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“Jump Start” to... Cross-indexed posts are linked to their main topic with ( ) Awards Extreme Measures (Part II) Turning cops into immigration agents invites misconduct and corruption Too Much of a Good Thing? NYPD’s expansive use of stop-and-frisk may threaten the tactic’s long-term viability (ST) More Labs Under the Gun Resource issues, poor oversight and pressures to produce keep plaguing crime labs (TF) Not All Cops Are Blue Internal strife besets two well-regarded police departments (RST) A Cop’s Dilemma When duty and self-interest collide, ethics can fly out the window A Ticking Time-Bomb Twenty-four years after being let off the hook, a murderous woman goes on a rampage Liars Figure Pressured by Compstat, police commanders cook the books Playing With Fire Journalism students double as advocates for the wrongfully convicted (WC) What If There’s No DNA? When biological evidence is lacking, the wrongfully convicted may be stuck (WC) Truth or Consequences A Sheriff needlessly entangles himself, and his agency, in a web of deceit Never Say Die When should prosecutors quit clinging to a case? (WC) Ignorance is Not Bliss Playing ostrich about officer misconduct doesn’t make it go away He Said That She Said...But Did She? Does the Cambridge PD report truthfully reflect what a witness said? When (Very) Hard Heads Collide A professor and a cop revive the race debate. But was it really about that? Rope-a-Dope Now that five Liberty City plotters stand convicted, should we feel safer? (T) Torture: Who Decides? The real dilemma’s not about using torture -- it’s about authorizing it (T) To Err is Human, to Prevent is Divine Admitting that cops make mistakes can prevent tragedies (UF) Reversal of Fortune No longer a senator or felon, Ted Stevens chuckles as prosecutors feel the heat You Can Take the Man Out of Chicago... President Obama’s appointments belie his reformist message Carona Five, Feds One (But the Feds Won) Convicted of corruption, Orange County’s ex-Sheriff breathes a sigh of relief (AP) How Many Lawyers Does it Take...? The weight of the Feds falls on a misguided Missouri mom (RST) What Does it Take to Get Fired? When citizen review panels overrule the Chief, discipline suffers Troubles at the Top Saying “no” costs Alaska’s top cop his job Is it Too Easy to Zap? An invaluable tool is threatened by abuse (UF) Miscarriages of justice: a roadmap for change To prevent wrongful convictions, education is key (WC) The Ten Deadly Sins Why do miscarriages of justice keep happening? (RST) Lying: The Gift That Keeps on Giving Deceiving suspects to get them to confess can backfire Justice Was His Client A prosecutor chooses between what’s right and what’s expedient (RST) Hoisted by His Own Petard Pornography, a Federal judge discovers, is in the eye of the beholder Following the Rules Over a Cliff Legal ethics aren’t an end: they’re a means At least They’re Consistently Lousy Using sworn deputies for custodial work makes for poor cops and lousy jailers (RST) Keeping our Emperors Clothed What did we know about Eliot Spitzer and Mike Carona? Very little (RST) Accountability? Not if you’re a Sheriff Popularity contests are no way to select law enforcement officers Mission not accomplished Supervisors’ refusal to exercise oversight leaves the Sheriff unaccountable Ex-Commish leaves Carona in the dust How law enforcement executives are selected is crucial You can’t manage your way out of Rampart Pressures from above and a drive to succeed can distort officer behavior Flash: Whitehouse tortures Mukasey! For the would-be Attorney General, waterboarding isn’t torture, unless it is We Get the Cops We Deserve There’s a big difference between working mistakes and willful misconduct Controlling undercover policing (.pdf) The craft of policing (.pdf) Production & craftsmanship in police narcotics enforcement (.pdf) DOJ: Texas Executed an Innocent Man (WC) Before a national audience, experts confirm what was long suspected A Nation of Liars Mortgage fraud, ordinary people and the Great Recession Extreme Measures Angry over Federal dithering, Arizona enacts its own immigration laws Baby Steps Aren’t Enough Protections against miscarriages of justice must be embedded within the system (WC) A Ticking Time-Bomb Twenty-four years after being let off the hook, a murderous woman goes on a rampage (CE) Liars Figure Pressured by Compstat, police commanders cook the books (CE) The Great Debate (Part II) Violence is the problem. Is harsh sentencing the solution? The Great Debate (Part I) Who should go to prison? For how long? Tinkering With the Machinery of Death Academics prove that the death penalty works. And that it doesn’t. See No Evil, Speak No Evil Why don’t witnesses come forward? Often, for a very good reason. (ST) An Illusion of Control Can dangerous out-of-State parolees be adequately supervised? The New Normal In the industrial belt, poverty and violence are no joke What Really Went on at Neverland? Distrustful of the State’s witnesses, jurors could only wonder: was Michael Jackson’s home a pedophile’s lair? With Some Mistakes There’s No Going Back In capital cases finality of the process must take a back seat When a Pharmacist Kills States that encourage citizens to use lethal force shouldn’t