Crime Shows - Fine Tuning the Criminal Mind?

There are numerous crime shows filling the prime time slots. And you can find some version of Law and Order, CSI etc. on at any time of day on a number of channels. The writers are increasingly creative and have a tireless supply of inspiration from real life events that they can put various spins on. The actors are dedicated and the directors are creating stories that are engaging and elicit emotional responses.

I know that personally they are my favorite thing to tune in to when I watch television. I watch a complicated crime unfold and the story develop around it until the criminals minimal error is exposed and the perp is collared! Usually this error is exposed by using a combination of a mastermind underpaid detective and the limitless resources of forensic science. I have often feared that this information may be misinterpreted by some as instruction. The program lays out how to commit the crime, what errors to avoid and if arrested how to see your trial through to acquittal.

The truth of the matter is that the numerous crime shows and frequency with which they air are in fact having an effect on real-world expectations. This effect has earned its own buzz phrase named the "CSI Effect" which is also referred to as the "CSI Syndrome". This effect is described as the viewing of crime shows raising victims and jury members expectation of forensic science. The television writers can overstate the accuracy of forensic techniques as well as exaggerate the ability of forensic science. The expectations of crime scene investigation and DNA testing are especially affected. Prosecutors are being pressured to present more forensic evidence in court. Potential jurors are sometimes asked if they are viewers of Forensic Crime shows as this trend is being considered.

In a similar vein, there are findings that suggest that forensic science shows help criminals cover their tracks. According to Joshua Marquis, an Oregon prosecutor, "It's not uncommon for criminals to now bring bleach with them to sanitize the crime scene." Criminals are learning what not to leave behind at crime scenes and getting much better at covering their tracks. Crime show effects on criminals can also be looked at on a flip side which is much more positive. It is likely that the message being conveyed to many is that no matter how they try to cover their crime, forensic science will reveal their identity.

Whether we look at the positive or negative effects on the criminal, victim or juror, the cultivation theory is supported by any one of the findings. The cultivation theory holds that television cultivates a distorted world view in which one's perception of social reality resembles the reality portrayed in the television program. When looking at crime shows, the cultivation theory would say that the impact on an individual would be the tendency to overestimate the rate of violent crime or the prevalence of law enforcement officials.

We are exposed to a plethora of crime shows. The writers are increasingly creative and have a tireless supply of inspiration from real life events. And it seems that life events are being equally affected by the shows themselves! The emotional responses that these shows tend to elicit are carried over into our views, opinions and expectations of real life scenarios.

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Organized Crime - The Mafia in America

Many people see two main divisions when they think of crime: ordinary criminals, such as burglars and thieves, and organized crime. Although organized crime may not impact your day-to-day life, it is still important to be aware of its existence and its impact on the world.

The Mafia is perhaps the most well-known organized crime group in the world today. The American Mafia, which is also known as Cosa Nostra, is an offshoot of the Sicilian Mafia, an Italian criminal society. The origins of the Mafia in Italy are believed to date back as far as the Middle Ages, when groups of wealthy families controlled Sicily through their social standing. The organized crime group known as the American Mafia first emerged at the end of the 1800s on the East Coast following a wave of immigration from Southern Italy.

The first Mafia groups in America started in New York City, where gangsters would threaten immigrants with extortion. By 1890, organized crime had spread to New Orleans, where the Police Superintendent was murdered, execution-style, allegedly by Mafia members. As organized crime grew on this side of the ocean, the criminal activities expanded from extortion to drugs and alcohol, robbery, kidnapping, murder, loan-sharking, and dozens of other nefarious crimes. In 1920, prohibition resulted in a significant increase in alcohol sales and related activities by the Mafia.

By the end of the 1920s, there were two main factions of the Mafia in the United States. This caused a major mafia war for the control of organized crime in New York City which lasted throughout the 1930s. It is during this time that Al Capone (or Scarface) led the Chicago Outfit, one of the main Mafia crime families, and amassed a fortune reportedly over a hundred million dollars. Like many Mafia kingpins, he was chased by the law for years, before he was finally caught for tax evasion.

By this time, the Mafia is believed to have infiltrated most of the major labor unions throughout the country, particularly the Teamsters Union. Little of the inner workings of the Mafia were known by outsiders, even law enforcement agencies, until 1963, when Joseph Valachi became the first Mafia member to provide a detailed look of the organization to the FBI. He exposed much of the secret structure of the mafia, including its ranking system and how Mafia members did business.

According to the FBI and other agencies, the American Mafia still has a significant level of control in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City, among other major cities. Today, although the word 'Mafia' is used to refer to almost any forms of organized crime, it is believed that there are about 26 major American Mafia families throughout the United States, as well as offshoot groups and associates in many smaller cities. The Mafia and its reputation have been portrayed in movies, TV shows, books, and video games. It is believed that Cosa Nostra has is hand in many major areas of crime, including labor racketeering, gambling, corruption, drug trafficking, pornography, tax fraud, and even stock manipulation.

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Behind The Crime Scene Tape

On Friday afternoon, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers responded to the Rose Garden Apartments- located off McAlway Road. Neighbors called police when they heard a loud argument in Apartment 'E.' Police arrived and discovered a man stabbed to death inside the apartment. Crime scene technicians and Homicide detectives were called the scene.

I heard about the homicide and decided to go to the scene. I knew Jonathan Jones was going to be there and I have never seen a crime scene for myself. I will tell you now- the experience is not something I would recommend to anyone! It was an eye opening and heartbreaking experience to say the least.

After police discovered the victim's body, they spoke with witnesses at the scene who said they witnessed a man speed away from the complex in the victim’s vehicle. A broadcast was made and police all over the city were on the lookout for the victim’s vehicle- a red GMC Jimmy. Police roped off the crime scene and stood guard until crime scene technicians and homicide detectives arrived.

A short time later, a vehicle matching the description of the victim’s was spotted at a car wash on the corner of Albemarle Rd & Reddman Rd. Police checked the vehicle and discovered the vehicle was the red GMC Jimmy they were looking for. Police saw a lot of blood inside the vehicle and roped if off with yellow crime scene tape to preserve the evidence.

At the apartment complex, neighbors gathered around and looked on with concern and sadness. Neighbors told us the man who lived in apartment ‘E’ is named Mark Alexander Bivens, 37.

Neighbors said Bivens lived in the apartment for approximately two months. Those who knew Mark Bivens were visibly upset and said he was a good guy and not involved in any criminal activity. All of them stated they could not imagine anyone wanting to hurt him.

Bivens' family and friends started to arrive. Police could not confirm the identity of the man inside the apartment. Investigators had not arrived and the crime scene is off limits until they do. They were all hoping and praying it wasn't their loved one but they were visibly shaken and upset.

Media trucks filled the parking lot and cameras were rolling as reporters interviewed witnesses and friends of the victim. Jonathan Jones was busy snapping photos of the crime scene and talking to people in the crowd. In addition to contributing photos to this site, Jonathan has provided me with a lot of information he gathered at the scene to include in my posts. It was neat to finally watch him at work. Even though there was a lot of commotion, it was still a solemn scene.

The crime scene van drove up in front of the apartment and the team got out and started inspecting the scene. Soon thereafter, the homicide detectives arrived on the scene and started to investigate. They spoke with witnesses and family and friends of Bivens.

The media started to receive reports about a possible suspect at the hospital. Prior to police locating the victim's vehicle, a man arrived at the car wash with deep cuts in his hands. He asked another customer to call an ambulance and he was transported to the hospital. Police at the homicide scene would not confirm this information but we were all hoping it was true.

Crime scene technicians dressed in special white suits so they wouldn't contaminate the crime scene evidence. We could see the two officers who originally responded to the call remove their shoes and put them in evidence bags. I was standing behind the crime scene tape, but I could see the blood in the parking lot and on the apartment door. It looked to be a pretty gruesome crime scene inside the apartment.

A short time later, homicide detectives exited the apartment and approached Bivens' family. The detectives had a photo of the victims face and they needed someone to identify him. The detective brought the family aside and showed them the photo. Suddenly, I heard a bone chilling scream and everyone turned quiet.

I could see people gather around and police officers running over towards where the family was. One of Bivens family members had collapsed and fell to the ground when she heard the news about her loved one. An ambulance was called and transported the woman to the hospital. It was heartbreaking to watch his family and friends in so much pain.

The crime scene technicians started to process the crime scene. They marked the blood spots in the parking lot and sidewalk with lettered cards and took photos. They moved inward towards the apartment and photographed the blood on the apartment door.

