Prison - A Crime College Or Change Center Part 2

I spent four more years in crime and prison after my epiphany experience with Babe Dillard. During those four years, I transformed prison, for me, from a crime college to a change center.

I remember setting around various cellblocks, over the years, swapping crime stories with other criminals, and thinking, um, I could make that work for me. I remember dreaming about the "big score," every criminal's ultimate fantasy. You get away with hundreds of thousands of dollars and chill out on some tropical island with beautiful women and a life of luxury.

After my experience with Dillard, the nightmare of that potential future--wasting 40 years in prison haunted me relentlessly. Looking back now I see clearly the huge and deadly bullet I dodged. If I had not changed, I would be 65 years old in October 2007, and would have spent the last 39 years in prison, probably as battered and broken by now as Babe Dillard was then. I would be hobbling down some prison trying vainly to convince some ego-driven, blind and dumb criminal not to make my mistake.

Fortunately, I took this old criminal's advice and began learning how to change.

Please note, the system didn't change! Prison remains as brutal and inhumane as it has always been. Society, by and large, has not changed! Some people who have been victimized by crime are just as opposed to the idea of changed criminals as they have always been. Others, who try to help, remain as inept as they have always been. The issue remains: criminals must change.

In the remainder of this article, I am going to write directly to criminals who want to change, but because of the rules in prison, most of them will never see this article unless you help. Okay, FLOC (Families and Loved Ones of Criminals), here is your chance to launch your active role in helping your loved one change. You are reading this. I challenge you to not just agree or disagree with me. If you do not personally have a relative or loved one in crime or incarcerated, then give this article to someone you know who does. You won't have to look far.

During my final four years in crime and prison, including a fruitless parole stint, I learned seven valuable lessons about this process of change. They are as follows:

Change from crime begins inside. This means two things. First, it means that incarcerated criminals must begin changing while incarcerated. Second, it means that personal change begins inside the person. For additional details, please read my article "Tired of Prison? Break the crime habit!"

Change from crime manifests itself outside. This also means two things. First, it means that you must not only "see" yourself changing, others must "see" the change, too. Your fellow inmates, for example, must see the difference in you. Your new thinking, beliefs, expectations and attitudes must be so shocking and challenging that they talk about your changes. Yes, many of them will likely disbelieve, even oppose your changes. For additional information about this lesson, please see my article The 14 Laws of Success. This lesson also means that when you are released, the changes that occurred inside of you will also be reflected in your life on the outside. Both your talk and your walk must demonstrate difference.

When changes are wrought in you and manifest themselves outside you have become a change activist. In fact, you must become a change activist while incarcerated.

Change activists must have the courage and perseverance to withstand opposition to change inside so they can conquer more severe opposition after release. If you shudder and recoil from the opposition to change you experience in prison, you will never survive the intense opposition you confront after release. Despite, our protestations to the contrary, most law abiding citizens do not believe that criminals can and will change. How do I know? We, as a society, continue paying huge sums to punish criminals, at least we believe we are punishing them, rather than insisting that criminals change. As a society, we generally do not support strategies designed to help criminals change.

Change from crime requires a team. Face facts! If you have been a criminal since you were______years-old [put your age in the blank], you know nothing about changing from being a criminal to becoming a community contributor. Chances are you do not know anyone who made that transition. The rule, though, is simple. If I want to become a millionaire, I would not take a college economics course from a professor earning $75,000. I would find all the instructional information I could from millionaires and learn to do what they do. In 2002, Mike Litman and Jason Oman published a neat little book entitled Conversations with Millionaires. This book is a collection of radio conversations with millionaires such as Jim Rohn, Mark Victor Hansen, Wally 'Famous' Amos, Jack Canfield, Robert Allen, Sharon Lechter, Michael Gerber and Jim McCann, among others. I know, you've never heard of these people, but you know Ray Rae, Skeeter, Boom Boom and Rap Man. They all have one thing in common, they are broke and cannot help you. So, to be a millionaire, learn from millionaires. To become a change activist, you must learn from change activists. Therefore, you need a team of change activists. Begin at home with the people close to you. Challenge them to help you make the arduous trek from crime to contribution. This group of mentors become your Change Advocates.

Change advocates must also be change activists in their personal lives. No one can teach you what they do not know. They cannot help you go where they've never been. Therefore, as you speak with potential team members, stress the fact that you need people who are either already change activists, or who are willing, for your sake, to become change activists personally.

The change team must build their relationship on the following four fundamental principles: commitment, cooperation, communication and contribution. Everyone on the team must be committed to the proposition that this specific criminal can become a community contributor. Everyone on the team must learn to cooperate in the change process, rather than compete with it. Everyone on the team must vow to communicate honestly and openly with each other and everyone else. Everyone on the team must contribute to the process. These constitute core principles of the change process.