be surprised when they stretch the limits (GC) What’s the Guvernator Been Smoking? Legalizing marijuana shouldn’t just rest on economics Reversal of Fortune No longer a senator or felon, Ted Stevens chuckles as prosecutors feel the heat (CE) Carona Five, Feds One (But the Feds Won) Convicted of corruption, Orange County’s ex-Sheriff breathes a sigh of relief How Many Lawyers Does it Take...? The weight of the Feds falls on a misguided Missouri mom Miscarriages of justice: a roadmap for change To prevent wrongful convictions, education is key (WC) The Ten Deadly Sins Why do miscarriages of justice keep happening? (WC) A very rightful conviction Crying wolf over a well-deserved conviction (WC) Justice was his Client A prosecutor chooses between what’s right and what’s expedient (CE) Following the Rules Over a Cliff Legal ethics aren’t an end: they’re a means (CE) The Usual Suspects Having a record makes it far more likely to be mistakenly arrested (WC) Believe It...Or Not! Despite prosecutors’ best efforts, a wrongfully imprisoned woman gets a break (WC) It’s Good to be Rich When it comes to justice, there’s no substitute for money Sometimes You Have to Throw Away the Key Violence by the young is still violence Lock ‘em Up & Send the Bill to Venezuela How mandatory sentencing victimizes the public Jessica’s Law Sex offender hysteria drains resources Tookie’s fate is the wrong debate Capital punishment isn’t just wrong: it’s un-American They Did Their Jobs Jurors freed Michael Jackson for a reason Science is Back. No, Really! DOJ promises that, henceforth, research will drive crime control policy (ST) The Face of Evil Holocaust Museum shooter part of an extensive, loosely-federated hate movement (T) Don’t Blame the NRA America’s gun culture exacts a toll, but it’s only a small part of the problem (GC) Looking Beyond the Gun Barrel Trying to draw lessons from a wave of senseless shootings Oakland: How could it happen? Dissecting the murder of four police officers, and its implications (ST) Cops Matter Sharp cuts in police threaten community safety (RST) Why the Drop? Crime has been falling. Does anyone know why? I Drink, You Lose Wine is still alcohol. And alcohol kills. The Gangs of L.A. To rid a city of gangs, look to the basics first (ST) Keeping our Emperors Clothed What did we know about Eliot Spitzer and Mike Carona? Very little (RST) Safe at Home -- Not! The presence of guns can instigate violence A Tale of Three Cities Declines in manufacturing are associated with crime Hollywood’s killing us Exposing impressionable youth to violent images for the sake of a buck Use of Force Is It When to Chase? Or If? Ten days and twenty-five hundred miles apart, two pursuits end in tragedy Making Time Split-second decisions can end in tragedy It’s Now L.A.’s Problem A cop’s tragic fumble turns into a cause célèbre. What will happen if he’s acquitted? The Chase is On Are foot pursuits prone to result in bad shootings? Kicking a Suspect When He’s Down There may be an explanation for kicking a compliant suspect in the head, but there’s no excuse Good Cop / Bad Cop NYPD’s handling of a student protest may have missed its mark To Err is Human, to Prevent is Divine Admitting that cops make mistakes can prevent tragedies (UF) Tasering a Youngster is Wrong, Except When it’s Not Should police have zapped a violent 12-year old? Oakland BART Shooting: A Tragedy, Yes -- But is it Murder? It’s not the first time that a cop accidentally drew a gun Is it Too Easy to Zap? An invaluable tool is threatened by abuse When Cops Kill (Part II) Why are some officers repetitively involved in questionable shootings? When Cops Kill Individual differences are key to understanding why some cops shoot Assisted suicide is not police work! Less-than-lethal weapons can keep cops from becoming executioners Who rioted in MacArthur Park? Bratton, who wasn’t there, moves swiftly to censure those who were (ST) Bigger Guns Aren’t Enough Cops need protection from rifle rounds, not just the ability to shoot back (TF) Closing the “Terror Gap” Concerns about gun rights trump worries about terrorism (T) Is This What the Framers Intended? Economic woes and inflammatory rhetoric feed a resurgence of extremism (T) Gun Crazy Welcome to Starbucks. Would you like a box of nine mm’s with your latte? Shootout at Times Square As the Supreme Court gets set to expand firearms rights, an out-of-State gun brings havoc to the Big Apple Gun Show and Tell New York City sent private eyes to gun shows. What did they find? When a Pharmacist Kills States that encourage citizens to use lethal force shouldn’t be surprised when they stretch the limits America, Gun Purveyor to the Cartels Enforcing the weak-kneed laws that exist is hardly a solution Don’t Blame the NRA America’s gun culture exacts a toll, but it’s only a small part of the problem Looking Beyond the Gun Barrel Trying to draw lessons from a wave of senseless shootings (CP) Reviving an Illusion Reinstating the (original) Federal assault weapons ban is a poor idea Where Do They Come From? Most guns used in crime aren’t stolen; neither did they fall from the sky Long Live Gun Control Combatting gun trafficking and tightening dealer oversight are key Gun Control is Dead Gun laws are way down the new Administration’s list of priorities