The investigators entered the apartment and we watched as they carried out bags of evidence they collected. It was after 6:00pm when the media started to dissemble and leave. Most of the neighbors who had come to watch had gone home and it was getting dark. Jonathan Jones and I left as well.

Later in the evening, I was thrilled to learn police had arrested Melvin Gene Ferguson, Jr., 26. (Shown R) Ferguson is the man who was transported from the car wash to the hospital with cuts on his hands. As soon as he was treated for his injuries, police took him into custody and charged him with murder and robbery.

Come to find out, Melvin Ferguson was wanted for murdering a man in Dinwiddie County, VA. Ferguson shot William Bynum in a Wal-Mart parking lot on May 28, 2005. Ferguson was featured on Petersburg -Dinwiddie's Most Wanted List but police were unable to catch him. I think it is safe to assume Melvin Ferguson will spend the rest of his life in prison!

The Basics of Crime Scene Investigation

Who among us is not familiar with the show CSI or the Crime Scene Investigation? May it be CSI New York or CSI Miami, the shows have one goal. It is to convict the one responsible for the case, if there is any through rigid investigation and collection of evidence. What about us, viewers? Do we really grasp the processes of a crime investigation? Do we really believe that what we see in the shows are the same things with the actual crime scene process?

Let us see through the basic processes underlying the crime investigation. What we see in the shows are just replica of what is really happening with the real crime investigation process but there is more to that. It is not just solving the problem through logic. Let us go behind the scenes on how the real process unveils the culprit.

First stage to investigate a crime is when the investigator arrives and secures the place.

Nothing is being touched. What the investigator does is the formulation of possible theories on the actual happening and the speculations and predictions about it. Normally, the investigator secures if anything has been moved, altered, or changed before he arrived. The first step is to do an initial check of the place.

Next step is to document the scene through pictures, videos, and sketches. The investigator sees to it that every angle has been documented for analysis. Nothing is being touch still during this process. Next step is to get the real touch of anything that could be made as evidence.

The investigator now touches, collects, and documents any specimen that is relevance and is predicted to have a connection with the crime. This is where the investigator tag, log, and pack all available evidences necessary for logical analysis. This level also allows the investigator to make way towards the actual crime scene leaving no specimen behind. Everything should be covered to its minute details.

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What to Do When You've Been Charged With a Sex Crime

Being accused of a sex crime is one of the scariest things that can happen to you. The reason for this is that sex crimes terrify society and the public has insisted that the crimes be punished appropriately.

In the past 10 years law-enforcement agencies have increased their efforts to track, capture, and control sexual predators. While this has saved the lives of thousands of victims, it has come at a cost to ordinary citizens. Many people are being caught by overzealous authorities in their attempt to capture sexual predators. The FBI recently released data that said in the past 10 years there has been a hundred percent increase in convictions and pretrial diversion.

As a result, people are being charged with sex crime violations and being forced to register as a sex offender for relatively minor events.

For instance, a college woman "mooned" a motorist while on an official school trip. She pled guilty to a sex crime and had to register as a sex offender. This prank later came back to haunt her because she was not able to get a job as an elementary school teacher when she finished college as a direct result of the sex offender registration.

So if you have a sex crime charge against you, you need to take it seriously. You need to hire a very good criminal defense attorney right away.

Here is a list of common sex offenses that people are charged with:

o Child exploitation

o Child molestation

o Child pornography

o Date rape

o Indecent exposure

o Lewd and lascivious behavior

o Rape

o Statutory rape

o Sexual assault

o Sexual battery

o Solicitation of prostitution

Because the consequences are so stiff for sex crimes, proper representation is of the utmost importance. In addition to prison time, probation, and community service, if you are accused of a sex crime you'll be required to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years.

The sex crimes registry gets placed on the Internet and anyone can access it. Sometimes you have to submit your photograph or list your address. The internet site rarely posts details about what the actual crime was. In Florida five men got permits to live under a bridge because they could not find an apartment to rent because they were registered sex offenders. The consequences are truly serious for this crime.

You probably know that if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. That's the federal law. However what you may not know is that these public defenders who are appointed for you have huge caseloads. They're not able to give your case the attention it deserves.

Instead you should hire an outstanding criminal defense lawyer. What can a criminal defense lawyer do for you? First they can help you prepare for any investigation done by the police or by the D.A. investigators. They can help you answer questions and protect your constitutional rights.

Second they can prepare pretrial motions to get the charges reduced or dismissed.

Third they can work with the D.A. to negotiate a plea deal that does not include sex offender registry.

Finally they can put on the best case possible to the jury so that these men and women will find you not guilty.

Being convicted of a sex crime can change your life completely. People will see you as a predator. If you've been arrested for sex crime, you need to get good criminal defense lawyer right away and began working with him or her in order to secure your freedom and your quality of life.

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Cyber Crime - A New Way to Commit Old Crimes

Back In The Beginning Before there were cyber criminals, there were embezzlers and anti trust fraud. The term, white collar crime, was coined by Edwin Sutherland, a sociology professor that literally wrote the book on white collar crime, at least the first one. He defined it as crime committed by a respectable person of high social status in the course of his occupation.

Since there are no statutes or court decisions involving respect or social status, convictions were hard to come by. Sutherland was intent on focusing attention on the social class of the perpetrator of the crime rather than of the crime itself. Eventually, Sutherland's definition evolved into variations such as, the type of offender, type of offense, and the organization of the criminals.

The Department Of Justice expanded the definition to include any illegal act by non physical means, using concealment, guile, or deceit to obtain money or property. It wasn't long before cyber crimes were included as well. Cyber crimes are among the most difficult crimes to prosecute due to the anonymity of the internet.

Cyber Crimes It has been said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but evidently that does not hold true for the criminal element. Criminal activity started back when Cain killed Abel out of jealousy and greed and it has evolved as fast or faster than human evolution itself. It seems that every time new security or protections are devised to protect online activities, the criminals come up with new ways to breach them.

As of now, cyber crimes can be prosecuted under at least forty different statutes but two federal acts account for the majority of them. One of them is the Computer Fraud And Abuse Act of 1990, which has been amended at least five times. The majority of the cyber crime statutes are modeled after this act, which allows for a hefty fine and imprisonment from five to twenty years. The other one is the Espionage Act of 1996, which allows for much heavier penalties. Criminals convicted under these statutes can expect to receive from $500,000 to $5,000,000 in fines and can spend 10-20 years in prison.

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Why Do Criminals Commit Crime?

In the context of sociology, human beings are born with criminal instinct and in this world that is enveloped with trickery and malice; the commission of crimes is very probable. Everybody in this world is logically classified as felon because of our sinful behavior that freely flows in our veins. But we have the power to control this manner in accordance to the norms and practices of the society.

In the other side of the big picture, there is really no lawbreaker in our society. Criminals were only born because of the norms we follow and the various laws that have been implemented by the people. If there is no law or set of standards that prohibit a certain acts then there is no violator.

But we don't want to look the world in chaos where only the rich and the brave will be the one in control. That is why our laws have been created in order to limit the individual desire beyond what is acceptable. In this instance, once a person's wants is blocked, that craving will find its way to get it fulfilled.

Now let us take a look at the famous triangle of crime; possible offender plus desire plus opportunity is equal to crime. Take one of the ingredients out in the triangle and crime will no longer exist. That is easy and simple to stop crime theoretically but in reality we cannot stop it but we can prevent the occurrence of a felony.

Why we cannot stop crime? It's because we have no control on the individual's brain the way it thinks. We already know that desire is one of the major elements in the crime triangle and it is the one that drives a person to do a wrongful act.

Why do criminals commit crime? It is because the offender wants to satisfy their craving for a certain thing. Another top reason why criminal commits a crime it's because the "opportunity" to commit evildoing "exists".

The best thing to do is don't give a felon the opportunity to commit a misdemeanor. Harden the target and make it for a possible offender having a hard time to perform an offense. Prevent a person from committing a crime by not giving him even a little chance.

It's just as easy as not wearing your bracelets ostentatiously in the areas frequented by thieves so that they will have no opportunity to rob your jewelry, or just as easy as putting fences and good lights in the surroundings of your residences so that would-be robbers could not find any entrance to break in going inside your houses.

It's just related to the famous saying "crime prevention is everybody's concern."