Here's the final lesson I learned during those four years, and it might well be the most important: change constitutes life's only constant and all conflict develops from the clash of two or more mindsets that refuse to change.

As far as I know, Babe Dillard died in a North Carolina prison, a battered and broken man who will never know how much he accomplished on that day in 1964 when he advised me to stop being a fool and to not make his mistake. As far as I am concerned, Dillard balanced the books that day. Therefore, in honor of his contribution to me, I did something that many of my fellow inmates thought to be silly. As I sat on my bunk in a now defunct prison unit in Creswell, North Carolina on Dec. 9, 1968, I pronounced sentence upon myself. "Milton C. Jordan," I said aloud, "I hereby sentence you to life in freedom. You must serve this sentence without any possibility of parole."

I'm still serving that sentence. It's been a great 39 years, and the best is yet to come.

See you at success!

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/]

Understanding Torts and Crimes

For many years I've lived with the vague knowledge that crimes and torts are both punishable offenses, but I never bothered to investigate the difference between them till now. So here are some notes I want to share.

First we must break apart the term Law. In the United States "the Law" divides into two categories: Private law and Public law.

Private Law: Torts

As the title implies, this type of law guides the relations of individuals and businesses in a community (hamlet, town, city, county, state, or country). When violations of private law occur, then we say that a 'tort' has been committed.

Other subtleties mark torts, such as to whether the infraction was intentional or from an act of negligence. This distinction allows for fair treatment of the wrong-doer, and a fair and just compensation to the injured party. An action against the offender is called a cause of action (civil suit).

The most common torts are:

* Unfair competitive practices

* Slander - a false and oral besmirch on an individual's reputation.

* Libel - a false and written besmirch on an individual's reputation

* Personal injury - damages due to accidents, defective products (product liability), and other malpractices.

* Fraud - intentional deceit.

Public Law: Crimes

Public law applies to the relationships between individuals or businesses and society. When an infraction against the community occurs, a crime occurs. It is the job of public defenders -district attorneys- to defend the public interest. An action against the offender is called a prosecution.

Crimes are categorized by Congress as felonies and misdemeanors (also referred to as 'lesser crimes," although there are many different types of crimes that fall under each class.

The most common crimes are:

* Break-ins, burglary, theft, robbery.

* Forgery - the intentional altering, distorting, and defacing documents (to include signatures).

* The use of deceptive weights, measures, or labels - Most States have bureaus that supervise the standards set by law: If a motorist asks for 10 gallons of gas, did he actually get 10 gallons? Was it premium or regular? Does the cereal box really contain 10 ounces?

* The ill use of mails with the intention to defraud others.

* Receipt of stolen property.

* Filing fraudulent income tax returns.

* Embezzlement - the misappropriation of funds.

Some crimes, such as embezzlement, may be both: a tort and a crime, as we saw in the case of Bernie Madoff. Not only did the disgraced financier abuse the private trust of his clients, but also the public trust.

For both torts and crimes, common law statutes of limitations apply. This simply means that actions for remedy must be brought within the allowed periods of time, or the case will "run out."

For military personnel, both torts and crimes are covered under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Unit commanders exercise discretion as to whether to punish under Article 15 of the Code, or to convene a court martial.

Conclusion:

While private law's purpose is to allow the injured party to recover and be compensated for damages suffered, public law in addition to recovery of damages, frequently punishes transgressors with incarceration.

Marciano Guerrero
Retired Investment Banker, Corporate Controller, graduate of Columbia University, and Vietnam Vet (1967-1968).

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Common White Collar Crimes

The term "white collar crime" was coined back in 1939 by Professor Edwin Hardin Sutherland. He explained that white collar crime was committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation. Today, white collar crime covers a broad spectrum of criminal activities, especially considering the advent of new computer technology and the amount of access people have to privy financial information.

In essence, white collar crime is a form of "non-violent" crimes and commercial offenses typically committed by business people, public officials, and con-artists. Common examples would include: fraud, bribery, stock manipulation, embezzlement, securities fraud, computer fraud, extortion, Medicaid fraud, hedge fund fraud, and mortgage broker fraud among others. They can also involve bribery, money laundering and tax evasion. White collar crimes are committed for the purpose of economic or financial gain, and can go undetected for years.

White collar crime is a major problem costing American taxpayers in excess of three billion each year. Due to this fact, numerous regulations have been enacted by both the state and federal government. Now that there are more laws in place, there have been more prosecutions and subsequent convictions. Although many white collar crimes can be committed by someone in the privacy of their own home, many of them are a "crime of opportunity," meaning they are committed by people who have specialized knowledge that allows them to perform complex and detailed transactions that can be difficult for law enforcement to track.

