused to show him a place where he could rest or direct him to the route to Chicago, a "heated" argument erupted. Defendant said

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Using Infrared Photography to Document Clothing Evidence in the Reconstruction of a Homicide

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Background on Infrared Photography

The use of infrared (IR) photography in forensic casework has been well documented in the forensic literature. It has primarily been used for the documentation of gunshot residue patterns and blood staining on dark colored clothing (1, 2), although it has also been used for the photography of latent tattoos and for the characterization of different types of inks. The principle behind the infrared photography of blood stains is that many dyes and fabrics reflect a large amount of infrared radiation, whereas blood stains absorb most wavelengths of visiblelight (400-700 nm) and near infrared light (700-900 nm). This results in the fabric appearing gray or white with the contrasting blood staining darker in color. The enhanced contrast between the fabric and the evidence (blood) allows the examiner to better interpret the evidence and assists in sample selection for further testing (i.e. phenolphthalein, DNA). This technique is especially useful due to its non-destructive nature, its lack of

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Current Methods In Forensic Gunshot Residue Analysis

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Introduction

Forensic science may be defined as the application of various scientific disciplines to aid the criminal justice system. Gunshot residue (GSR) evidence is an area of forensic science that is often underestimated and underappreciated by the forensic community. It is certainly one of the most underutilized types of physical evidence. The staggering increase in firearms-related offenses in the U.S. has intensified the importance of rapid and accurate GSR analysis. In a recent report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cites firearms as the weapons of choice in over 30% of 1.7 million incidents of violent crime. This book was written in response to the growing realization of the significance of GSR as evidence and the lack of textbooks that discuss current developments in this area of forensics. Despite advancements in analytical techniques and adjustments to the classification of GSR particles, no text that discusses these developments has been produced. In particular, this book provides a unique resource to help examiners at every

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Crime Scene And Physical Evidence Awareness For Non-forensic Personnel

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Every incident, be it a crime, accident, natural disaster, armed conflict, or other, leaves traces at the scene. The goal of the subsequent investigation is to correctly interpret the facts, reconstruct the events and understand what happened. Due to the transient and fragile nature of those traces, their reliability and the preservation of their physical integrity depend to a very large extent on initial actions at the scene of the incident. Evidence integrity can be achieved with very limited means by observing a key set of guiding principles. Acting with care and professionalism throughout the crime scene investigation process is critical for the admissibility of evidence for court purposes as well as for human rights inquiries and humanitarian action. The present manual was prepared to fill a gap in the compendium of available tools for the judiciary and law enforcement agencies and is the result of a consultative process involving a number of reputable individuals, institutions and organizations, who

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Crime Scene Reconstruction

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Crime Scene Reconstruction

Definition(s)

Crime scene reconstruction is the use of scientific methods, physical evidence, deductive reasoning, and their interrelationships to gain explicit knowledge of the series of events that may have led up to the crime and what exactly happened at a specific crime scene. It is a disciplined and principled approach towards objectively understanding a crime scene. Crime reconstruction helps interpret physical evidence. It is an aid to help formulate a hypothesis and arrive at a conclusion about a certain crime. Forensic specialists all come together with their different forms of evidence such as photos, sketches, and other useful things gathered from the crime scene to paint a vivid picture which makes it possible to retrace a crime that took place. Using evidence found at a proper crime scene you can reconstruct what happened and possibly find more clues. When focusing on other types of forensics, there are three areas of importance in finding the answers and determining

Additional Resource:: Chapter 10 - Crime Scene Reconstruction

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Effective Use of Courtroom Technology: A Judge’s Guide to Pretrial and Trial

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Preface

This guide describes the substantive and procedural considerations that may arise when lawyers bring electronic equipment to the courtroom or use court-provided equipment for displaying or playing evidentiary exhibits or illustrative aids during trial. The guide sets out what lawyers are normally trying to accomplish, the objections opposing counsel may raise, and the considerations of fairness that may attend the various uses of courtroom technology. The materials cover issues that are raised with some frequency as well as more arcane matters that may arise only in special circumstances. The organization of the materials is intended to facilitate quick reference without any need to read the entire volume, and to assist in the conduct of trials using technology from the initial phases of discovery through posttrial briefing. The Federal Judicial Center, which provides research and educational programs for federal judges and court personnel, joined with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that has provided trial

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Multiple Homicide Offenders Offense Characteristics Social Correlates And Criminal Careers

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Because investigations of multiple homicide offenders (MHOs) are usually case studies, there is limited understanding of the linkages between them and other criminal offenders. Using data from an exploratory sample of 160 MHOs and a control group of 494 single homicide offenders, this study examines MHOs from a criminal career perspective and finds that nearly 30% of them were habitual offenders before their final homicide event. Those with prior rape convictions, misdemeanor convictions, more extensive prison histories, and current involvement in rape and burglary are more likely to kill multiple victims. Curiously, nearly 40% of MHOs had zero prior arrests. Overall, arrest onset occurs later in the life course and is not predictive of offending. In conclusion, the study of MHOs could enrich the criminal career perspective, while posing some empirical and theoretical challenges to that paradigm.

Multiple homicide offenders (MHOs), defined as criminal defendants who murder more than one person during a criminal episode,1 occupy a peculiar place in criminology. Because of

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Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Involves The Scientific Study Of The Static Consequences…

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A. INTRODUCTION

Bloodstain pattern analysis involves the scientific study of the static consequences resulting from dynamic blood shedding events. A detailed study of bloodstain patterns at crime scenes often develops invaluable evidence. The distribution, size and shape of bloodstains on a victim, on a suspect, or on the walls, floors, ceilings, or on objects at the scene can help reconstruct these blood shedding events. Bloodstain pattern analysis can also help one evaluate the credibility of statements provided by a witness, a victim, or a suspect. Physical evidence waits to be detected, preserved, evaluated, and analyzed. Herb McDonnell once said that in the course of a trial, both defense attorneys and prosecuting attorneys may lie, witnesses may lie, and the defendant certainly may lie. Yes, even the judge may lie. Only the evidence never lies. But if the evidence is not properly recognized, documented, preserved, and processed, all we have are attorneys, witnesses, defendants, and judges. Enough said.

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Anatomy and Physiology of the Cardiovascular System

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Introduction

The human heart pumps blood through the arteries, which connect to smaller arterioles and then even smaller capillaries. It is here that nutrients, electrolytes, dissolved gases, and waste products are exchanged between the blood and surrounding tissues. The capillaries are thin-walled vessels interconnected with the smallest arteries and smallest veins Approximately 7,000 L of blood is pumped by the heart every day. In an average person’s life, the heart will contract about 2.5 billion times.Blood flow throughout the body begins its return to the heart when the capillaries return blood to the venules and then to the larger veins. The cardiovascular system, therefore, consists of a closed circuit: the heart, arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins (see Figure 5–1). The venules and veins are part of the pulmonary circuit because they send deoxygenated blood to the lungs to receive oxygen and unload carbon dioxide. The arteries and arterioles are part ...of the systemic circuit because they send oxygenated blood ...

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