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Tennessee Sex Crimes

Sex crimes in the state of Tennessee are codified in Title 39, Chapter 13 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. These crimes can include rape, aggravated rape, sexual battery, statutory rape, solicitation of a minor, and patronizing prostitution. Perhaps the most serious consequence of being convicted of a Tennessee Sex Crime is having to go on the sex offender registry list. Under Tennessee law, anyone classified as either a "sex offender" or "violent sex offender" must register. The difference between the two is in the type of crime. A sex offender can be anyone who has committed crimes such as sexual battery, certain types of statutory rape, aggravated prostitution, sexual exploitation of a minor, and others. Violent sex offenders, as the name implies, are for more violent crimes such as aggravated rape, rape, and aggravated sexual battery.

Both violent and non-violent sex offenders must register upon being convicted of a Tennessee sex crime. Registration is usually done at a local law enforcement office. Violent offenders must report in person during the months of March, June, September and December. Non-violent sexual offenders must report in person annually between seven days before and seven days after their birthday. All offenders must report in person within 48 hours of changing their residence, job, or school.

Violent offenders must remain on the registry for life. Non-violent offenders may petition for removal after ten years from the end of their sentence, whether the sentence was probation or prison time. If the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation determines that the applicant has not been convicted of any additional sex offenses and has substantially complied with the requirements of registration, it will remove the offender from the registry.

One exception to the ten-year rule is where the offender is placed on judicial diversion. Diversion is the process of having a criminal charged dismissed and removed from the defendant's record upon completing probation. Diversion is a special procedure and is not available to all defendants or for all charges. However, certain sex offenses in Tennessee are diversion eligible, and for those offenses the offender may be immediately removed from the registry upon expungement of the charge. For instance, both sexual battery and statutory rape are diversion eligible sex crimes in Tennessee. Both are Class E felonies punishable from one to six years. If the defendant is sentenced to one year and is granted diversion, at the end of the year they may have the charge removed from their criminal record and also may request to be taken off the sex offender registry.

This is not the case with most sex crimes in Tennessee, however. Most sex crimes cannot be removed from the individual's record through diversion, and will require either lifetime or at least ten-year registration.

Offenders may find it hard to get a job or even a place to live. Under the law in Tennessee, registrants whose victim was a minor cannot live, work or undergo sex offender treatment within 1000 feet of a school, day care center, public park, recreation center or athletic field. All offenders, whether violent or non-violent and regardless of the victim's age, must stay off school property, day care centers, public parks and recreation facilities when the offender has reason to believe children under 18 are present. In other words sex offenders can't even go to the park.

Because of the serious and lasting consequences of a sex crime, individuals charged with one of these offenses should consult a Tennessee sex crimes lawyer to review the case.

Patrick Stegall is a Memphis, Tennessee criminal lawyer. Please visit his website at http://www.stegall-law.com

Juvenile Delinquency and Underage Crimes

Juvenile Delinquency in Florida

Juvenile delinquency is a sad part of the American legal system. When youth start down the wrong path it is imperative that steps are taken to get them back on track. Juvenile delinquents miss important experiences that their crime-free peers will enjoy, such as completing school in a timely manner and other staples of youth.

What leads young people to commit crimes? The most common theories are that youth commit these offenses when they are bored, and especially when they are influenced negatively by peer pressure. Some studies look to influences from their parents and older siblings as possibly influencing youth to perform illegal acts.

No matter the cause, when a youth commits a crime and is punished for it, they suffer. While almost any crime can be committed by someone underage, there are quite a few crimes that stand out as those that are most often the reason a young person is being referred to the juvenile court. These crimes are usually addressed with a service requirement, a fine, or possibly detainment within a juvenile facility.

Most Common Underage Crimes in Florida

· Youth taken into the legal system are most often charged with misdemeanor theft.

· Similarly, for all the juveniles that were brought in on felony charges a majority were accused of a burglary felony.

· Out of drug offenses, misdemeanor marijuana referrals are the most common reasons for youth being brought to court.

In the state of Florida delinquency prevention programs targeted at the youth appear to be making a difference. Although the overall population of underage Floridians has increased, the juvenile crime rate has decreased across the board.

Youth Crimes That Have Decreased

· Felony and misdemeanor narcotic offenses.

· Sexual assault

· Aggravated assault and battery

· Auto theft

· Murder

· Armed robbery

The Florida public is less likely to be affected by a juvenile crime today than it ever has been in the past ten years. This positive trend leaves hope for the future.

For More Information

Juvenile delinquency in Florida is decreasing. But that does not mean it is not still a concern. When youth enter a path of crime there is a good chance they will never leave it and will end up being incarcerated as an adult. To prevent more crime from happening in the future there needs to be support for preventing youth initiated crime today. For more information on youth laws, juvenile delinquency and the criminal system, visit the website of the Boca Raton criminal lawyers of Eric N. Klein & Associates, P.C. today.

Joseph Devine

Tips for Successful Career As a Crime Analyst

There are many tips that are readily available that will allow you to experience a successful career as a crime analyst. Interestingly enough, many individuals do not realize that the crime analysts working with law enforcement agencies around the nation are actually nothing more than civilians that have an interest in assisting the men and women that assist in the process of aiding, protecting, and serving the community in which they live, work, and play.

In addition to this, those that already have a position in law enforcement could be assigned to this particular position. In this career guide, you will learn several tips that will allow you to experience a successful career as a crime analyst.

Basic Job Responsibilities:

The crime analyst has many basic job responsibilities. These individuals are directly responsible for obtaining data that is recorded in police reports, statistics, and other types of data that is directly related to the crimes and law related events that occur within a specific community. Once they obtain the data, they have the responsibilities of compiling it in an easy to read and understand manner, then analyzing it for interpretation.

In most instances, the crime analyst is provided software that takes the information and breaks it down in a statistical fashion for future reference by interested parties. This information may be used to compile information such as patterns and trends associated with crimes, allocations for local law enforcement agencies, and similar institutions and facilities.

Tips to Success:

If you want to succeed as a crime analyst, the following tips will prove to be highly beneficial:

1. First, it is ideal to have a bachelor's degree. You should always ensure that the degree focus that you pursue is Criminal Justice. However, there other types of bachelor degrees that will allow you to get into this type of position. Examples include those that have psychology, statistics, and similar degrees.

2. It is important to ensure that you have a broad amount of experience in statistical analysis if you want to experience success in the career of crime analysis. This type of experience will assist you in collecting and compiling the data that you will be responsible for.

3. Seeing that you will be working directly with all types of data, it is important that you take the time to familiarize yourself with a variety of programs that will allow you to manipulate the data that you will be working with. Examples of programs that you may find beneficial to your endeavors include Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows, and those that are similar in nature.

4. It is important to have management experience in your background. Many law enforcement agencies seek out individuals that have the ability to effectively manage work, programs, people, and their time. By having these skills, you will likely be an ideal candidate for this position.

5. It is also important to have a broad understanding of the laws of your state as well as the policies and procedures that govern the county, the town, and the municipality that you work for.

If you follow these tips, you will find that it is relatively easy to achieve success in a crime analyst position at any local law enforcement agency in and/or around the community that you reside.

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Copywrite Kenneth Echie. Kenneth is a writer, expert author, and publisher. He currently writes for Criminal Justice Schools. Get free scholarship report and learn to Become Crime Analyst by visiting.

Career As a Crime Lab Technician

Introduction:

Crime lab technicians, otherwise known as police science technicians or forensic science technicians, are part of the process of solving crimes. They are very much familiar to using scientific laboratory methods to study and analyze the evidences gathered from the crime scenes. Their findings are often used to determine the innocence of falsely accused or the guilt of the criminals. CL technicians work side by side with local and state police officers and with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in the US or its equivalent in other countries.

Job Description:

CL technicians usually have specializations. Ballistic CL technicians are responsible for examining bullets and matching them to guns. Physical and chemical analysis technicians are responsible for examining a piece of glass from the victim's clothes or a chip of paint from a car. They also examine soil, hair, blood, biological tissues, body fluids, narcotics, and poisons. Some specialize in DNA analysis. Document CL technicians analyze blackmail notes, anonymous letters, and handwriting, as the paper used in writing the letter. Instruments CL technicians are responsible for matching the marks found on the victims to the tools suspected to have been used by the suspect. Fingerprints crime lab technicians are responsible for analyzing fingerprints and footprints, as well as tire thread. Photography CLtechnicians take photos of the crime scenes while polygraph technicians are responsible for giving lie detector tests and interpreting the results.

CL technicians use different equipment including infrared photography, microscopes, x-ray machines, ultraviolet light, and spectrographs. Thus, most crime lab technicians know how to use almost all the tools in the lab.

Educational Requirement:

Many crime laboratories and agencies now require anyone who wishes to have a career as a CL technician to complete a bachelor's degree in crime technology or forensic science, which cover investigative photography, crime detection, criminal investigation and evidence, fingerprint science, court procedures, and criminal law. There are many well-regarded programs in this field; however, the trend is geared to more advanced study courses.