In nearly all cases, these types of crimes are typically committed for financial gain. These crimes can be illegal on a state of a federal level, which means they can be prosecuted in the state or federal courts. In fact, if you are under investigation for a white collar crime, you could have a large government entity such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation working on your case. They have access to all types of records and they can obtain digital evidence through a computer forensics investigation.

If you are being investigated for a white collar crime, you should seek legal assistance from a criminal defense attorney immediately. Since there are a wide range of white collar crimes, a lawyer will be able to help you identify what you may be under investigation for, and how to dispute it. Even if you aren't guilty, but the people who you work with are, you will still need to hire your own attorney. The last thing you would want is for your fellow employees to sink, while taking you down with them. A criminal conviction for a white collar crime could very easily be charged as a felony offense, meaning your personal and professional reputation can be destroyed permanently. You could be facing incarceration, restitution (which could cost millions), fines, and much more. So please, do yourself a huge favor by contacting a seasoned criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible so you can have the best chances of overcoming any current or future charges against you!

Brian D. Perskin & Associates, P.C. is proud to represent clients throughout New York City. Their firm has helped countless individuals and businessmen achieve more favorable outcomes in the charges against them. They are skilled at handling cases of felony or misdemeanor charges, in either the state or federal courts. The firm's attorneys care deeply for their clients and will strive to unearth any potential mitigating circumstances that may get the charges against you reduced or dropped entirely. Your success is their success, and they want to help you to achieve the best possible outcome considering your circumstances. To learn more about your possible defenses, contact a New York criminal defense lawyer at the firm by calling (212) 355-0887 to schedule an initial consultation.

Cyber Crime

There is a very old and correct saying that goes on to say that a coin has two sides. Like a coin, almost every aspect of life has two sides. For example, take the advancement of technology and the crime associated with it. With the improvements in technology, computers have formed an integral part of the working world. Computers along with them have brought greater work and time efficiency in the working circle of the world as a whole. However, there is a dark side to this as well. Along with all the benefits that computers and technology comes the rising and alarming threat of cyber crime.

Thanks to the crimes committed by the hackers and predators, the good bring the evil. The dangers that cyber crime is posing to computers and information stored in the computers is real. The affects have been felt by almost all the countries. Serious concerns are rising against the growing threat of cyber crime. This potential threat to the information possessed in the computers is alarming. The reason that cyber crime is posing a serious threat is because most countries around the world have no existing laws against it. This leaves us all at the mere mercy of the same technology that we use for good and they use for destruction.

One resort that you can take against cyber crime is installing ant-virus, spyware, and security programs. This is still unfortunately; it is not a full proof step. Hackers can easily hack through the computers of others you know and work with. This makes the data stored in the computer more open to these attacks.

One reason why cyber crime has been gathering so much of attention, is the fact that cyber crime has no boundaries. Cyber crime is breaching national barriers with ease. This is jeopardizing the political and the defense strategies of the country. It is reported that after committing the crimes the hackers reap rewards. They sell the information they stole to other countries and businesses for large sums of money.

There is another reason why cyber crime is becoming so common. Hackers operate together from different places. This makes it harder for law enforcement to track and find them. Hackers usually operate from different countries and through multiple networks making tracking them almost impossible.

It is time for national bodies and governments too operate together. Making a legal framework and structure through which no hackers can slip through before committing these cyber crimes.

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All You Need To Know About Crime Scene Investigation Programs

Many people think that interest in the criminal scene investigation field is a new thing, especially due to popular television shows such as 'CSI' and 'Law and Order.' However, this is not the case as colleges have been offering criminal scene investigation degree programs for many years and well before these shows were even thought of. A crime scene investigation degree, otherwise known as a degree in forensic science is a great program to get involved in and as plenty of colleges offer programs in this area there is plenty of options available. The sorts of topics you can expect include crime, blood splatter, and biological specimen analysis and lots more.

If you are interested in a degree in crime scene investigation then there are plenty of accredited forensics colleges to choose from depending on your personal preferences. The school that you choose will largely depend on what you want to do in your future career as difference programs will train people for different jobs. For example, some courses will be more focused on crime scene investigations whereas others may concentrate more on lab work or computer forensics.

Most colleges that specialize in crime scene investigation will offer two types of programs: bachelor degrees and master degrees. A lot of the jobs associated with criminal justice require supplementary training which can take years. For example, if you are looking for a career in DNA lab work then a good candidate will already have qualifications in chemistry, biochemistry, genetics and biology. And if you are applying for a MA degree then it is beneficial to take on some forensic work experience otherwise you may end up having to take extra courses to get this experience.