Crime Lab Technician Salaries:

If you are just getting started out on your career as a crime lab technician, you can receive an annual salary of around $30,000 to $40,000. Those with many years of experience in crime lab technician jobs have an average annual salary $65,000, so experience certainly creates a big different in salary for a crime lab technician career.

When Marco Sumayao is not writing about forensic science careers he is researching forensic science degree programs and reviewing online forensic science degree schools at myForensicScienceDegree.com.

Get Up Close and Personal With Killers on Melbourne Crime Tours

Murder, robbery, greed, gangland slayings... Does that get your attention? If so then you are a very good candidate for the special experience that Melbourne crime tours can give you. You will get up close and personal with some of Victoria's most heinous crime scenes. When you take advantage of these unique day tours that explore the dark side of this spectacular city you can become a detective for a day. Walk in the footsteps of notorious killers such as The Brown Out Strangler and Frank Vitkovic. Explore the scenes of the Samurai Sword murders and the Great Bookie Robbery.

As your guided tour takes you sightseeing through the not so glamorous side of Melbourne you'll get insight into the minds of the killers that made headlines not just in Australia but around the world. Melbourne crime tours give you the chance to investigate killings from the early 1920s to more modern times.

This tour package will give you the perspective not only of the criminals but of the society of the day. You'll learn how the country reacted and what kind of justice was meted out. You'll hear the facts of the Gun Alley murder where 12 year old Alma Tirtsche was killed in 1921. You can make up your own mind about whether or not the wrong man was convicted when you hear the details. You'll have the chance to walk in the foot steps of the Brown Out Strangler. This killer was responsible for at least three brutal murders. You'll have to chase off chills as you learn how the murderer was convicted and sentenced to death in this first of a kind military trial for a civilian crime.

No crime tour would be complete without a visit to the historic Melbourne City Watch House. This historic structure has stood guard on the city from 1913 to 1994. Today the Watch House is a living museum where you'll be able to see how criminals were processed from arrest to confinement for more than 80 years. The Watch House is located adjacent to the Old Melbourne Gaol. While not a part of the actual tour package, you'll still have the chance to tour the Gaol. The Gaol is one of the most famous of Melbourne's landmarks and has housed prisoners such as the notorious Ned Kelly. When visiting the Gaol you'll have the chance to view the execution chamber and some of the existing cells.

Melbourne crime tours are among the most popular bus tours in the region. Each year thousands of holiday travelers, backpackers, and even locals set out to explore the attractions that are often spoken of only in whispers. But every city has its underside and Melbourne crime tours give you the chance to experience Melbourne crime first hand. Once you have completed your tour you'll understand why visitors say that this is no ordinary sightseeing excursion. This is an experience that will stick with you for awhile. Melbourne crime tours are a unique experience that gives you the chance to get up close and personal with Melbourne crime scenes. You'll never forget it.

A Melbourne Crime Tour is a great way to explore the heart of Victoria. Try a Melbourne Crime Tour and explore the murky underworld of Melbourne. Submitted by Darren Heise.

Causes of Crime in Urban Areas

Crime is an unlawful act deserving punishment. The nature of crime varies greatly and classification of it differs according to the area of jurisdiction. The scientific study of crime is called as Criminology. Causes of the crimes fall under four major categories - psychological, biological, economic and sociological.

Psychological causes
One's personality and predispositions induces one to commit crimes. One relates the occurrence that happens in the surroundings to his traits and predispositions and reacts. Freudian psychologists opine that a balance in one person's id, ego and super-ego are vital to lead a normal life. If there is an imbalance among them then it results in disorderly behavior. While super-ego influences good behavior, a predominance of id over super-ego propels one to commit crimes regardless of the consequences.

Biological causes
Biological causes are governed by genetics and neurological make up of an individual. Genetically speaking, an individual is predisposed to commit crime if one's parents have a criminal past. Neurologically, abnormalities and chemical imbalances in brain are reasons for one to behave criminally.

Economic Causes
Poverty and deprivation makes an individual to commit crimes. Poverty leads to frustration and anger and provokes criminal activities. Criminal activity gives vent to their anger. Crimes are committed on the assumption that they will end one's deprivation. But it is not poverty and wants that lead to crimes. Greediness is also a big contributor to criminal acts.

Sociological Causes
The ever-changing lifestyle of people in urban areas is a major cause for crimes. The position of an individual in an urban society puts a limit on him, and to adapt himself to the compelling limitations one resorts to crimes. An individual also needs to have chances to learn how to commit a crime for which the environment he lives in comes in handy.

Crimes are not unique to urban areas only, they also happen in rural areas but the degree varies. In the rural areas, violence is resorted to resolve disputes. Socio-economic factors are also causes for crime in rural areas.

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Simple Assault Case, Credit Card Fraud

Understanding Federal Sex Crimes

In the United States, there are two kinds of courts - state courts and federal courts. State courts have been established by each state and are located in cities and counties. In contrast, federal courts are established under the U.S. Constitution to handle disputes involving the Constitution and laws which were passed by Congress.

State courts have a lot of power, so most cases involving individuals will be heard in state courts. For example, the state courts will handle cases involving family law disputes, robberies, burglaries, theft and broken contracts. The state courts will not hear cases involving specific federal laws such as criminal, antitrust, bankruptcy, patent and copyrights.

A vast majority of criminal cases involving violations of state laws are heard in state courts, but cases which

involve violations of federal laws can be diverted to federal court. There are some instances where both federal and state courts have jurisdiction. When this occurs, the parties choose whether to go to state or federal court.

A federal crime or federal offense is a crime which is made illegal by federal legislation. In the U.S., people can be prosecuted at either the state or federal level. As stated above, the majority of criminal offenses are prosecuted on the state level; however, a "federal offense" will be prosecuted on in federal court.

Certain aggravated or more serious sex crimes are federal offenses in this country. If a person is convicted of a federal sex crime, they could be facing mandatory minimum sentencing. In addition to spending years in prison, probation or parole, and fines, they are also facing mandatory sex offender registration.

When a person is required to register on the national sex offender registry, their name, address, headshot and description of their offense will be publically posted. This means that anyone can have access to such private information for years to come. Sex offender registration can also limit where you live and where you can be. Limits can be placed on how close you go to a school campus or a public park.

Another less widely known fact about being convicted of a federal sex crime is that you might be sent to a Federal Medical Center, which is a Federal Bureau of Prisons Facility. These facilities treat the terminally ill, the mentally ill and sex offenders. Inmates with a sex offender history are enrolled in the residential Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP-R) or Sex Offender Management Program (SOMP). Whether inmates like it or not, they are expected to submit to these "intensive" treatment programs along with other sex offenders.

What sex crimes fall under the category of federal sex crimes? First of all, most sex crimes involving children such as sexual assault, rape, possession of child pornography or distribution of child pornography are considered federal crimes. The list of federal sex crimes is quite extensive, however some common examples of federal sex crimes include aggravated sexual abuse, repeat offenders, sexual exploitation of children, human trafficking, sexual abuse of a minor, sexual abuse resulting in death, selling or buying children for sexual purposes, and many more.

Being convicted of a federal sex crime can ruin your reputation and your livelihood. Not only would you be facing years in prison, but mandatory sex offender registration as well. Being labeled a "sex offender" will affect your ability to get housing, employment and higher education. No matter what brought you to these charges, it's essential that you consult with an experienced federal criminal attorney who defends such complex cases.

Guy L. Womack & Associates, P.C. is a federal criminal defenses firm which represents clients throughout the U.S. in federal court cases. When you are being charged with a federal crime, you cannot afford to hire an attorney who has little to no experience in defending federal criminal charges. Your case may be under scrutiny by a large federal agency such as the FBI, DEA or CIA. If this is true, you need a highly respected federal crime defense lawyer by your side. With nearly thirty years legal experience, and a background as a former federal prosecutor, Guy Womack has the requirements you need to defend your case in federal court. To learn more about how you can fight your charges, contact an attorney from our firm by calling toll free at (800) 990-8762 or by visiting the firm's website at http://www.federaldefenselawfirm.com.

Crime Scene Technician - Becoming a Civilian Crime Scene Technician

The Scientific Investigation of the Scenes of Crimes

Over the past few years many law enforcement agencies find themselves in a severe budget crunch. This has led them to enact changes in their daily operations. One such change is to hire and train civilians to serve as crime scene technicians.

This method of filling open crime scene technician (CST) slots produces immediate savings in that those who land these jobs do not have to be "sworn" police officers. The benefits are fewer and of course salaries are lower too. Some agencies, however, consider this as an "entry level" position and may, based upon the effectiveness of the individual, pick up the cost of sending a technician to Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) when funds are available.

In many agencies a crime scene technician or a crime scene investigator are virtually the same. In some cases the technician is a pay and training level grade below an investigator, But most agencies merely use either term to describe those individuals tasked with the responsibility of locating, evaluating and collecting physical evidence from crime scenes.

To get an idea as to the salary ranges being offered to crime scene technicians I suggest you perform an Internet search using the keywords "crime scene technician jobs," or something to that effect..

Educational requirements will vary based on the needs of the local area. Most certainly a high school education is a must, but most agencies are seeking a minimum of an Associate Degree in any of the following disciplines: Forensic Science, Criminalistics, Criminal Justice, Chemistry, Biology, or related field from an accredited community or junior college or technical institute.

Definitions related to the work of the crime scene technician.These evidence procedures and the order in which they are completed may vary from one agency to another-based upon established protocols. The following procedure is offered as a generalized approach to investigating a crime scene.

Physical Evidence: Criminal investigation involves people and/or physical objects--things. Crimes are committed by people, but they use certain physical objects to commit these crimes. It is these things used or touched by criminals that constitute what is referred to as physical or forensic evidence.

Scene Security: The specific duty of the first official to arrive at the scene of a crime is to protect and preserve life and property (offer aid and assistance to those present, apply first aid and summon the necessary medical help); and then ensure the security of the crime scene by erecting barriers (crime scene tape) and posting sentries at all possible entrances and exits.

Conduct a Visual Survey of the Scene: The initial walk-through will include a visual survey of the scene, making note of any potential physical evidence. Preliminary photographs and/or video are taken at this time.

Conduct a Thorough Scene Search: Depending upon the complexity of the scene, more than one technician will be required for the search. Potential physical evidence is located and marked with flags, signs or evidence tents for later close up photos and collection.

Maintain a Written Log: As the search progresses a written log of all findings is kept.

Prepare a Crime Scene Sketch: A rough sketch is begun for both indoor and outdoor crime scenes. The sketch will mark the locations of visible evidence and accurate measurements are taken to detail the exact location of each "thing" noted.

Process the Scene for Latent Fingerprints: Using either latent print powders or chemicals, as the type of evidence requires, any physical object that may have been touched by the perpetrator will be processed.

Perform Preliminary, Presumptive Tests for Physiological Fluids, Narcotics and Drugs: While confirmatory lab testing will also be required, physiological fluids and drugs should be subjected to presumptive, non-destructive field testing methods.

Collect and Package All Physical Evidence. This is one of the most critical functions of the CST. Court cases do not take place after a week or so following the investigation. It may take years before a criminal trial occurs. Evidence must be collected, marked and preserved with this thought in mind. For example: DNA and physiological evidence may degrade and become useless over time if steps are not taken to preserve it. Blood and semen samples can lose their value if packaged in plastic containers-especially if they are collected while still in a liquid state.

As you may plainly see-crime scene investigation is a complex task that must be completed using scientific principles and guidelines. Many criminal cases have been lost in court because forensic evidence was either mishandled, misinterpreted or was completely absent. The CST is a vital link in the chain-of-evidence, and it is a position that requires sincere devotion to the tasks at hand. The purpose and the integrity of the crime scene technician-as is the evidence he/she collects-are both on trial.

For more specific information on the tools and methods used at crime scenes, please visit the CSI TECH BLOG

Numerous agencies throughout the U.S. also recognize the completion of the home study course offered by the American Institute of Applied Science. Visit the AIAS Website for more information.

White Collar Crimes - Charges and Penalties

White collar crime is a unique type of crime that is considered to be different in many ways from the more traditional, usually violent "blue collar" crimes. The term was coined by Professor Edwin Hardin Sutherland in 1939 to describe crimes committed by professionals in the workplace. "White collar" refers to the white, collared shirts typically worn by people in administrative, business, and managerial positions. These crimes are typically nonviolent and frequently involve an abuse of power to steal money for personal gain.

Types of Crime

These business-related crimes come in many forms. Any individual who gains money through unlawful fraud or another illegal means is guilty of committing a white collar crime. Businesspeople create schemes to "skim off the top" of an asset pool or may steal huge amounts of money from investors or companies to fund a lavish lifestyle. Some of the common schemes that are classified as white collar crimes include:

Bribery
Computer hacking or internet crimes
Credit card theft or identity theft
Embezzlement
Extortion
Forgery
Health care, investment, mortgage, or securities fraud
Insider Trading
Money laundering


Convictions and Penalties

Many critics point out that there is a major disparity between the convictions and penalties for white collar crime suspects versus blue collar crime suspects. They state that, because the crimes are typically nonviolent and involve individuals of a higher class, convicts receive shorter sentences and nicer prison accommodations than their blue collar counterparts. While this may be true for smaller cases, major criminals involved in fraud, Ponzi schemes, and other business-related fraud have recently been aggressively prosecuted. Some have received sentences for life in prison, along with huge court-ordered fines and restitution payments.

While the charge depends on the size of the illegal operation and the degree of involvement for each individual, committing a white collar crime typically results in a felony charge. This may seem steep since no one is physically hurt, but these types of crimes can cause considerable financial damage to hundreds or even thousands of people. Very large cases may even impact the regional or national economy to an extent.

For More Information - To learn more about white collar crime cases and what to do if you are facing criminal charges, please visit the website of the experienced West Palm Beach criminal attorneys of Eric N. Klein & Associates, P.A. today.

Joseph Devine

Corporate Crime

Corporate crime? I'm not sure that there is such a thing. If we want to reduce the crimes that are given that lable, we need to quit handing out large punitive fines to corporations. The idea isn't as radical as it sounds.

First of all, when I say that there isn't such a thing as corporate crime, I simply mean that it is always individual people who commit crimes. With that in mind, you can imagine what my better way to reduce this crime is: Go after the criminals!

Who Pays For Corporate Crime?

Exactly who pays when a large corporation is fined for breaking the law? To begin with, the stockholders pay. Many of these are innocent retirees who have money invested with the company and had no idea they were breaking the law. Then the employees pay with the loss of jobs, if the financial situation of the company is damaged by the fines. Who doesn't pay? Just the criminals - the individuals who chose to break the law.

All crimes are committed by PEOPLE, not companies. When a company dumps poisons into the environment, a PERSON made the decision to do that (or several people). When a company steals from a pension fund or violates workers rights, INDIVIDUALS made those decisions. People commit corporate crime, not corporations!

If you want to stop corporate crime, start putting the individuals who are involved in the crime in PRISON. Our current system often has company officers making cost/benefit calculations as to whether the profits from certain crimes are greater than what the occasional fines add up to. Even though laws are broken, they stand little chance of being held personally responsible. Why not hold them responsible?

To fine companies for the actual costs imposed on others by a crime is appropriate. We have to clean up toxic messes, and in other cases compensate those who suffer damages. This also means that shareholders have a reason to be careful in who they elect to the board of directors. However, "punitive" fines are ridiculous unless they are levied against the individual criminals. Make the person who committed the crime pay the fine.

Is this such a radical idea? I don't think so! By the way, which do you think is more likely to deter a corporate officer from committing a crime, a fine that is paid by the company, and doesn't even affect his salary, or ten years in jail? The answer to that gives us the answer to corporate crime.

Steve Gillman has been exploring new ideas for decades. Visit his site for invention ideas, business ideas, story ideas, political and economic theories, deep thoughts, and more. Get a free gift too: New Ideas ( http://www.999ideas.com )

Why People Love Crime Series

It seems that all television offers today is reality TV and crime series, but what is the reason for this? Both are extremely popular and have an incredibly large fan base, but what is the real appeal of these sorts of shows? When it comes to crime series in particular, there are a few different reasons believed to explain their overall popularity.

Why We Love Them

Crime series such as Crime Story and Wiseguy have reached heights of incredible popularity, and there are several reasons thought to be behind this. The most major is that people are interested in general by crime and how crimes are solved, and so shows such as CSI, for instance, which give us a detailed account of the steps that are taken to catch the bad guys really get our interest.

Not only that but they also include the audience as a part of the show, as throughout the duration of the show there are various hints and clues which are given that the audience can attempt to use themselves in order to piece the puzzle together.

Controversy

Although crime series are generally loved by all, there has been some controversy surrounding them, especially recently. For one there has been much debate on whether or not these crime series are playing a role in the increased rate of violence in the real world. It is thought by some experts that because more people are watching violence and crime in these sorts of shows that they are carrying this violence into their own life.