The subject of crime scene investigation spans many programs including microscopy, forensic molecular biology, crime scene reconstruction, population statistics and much more. These are the sorts of courses that you can expect to undertake when you enroll on a masters course at a forensic college. You should expect to spend a lot of your time in the lab as this is where valuable skills will be honed. If you want to be a forensic technician, it is really important to have access to direct lab work as this will enable you to learn important methods and techniques and practice the basics involved in forensic science. Clearly, this is a hands-on degree program which means that distance learning really doesn't work for this sort of course. Those who choose to study a degree in crime scene investigation without actually doing in-class work will suffer as they won't learn the sort of skills that other students will. It is possible to do an online crime scene investigation degree program but these are generally not recommended by experts within the field.

When it comes to applying for a forensic college, you need to make sure that you have clean personal record. Most colleges will not allow you onto the program if there are any references to drug use or personal convictions. There are even some US states such as Miami who will not allow you onto the course if you a smoker!

A career in crime scene investigation can be incredibly rewarding and interesting and once in the industry, most people have a job for life. However, the training and studying period of your education will require a lot of determination and hard work; it could also take a few years. It is well worth it once completed though, so if you think a degree in crime scene investigation is for you, why not apply for a program.

Find detailed information about top criminal justice schools which are offering crime scene analysis programs at CriminalJusticeU.com. Choose the best criminal justice school for you and start your path to a rewarding career.

Methods of Reducing National Crime

Crime is a terrible aspect of all societies. For those that have not experienced it, crime may seem like a far-off thing that is not part of your reality. However, once you yourself become a victim, such as robbery or perhaps something far worse, you realize how serious and critical dealing with crime is. Of course, you do not need to be a victim to have this realization. You just need to be fully aware that it is out there, there are hundreds of thousands of victims, and everybody pays the cost. Part of your taxes goes towards not only paying for law enforcement, but for paying for the damages of crime.

There are many things that the government can do to reduce crime. This includes setting up programs to help reduce poverty, increasing law enforcement efforts in high-crime areas, and improving the economy to allow more natural opportunity. The majority of people turn to crime out of necessity, so if people do not need to commit crimes, they like will not.

In your own neighborhood, there are several measure you can take to increase the safety of your home and those around you. Neighborhood watch programs are quite popular, although they are unnecessary if there is no crime in your neighborhood. However, if there is a fair amount of it, then you can band together with your neighbors and do something about it. If you see crime going down, it is legal to make a "citizen's arrest", and if the perp tries anything, you can always tase them to the ground.

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Crime Prevention Specialist - 3 Things You Must Know Or Do

The war on crime is taking many avenues today. From increased police presence to community awareness programs, cities are pulling no punches when it comes to winning this war. One position that has been developed is the crime prevention specialist.

This is usually a non-sworn position for someone to work as a liaison between police and the community. Before you decide this is a career choice for you, there are some things you need to know.

Education:

It is very important that you know what the educational requirements are for the area in which you are applying. Across the nation, there are differing levels of education you must have to become a crime prevention specialist.

In one state, a two-year degree is required along with one year of relative work experience with no exceptions or substitutions. In other areas of the country for specialized fields such as youth, five years of experience in law enforcement is required. For different states, you may find any combination of the above is required.

Be sure your education and experience line up with the unit you are applying for. Also be prepared for intense background checks, drug tests or even a voice stress test that is similar to a polygraph.

Information you must know about qualifications:

Again, these qualifications may vary from place to place, here is a broad look at the programs that you will need at least some knowledge in:

1) Community crime prevention programs on both the state and federal level; DARE, Neighborhood Watch, Operation ID ( fingerprinting children), and safety and security issues as they pertain to special groups like children and the elderly.

2) General theories and practice of public relations.

3) Reading and comprehension of written reports on a level that allows you to implement actions aimed at meeting team goals.

4) Produce graphic design brochures for training programs and community awareness.

5) Great interpersonal skills that allow for good working environment as well as good community relations.

These are just a few of the skill sets you may need to develop to work as a crime prevention specialist in your area.

Job Duties:

Many job duties come along with this line of work. Below you will find sample job duties that you may encounter as a crime prevention specialist:

1) Meet with community members and or leaders to help resolve issues including neighborhood disputes and grievances. Then identify the conditions that may have caused the problems and a program to fix them.

2) Prepare and deliver training on prevention of common criminal activities such as burglary, robbery, internal theft, shoplifting, fraud, identity theft, sexual abuse and or rape as well as personal protection issues.

3) Work with business and community leaders on methods of preventing crimes including the use of security systems and alarms.

Each city may add to or take away from this job description as the needs of the community dictate. I urge you to do more research on the crime prevention specialist career. You can do this by visiting websites that cover the career in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are clickable.

Copyright Kenneth Echie. Kenneth writes for Criminal Justice Degrees. Get free scholarship report and learn to become a Crime Prevention Specialist by visiting.