Research on the effects of not only violence in television but in the media in general has been conducted extensively over the past few years in particular, and whether or not exposure to media violence causes increased levels of aggression and violence in young people is really the question of media effects research these days.

Some researchers believe that it is the psychological effects of media violence that end up causing this aggressive type of behavior, while others focus on the ways in which media violence primes or cues pre-existing aggressive thoughts and thus could really not be avoided. There have been various studies and cases conducted on this issue, and yet even with all this controversy surrounding them, crime and other violent programs continue to be incredibly popular worldwide.

This issue is definitely one which should continue to be researched, because if by reducing the violence and crime shown in media we can decrease the amount of violence and crime in the real world, then there is obviously a real goal to work towards here.

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40 Years of Staying Out Successfully! Crime and Prison Does Not Have to Be a Way of Life!

The statistics appear to be overwhelming! Every year state and federal prison officials in this country release more than 600,000 men and women. Less than three years later, about 480,000 of them return to prison.

Each year approximately 200,000 criminals go to prison for the first time. During the past 30 to 35 years, hundreds of nonprofit organizations and ministries have tried to make a dent in these statistics, with minimum success. I do not criticize the efforts of these organizations and ministries, but the facts remain. When you consider recidivism over the long term--25 years or longer--only a few criminals--maybe fewer than 50,000 each year, get out, stay out and become successful citizens.

Frankly, I do not know what percentage of individuals released from prison stay out for 25 years or more and become change conquerors. But whatever the numbers might be, I want to increase them. So in addition to this introductory article, I will write a 12-part series during the next three weeks, designed to open the door of possibilities for men and women who need to make the same arduous trek I have made, from crime to contribution.

I consider this series my gift to the more than two million incarcerated criminals and the more than seven million who are not really free, but are simply existing between prison sentences. I am blessed that no only have I exited the ravages of crime and prison, but I have also achieved tremendous success.

Consider this summary of 60 years of experience with crime and change.

I committed my first crime when I was six years old. I stole five dollars from my aunt's pocketbook. For the next 20 years, I did something criminal every day. Durham (NC) police arrested me for the first time when I was 11-years-old, and six years later when I was 17, a judge sentenced me to 2-5 years in prison. That was my initial prison sentence. Prison officials released me in May 1962 and I continued doing crime. Another judge sent me to prison again in August 1963, this time with a 7-9 year sentence. Prison officials released me on parole in December 1965 in Washington, NC. I thought I was trying to say out of prison, but sure enough in July 1966, because I had attacked my wife at the time, stole a car in my attempt to escape arrest and broke numerous traffic laws in the ensuing chase, a judge sentenced me to prison again. Prison officials at the now defunct Creswell (NC) prison unit released me from incarceration on December 9, 1968. On December 9, 2008, I celebrate my 40th anniversary out of crime and prison. During those 40 years, I have been a successful journalist and professional writer, a college professor, a radio and television program producer, and a network marketer. Today, I operate a successful home-based business, with contracts with several national and international producers of quality products and services.

What happened? What changed? Why was I able to exit crime and prison in 1968 when I had failed so miserably before? I will introduce answers to these and other questions in this 12-part series. Anyone trapped in crime and serving time, along with anyone who loves those individuals should read this series. The topics include the following:

1. Stop! You don't have to do crime!

2. Stop! You don't have to time!

3. Can you see the vision?

4. Will you embrace the mission?

5. Criminal v. Change Activist, part 1

6. Criminal v. Change Activist, part 2

7. Let's gather the FLOC (Families and Loved Ones of Criminals), part 1

8. Let's gather the FLOC, part 2

9. How to plan to stay out!

10. How to plan your work and work your plan!

11. How to mind your business!

12. Welcome to S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

I guarantee that this series will be the most significant collection of useful articles for hundreds of thousands of individuals. We must face facts! Criminals cause crime and therefore, only criminals can reduce crime. It's no mystery why criminals do crime. They believe it's okay to harm others to gain for yourself. How criminals can learn to stop doing crime looms as one of the most important and critical issues confronting our nation today. I know those answers. I will open the door to them this series.

Help me spread the word! Contact any FLOC member you know and recommend this series. I have been learning, experiencing and waiting for four decades to writer this series. I wanted to be certain that I had the knowledge, the insight and the understanding necessary to write this series and additional information that will help anyone who really want to change to move along that continuum and make the trek from crime to to contribution.

See you at the top!

I have spent almost 40 years mastering the principles of how to stay out of crime and prison. I am now an expert and I want to share this expertise with others. For more information, please visit [http://www.miltoncjordansr.com/index.cfm?id=4901&fuseaction=browse&pageid=55]

Tampa Crime Rate Down, Still Dangerously High

In 2008, there were reports of over 37,000 crimes committed in Tampa or about three per household. Tampa, as well as other major cities in Florida, is known for its high crime rate.

The ratio of Tampa crime compared to New York City crime is a surprising discovery when keeping in mind that New York City is one of the nation's most densely populated cities. Tampa has a higher ratio of nearly all major crimes including triple the counts of rape and nearly quadruple the counts of burglary.

The only positive statistics coming from Tampa's crime rate is the consistent annual drop in crime. In the past ten years the average crime rate in Tampa has decreased by more than half. Counts of burglary, murder, aggravated assault, and robbery have all dropped, and should continue to do so.

The crimes committed vary in severity and when individuals are prosecuted can be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor. The punishment for a felony can range from a year in prison to life or possibly even the death penalty. Misdemeanors are typically of a less severe nature and can range from a simple fine to up to a year in jail and a $1000 fine.

Misdemeanors can also come with sanctions such as suspension of a driver's license, use of crimes against oneself in future trials, risk or deportation, or house arrest. Though misdemeanors are seen as lesser crimes they can still hurt an individual if he or she continues to disobey the law, and can possibly prevent certain types of employment.

When facing charges a Tampa criminal lawyer can help explain your options to you. Also, a Clearwater criminal attorney can assist you when facing felonies or misdemeanors.

Introduction to Crime Scene Clean Up

On the arrival at a property where a death has occurred, especially after a vicious death, important tasks are performed by the policemen, firemen and CSI investigators. But as a general statute, these civil servants do not clean up the mess. It is the responsibility of the victim's family to mop up after the violent death of their member. Until recent times, just a few companies offered this kind of service, so, most of the time, the family still ended up doing the work. This is a service that is expensive. Crime Scene clean up service begins at approximately $600 per hour. And, actually, most people are willing to pay more.

The clean-up of a natural death or a suicide is a part of the cleaning industry. This is called the CTS Decon or the Crime and Trauma Decontamination. This type of clean up involves the removal of dangerous objects. A dangerous crime could be one of brutal death that is biologically contaminated or a scene that contains chemical contamination. The cleanup team returns the scene to the state it was in before the incident happened.

Typically, a family does not move out of their house even if the death that occurred in their home was a violent one. It is the job of the scene cleaners to remove the signs of the incident. This removal includes any bio hazards which were the result of the crime. Federal regulations consider all bodily fluids as bio hazards. Bodily fluids also include the tissue or blood because they can be a source of infection.

A blood cleanup specialist must have special knowledge of bio hazardous materials in order to be able to handle them safely. Also, crime scene cleaners are knowledgeable on what to look for to clean in a death scene. This type of cleaning requires more than "just a good spring cleaning". Permits are also needed for anyone who needs to move and dispose the bio hazardous wastes.

Most people who become cleaners typically come from the medical field. Because of their background in medicine, they are prepared to handle viewing a bloody scene. They could be nurses from an emergency rooms or an Emergency Medical Technician [EMT]. Construction workers are another group of workers who make good crime scene cleaners. They are able to remove walls and other structures. Because of the splatter of blood and tissue this is sometimes required in the clean up after a death. Other characteristics required in a strong crime scene cleaner are strong stomach, capacity to emotionally separate from his line of work and sympathetic nature.

Why a sympathetic nature? Because crime scene clean up is a lot different from cleaning up after a hazardous leak in a chemical plant. Many times, the family members of the deceased are still present while the clean-up is occurring. The cleaners must be able to complete their job while being sensitive to the state of the family who has experienced a loss. Therefore, crime scene cleaners must stomach a wide range of messy incidents which each have dangers of its own.

Crime scene cleanup will may help you to avoid from bio-hazard materials and bacteria that cause by a blood. You can know more information about blood cleanup and crime scene cleanup you can check http://www.traumacrimecleanup.com

Criminology - Crime and Its Causes

When a crime is committed, there is always a reason or a motive behind it. It is quite important to understand the mindset of a criminal. What thought goes through their mind, what leads them to committing crime and many such questions and their answers can only be obtained by learning about crime and its causes.

The study of the causes, nature and extent of crimes as well as behavior of the criminals, intended for understanding crimes in a better manner; and for implementing various new policies in the criminal justice system is called Criminology. This study is principally related to etiology which is the study of causes or reasons for crime. People who do research in the field of criminology are called criminologists.

Criminology provides many theories on why crimes are committed by criminals on the basis of assumption about human nature. There are many theories that exist in criminology. Now let us move forward and take a look at the conventional theories.

Mainstream Criminology:

• Strain - This theory is based on the dreams and aspirations that people possess. Sometimes people keep really high expectations or dreams and when those dreams don't get fulfilled, they experience strain. At that moment, people either choose to reduce their aspirations or increase the opportunities. When people choose the later, the chances are that they might take the path of crime.

• Learning - This theory explains the changes that take place in a criminals mind due to the experiences from the surrounding environment. Science has proven that the experiences in life are stored in an organized form in the mind. If the person lives or has spent a long time in an improper neighborhood or environment, it develops negative effect on the mind.

• Control - The theory of control is entirely about a person's bonding with the society. It specially focuses on an individual's relation with their parents, coaches, teachers or any other person to whom they look up to for learning how to socialize. Control theory studies that how the bonding of a person with the society is directly correlated to their relationship with their socializing figures.

The above mentioned theories are just the mainstream or commonly used theories in trying to figure the causes of crime. There are many other factors that can be responsible for a person performing any crime. It can also be a psychological disorder, biological factors, economical factors etc.

No one is born a bad guy. It's just the circumstances or the events that makes one choose the wrong path. Crime exists in any society and is nearly inevitable. But it is necessary to learn more about crime and its causes to reduce the rate of crime.

Viewers can get report on the other theories of crime and its causes from a free search engine, "jrank.org". The viewers can also search for information on other topics like law, family, business etc.

Explaining Violent Crimes

Violent crimes refer to any criminal offense which involves the use of or threat of force towards another person. Violent crime covers a broad spectrum of violent crimes which are divided into five categories by the United States Department of Justice. These include murder, rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault.

With violent crimes, violence can either be the objective or they can be a means to an end (as in robbery). Additionally, a violent crime may or may not involve the use of a weapon. A person can murder another human being with their bare hands or in a more insidious way, such as poison. They do not have to use a firearm or knife to commit such a heinous crime.

Violent crimes are prosecuted as felonies, which means that a conviction can involve years in a state prison. Not only can they involve a lengthy prison sentence, the state of Florida enacted the "three strikes law" in 1996. That means that a violent felony conviction would count as a "strike" on your criminal record.

What is the three strikes law? The three strikes laws were enacted by state governments of the United States. These laws require the state courts to hand down mandatory sentences to criminals who have been convicted of a violent felony on three or more separate occasions. Florida is one of the states that have adopted their own form of habitual offender laws.

Under the three strikes law, repeat offenders are subjected to increased and extended prison sentences. They are also limited or, in some cases, prohibited from receiving an alternative form of punishment other than a prison sentence.

In addition to the "three strikes law," the state of Florida is one of the states that carry the death penalty. This means that individuals who are facing serious violent crime charges such as murder, could be sentenced to death in a court of law.

Although most violent crimes involve the use of force or violence, a crime can still be categorized as a violent crime even if it only involved the "threat" of violence. For example, the crime of assault falls under this category. Assault can vary depending on the facts surrounding the case, however, assault by definition involves the threat or use of force. Physical contact does not need to take place in order to be convicted of assault; simply the threat of violence is sufficient.

Assault charges can range from simple assault to aggravated assault. Simple assault can be charged as a misdemeanor, however, it is often prosecuted as a felonious crime. Battery, on the other hand, involves actual physical contact with the victim.

Sexual assault and rape are categorized as violent sex crimes. Sexual assault refers to non-consensual sexual contact, whereas rape is associated with non-consensual sexual intercourse. Furthermore, sexual crimes committed against children are felonies.

Robbery is a violent crime where the victim is typically confronted by a weapon. Robbers commonly use a firearm or knife to instill fear in their victim, in order to get them to hand over their purse or wallet. Carjacking is a similar type offense where the carjacker will threaten to use a weapon against the victim unless they turn over their vehicle.

Homicide charges are by far the most serious types of violent crimes as they involve the death of another human being. Murder and manslaughter charges are divided into degrees. For example, a person who meticulously plans to murder their victim and lies in wait for them can be guilty of a capital offense and sentenced to death, whereas a person who accidentally strikes and kills a pedestrian with their car will face lighter sanctions.

Violent crimes are inherently serious in nature, thus a conviction can ruin your life. Those convicted of violent crimes face lengthy prison sentences; therefore defending them requires the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.

It is not entirely uncommon for extenuating circumstances to lead to "criminal acts," therefore a strong defense is your only option. A criminal defense attorney will know how to cross-examine evidence and witness testimony. They will also have the tools to unearth any mitigating evidence that could help you achieve a more favorable outcome in the charges against you.

The Law Offices of DiRenzo & Weick is a criminal defense firm serving the residents of Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding areas. Their firm has been successfully defending clients for more than seventeen years. At DiRenzo & Weick, you can feel confident knowing that your case will be handled by an experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer who you can trust. No matter what brought you to the charges, they believe their clients are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, they will place the burden of proof upon the prosecution to prove otherwise. You are urged to take action immediately by contacting their firm at (866) 622-0636 for a free case evaluation!

For additional information visit the firm's website at http://www.FortLauderdaleDefenseLawFirm.com.

Crime Scene Procedures for Police Officers and Investigators

Police officers and investigators that work for law enforcement agencies in the nation must learn about crime scene procedures in order to be successful in their goals of aiding, serving, and protecting the public. The actions that take place during an investigation that involves a crime scene has the potential to play a vital role when it comes to the resolution of the case. No witnesses should be overlooked and all forms of evidence that are physical based must be considered and not tainted in any manner. While it is important to understand that policies and procedures will vary from one jurisdiction to another, there are many basic crime scene procedures that should take place when a crime has been attempted or performed against some type of property, an individual, or another living creature.

The Initial Response to a Crime Scene

The initial response that a police officer or an investigator makes to a crime scene is the most important aspect of the entire investigation that will take place to determine the details of the crime that has been committed. The crime scene must be preserved as much as possible with little to no contamination. Disturbing physical evidence that may be present at a crime scene could mean the difference between a case being solved and not being solved. The law enforcement officers that arrive on the scene must make many observations. It is important to see who is at the scene, events that are transpiring at the scene, any physical items that could be evidence and even the conditions surrounding the scene - such as weather conditions, how people are relating to each other, and other situations.

Ensuring Safety

The next step that law enforcement officers should indulge in is ensuring that all individuals that are in or around the crime scene are completely safe. In addition to this, it is important that the law enforcement response team guarantees that there is no immediate threat to the other emergency response personnel that may need to go in or around the scene of the crime that they are investigating. In the process of ensuring safety, it is important for police officers and investigators to determine if there is a need for emergency medical care. If the need is present, the professionals should administer that care until the appropriate individuals arrive - such as first responders, the fire department, or the paramedics.

Controlling the Movements of All Present

Once emergency care has been issued to those in need, the police officers and investigators must then control the movements of all of the individuals at the scene. The purpose and intent of this is to ensure that all responsible parties are held responsible for their actions and to conduct interviews and acquire statements from any and all people involved or those that witnessed the chain of events that occurred at the scene. Many officers focus on this aspect of the crime scene procedure in an effort to prevent vital evidence from being destroyed and/or removed. This is an important aspect of minimizing the loss and contamination of evidence and gathering additional pieces of information that will assist in solving the case.

The Evidence

While gathering evidence, there are many procedures that police officers and investigators may indulge in. First, the crime scene will be controlled through the means of distinguished boundaries. Second, individuals wishing to go in and out of the scene will be limited. Physical evidence will be marked. Physical identifiers such as shoe prints and fingerprints will be lifted, organized, and stored for the duration of the investigation. The collection, preservation, and the transport of evidence to the appropriate labs will be conducted and the concluding interviews with suspects, victims, and witnesses will be concluded. By indulging in these crime scene procedures, police officers, investigators, and other law enforcement personnel will be able to effectively resolve nearly one hundred percent of all cases.

Crime scene evidence collection supplies and fingerprinting kits are just a few of the police tactical gear items carried at The See Group, where discount police gear is their priority.

Does Smoking Weed Contribute to Crime?

Do you think smoking marijuana can cause someone to commit crime?

We all know that buying, selling and using marijuana is in itself illegal, and thousands of arrests are made each year to combat this problem. However, does marijuana lead to other crimes as well? According to a recent study, it just might.

Currently there are hundreds of pieces of literature that discuss the relationship between drugs and crime, yet most of those articles are concerned with drugs other than marijuana, such as cocaine, heroin and alcohol. One study, however, looked at marijuana exclusively and found there was a "very strong relationship between marijuana use and the commission of a number of different crimes."

A Quick Note about Violent Crime

Prior research into marijuana use has often concluded that marijuana lessens the tendency to be aggressive, but as these studies become more advanced we are beginning to see that long-term marijuana use, because of its tendency to produce undesired mental effects, may indeed lead to violent behavior.

Furthermore, close to 50 percent of violent juvenile offenders consistently test positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Marijuana and Crime

Marijuana is a crime in itself. Each year, millions of dollars and resources are used to patrol, arrest, trial and detain offenders who are either buying or selling marijuana. Pro-legalization advocates often cite these economic statistics and claim it is reason number one why marijuana should be legalized.

What these advocates fail to mention, however, is the link between marijuana and other crimes committed, and what effect legalization would actually have on the overall crime rate.

In the United States alone, 60 percent of all arrestees in the past five years tested positive for marijuana in urine tests, and while this data may be a bit misleading in terms of a direct causal link (marijuana can remain in the system for up to 3 months) it gives you an idea about the effects of marijuana on our society.

There is really no way to prove for certain that marijuana, or any other drug for that matter, directly leads to crime, but with these type of statistics listed below, it's fairly easy to make educated inferences.

Marijuana is often the drug of choice for people who claim gang membership, and over 50 percent of all gang arrestees self report that they had used marijuana within 3 days before the time of their arrest. These gangs account for a large portion of both violent and non-violent crime in the United States.
Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the US, and statistically, those who use marijuana on a regular basis are 30 percent more likely to be arrested than non-users.
Over 25 percent of convicted murderers admit to a marijuana drug habit at the time of their crime.
Marijuana users often commit income and property related crime as a method for attaining resources to fund their drug habit. Not to the level of over addictive drugs like heroin, but it still occurs and is hard to overlook.
Marijuana is a contributing factor in almost 30 percent of auto-related accidents and fatalities.
Proponents of marijuana legalization want us to believe that legalizing this drug will help to alleviate crimes of this nature, but it's very difficult to predict the actual effect legalization will have. It will almost certainly lead to an increased number of people using, which in turn may lead to more violence and more crime.

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How to Start a Crime Scene Clean-Up Career and Or Business

To start in crime scene cleaning business you do not need to have an advanced degree In fact, a large number of crime scene business and technicians don't even have a high school or college diplomas. To work in the crime scene clean-up industry you must have a strong stomach and a willingness to do be exposed to violence and maintain a professional attitude.

The Crime Scene clean-up business will also challenge your skills. It requires a strong background in construction. Since most of the scenes are cleaned according to strict OSHA guidelines.

Crimes are different in size and locations some crimes involve Cleaning blood off walls and small fragments, removing blood stained carpeting, disposing of furniture according to the state laws, dealing with decomposed bodies or murder victims remains such as teeth, noses and even bone fragments embedded in walls and callings. Crime scene cleaning requires extensive training in blood Bourne pathogen, Personal protective gear and much more areas.

Most of the crime scene cleaning is done according to strict OSHA rules and guidelines. Most crime scene clean up Technicians have to wear protective gear also called a Hazmat suit, complete with special respirators and chemical-spill boots and covers. There are more areas of service in crime scene clean up. Some companies specialize in Meth Lab clean-up, to clear out illegal drug labs after the local police identifies the facility and red tag till it is properly cleaned adequate for someone to move in and live in a safe environment.

Working for a crime-scene clean-up companies, will require you to take certification courses that cover:

1. OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard 29CFR 1910.1030

2. OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard 29CFR 1910.134

3. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard 29CFR 1910.1200

4. Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan

5. Respiratory Protection Program

6. Hazard Communication Program

7. Universal precautions procedures

8. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

9. Proper containment, storing and disposing of Hazmat waste.

10. Deodorization/Odor removal techniques

11. Policies and procedures

12. Basic construction knowledge

The official hours are not set. You can be dissipated by the police at anytime during the day or night. If you are interested in pursuing a career and/Or business in the crime scene clean up industry please visit our site www.scenecleanllc.com and click on careers. If you want to earn six figures cleaning up.

Those who are starting out in the field might make $45,000 to $55,000 a year as a full-time employee.

Your best chances of making six figures anywhere is to own your own business. This is also a rewarding filed. We help survivors of violence and give them a piece of mind and help them live in a safe environment.

"I would like to make a difference." Some companies take advantage of family victims and insurance companies visit our site http://www.scenecleanllc.com and click on careers for more details.

SCENECLEANLLC.COM

A look back at the morning of September 11, 2001

(CBS News) It has been a decade since terrorists attacked our homeland, destroying buildings on this hallowed ground, and killing nearly 3,000 Americans.

As CBS' "The Early Show" co-anchor Chris Wragge explained, 10 years after the attacks, Americans are still adjusting to life after 9/11. It's something none of us could have foreseen on that fateful September morning.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the sun rose that late summer morning, shimmering against the skyscrapers of lower Manhattan, revealing one of the most beautiful days of the year.

It was a morning that would change the world forever.

The day's top story: Michael Jordan's unexpected return to professional basketball. The headlines on the front pages were filled with business news, and the ongoing debate over stem cell research.

All that changed shortly before 9 a.m., when 19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes. Air traffic controllers were the first to hear the sound of terror.

"Nobody move, everything will be okay. If you try to make any moves, you will injure yourself and the airplane. Just stay quiet," Mohammed Atta warned passengers on board American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.

Aviation officials helplessly tracked the second plane, United Flight 175. The crash, just 17 minutes later, made clear the country was under attack.

White house chief of staff Andy Card whispered the news into the ear of President George W. Bush, who was reading with school children at Emma E. Booker elementary school in Sarasota, Fla.

After meeting with advisors, the president found himself in the school library addressing a nation, in shock.

"Today, we've had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country," the president said, less than an hour after the first attack.

They were hours of pure panic and terror: for those who were running for safety, and for a nation watching on television, wondering what would come next.

Moments later, a third plane, American Flight 77, this time into the Pentagon.

Frantic lawmakers evacuated the Capitol and the White House was on lockdown. United Airlines Flight 93, the fourth and final plane heading their way, taken down near Shanksville, Pa. by selfless heroes who saved countless lives, even if they couldn't save their own.

Then, the unimaginable happened. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower (tower 2), standing 110 stories into the sky, reduced to rubble in seconds. Twenty nine minutes later, it's twin, the North Tower, fell to the ground. Two symbols of American pride, America's two tallest buildings, had vanished before our eyes. And with them, thousands of innocent victims who had begun to fill their offices for work that morning.

Left in their places, was a burial ground, a crime scene, a war zone. It became known as "ground zero."

First responders were just beginning a herculean task that would last through countless days and nights. The fire at ground zero would burn for another 3 months.

But already by morning a new reality had set it. America had just experienced its darkest day.

SPECIAL CBS NEWS SECTION: 9/11 ten years later

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Westerville Intersection Reopens After Suspicious-Package Investigation

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By: Donna Willis
Published: September 09, 2011
Updated: September 09, 2011 - 6:27 PM »  Comments | Post a Comment

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- An intersection reopens and evacuations end after a suspicious-package investigation Friday evening.

Westerville fire and police responded to investigate a suspicious package, and the intersection of South State Street (state Route 3) and West Park Street was closed.

Authorities closed the intersection shortly before 5 p.m. Friday. The intersection was reopened before 6:30 p.m.

Columbus fire's bomb squad as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol also was called to the scene.

Two homes were evacuated as a safety precaution.

Authorities said in a release Friday night that a suspicious package was reportedly thrown into the street in front of Hanby Elementary School on S. State Street.  

A subject was detained for questioning after witnesses reported seeing this person throw the package in the area it was found. Investigators have verified the subject’s claim that the package was picked up from the street and tossed onto the sidewalk to clear the street.

The package was found to contain no threat or contraband. The subject has been released from detention.

Investigators later learned that the package was a lunch bag that had been dropped from a school bus onto the street by a student.

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