Who’s Paul D. Clement? Caught up in the gun-rights debate, the Solicitor-General punts Safe at Home -- Not! The presence of guns can instigate violence (CP) Hillary: “I Shot a Duck” Why arming the public is no solution There’s no Shoot first...then reload! State “castle laws” greatly expand the meaning of self-defense Disturbed person + gun = killer, disturbed person + assault rifle = mass murderer Neither SWAT nor armed citizens are a solution to the threat posed by assault weapons The Pistol That Killed Officer Heim (.pdf) Crime gun sources in Los Angeles (.pdf) Gun control: facts and myths (.pdf) Assault weapons: lethality (.pdf) Insta-check and waiting periods (.pdf) Resources, Selection & Training Extreme Measures (Part II) Turning cops into immigration agents invites misconduct and corruption (CE) A Nation of Liars Mortgage fraud, ordinary people and the Great Recession (CP) Making Time Split-second decisions can end in tragedy (UF) Not All Cops Are Blue Internal strife besets two well-regarded police departments The Chase is On Are foot pursuits prone to result in bad shootings? (UF) A Larger Force, But At What Cost? As crime falls, LAPD’s growth threatens other city services To Err is Human, to Prevent is Divine Admitting that cops make mistakes can prevent tragedies (UF) You Can Take the Man Out of Chicago.. President Obama’s appointments belie his reformist message (CE) Carona Five, Feds One (But the Feds Won) Convicted of corruption, Orange County’s ex-Sheriff breathes a sigh of relief (AP) Sheriff Baca’s “Police Academy” TV reality shows and police training don’t mix Cops Matter Sharp cuts in police threaten community safety What Should It Take to Be Hired? Loose hiring standards and City Hall interference produce inferior recruits Why the Drop? Crime has been falling. Does anyone know why? (CP) A Town Without Pity Seattle lures police candidates from other cities At least They’re Consistently Lousy Using sworn deputies for custodial work makes for poor cops and lousy jailers Keeping our Emperors Clothed What did we know about Eliot Spitzer and Mike Carona? Very little. Ex-Commish leaves Carona in the dust How law enforcement executives are selected is crucial (CE) LAPD’s thin blue line How many cops does L.A. need? How many can it afford? The next chief of police should be, first and foremost, a cop R.I.P. Community Policing? Reclaiming professionalism sounds great, but it begs an underlying issue Extreme Measures (Part II) Turning cops into immigration agents invites misconduct and corruption (CE) The Killers of L.A. DNA nabs three serial killers in four years, most recently through a familial search (TF) What’s More Lethal Than a Gun? Officers have more to fear from accidents than from criminals Is It When to Chase? Or If? Ten days and twenty-five hundred miles apart, two pursuits end in tragedy (UF) Bigger Guns Aren’t Enough Cops need protection from rifle rounds, not just the ability to shoot back (TF) Too Much of a Good Thing? NYPD’s expansive use of stop-and-frisk may threaten the tactic’s long-term viability Flying Under the Radar Can terrorists be caught before they act? (T) Extreme Measures Angry over Federal dithering, Arizona enacts its own immigration laws (CP) Making Time Split-second decisions can end in tragedy (UF) Baby Steps Aren’t Enough Protections against miscarriages of justice must be embedded within the system (WC) A Ticking Time-Bomb Twenty-four years after being let off the hook, a murderous woman goes on a rampage (CE) Liars Figure Pressured by Compstat, police commanders cook the books (CE) See No Evil, Speak No Evil Why don’t witnesses come forward? Often, for a very good reason. It’s Now L.A.’s Problem A cop’s tragic fumble turns into a cause célèbre. What will happen if he’s acquitted? (UF) Doing Nothing, Redux What’s more frightening than terrorism? Relying on analysts to prevent it. (T) A Very Dubious Achievement Camden PD fights crime and violence. And its own officers. An Illusion of Control Can dangerous out-of-State parolees be adequately supervised? (CP) Missed Signals In hindsight everything’s simple. But policing takes a lot more than hindsight. Would You Bet Your Freedom on a Dog’s Nose? Dog scent evidence comes under fire (TF) What If There’s No DNA? When biological evidence is lacking, the wrongfully convicted may be stuck (WC) Dopes, Not Roped More losers get hurled, or hurl themselves, at America. Should we tremble? (T) The Chase is On Are foot pursuits prone to result in bad shootings? (UF) Hidden in Plain Sight The unintended consequences of sloppy policing Slapping Lipstick on the Pig (Part III) Simple policing strategies are the best Slapping Lipstick on the Pig (Part II) “Proving” that crime-control strategies work is laden with pitfalls Slapping Lipstick on the Pig (Part I) Do elaborate violence-reduction initiatives make a difference? Science is Back. No, Really! DOJ promises that, henceforth, research will drive crime control policy Rope-a-Dope Now that five Liberty City plotters stand convicted, should we feel safer? (T) Kicking a Suspect When He’s Down There may be an explanation for kicking a compliant suspect in the head, but there’s no excuse (UF) America, Gun Purveyor to the Cartels Enforcing the weak-kneed laws that exist is hardly a solution (GC) Good Cop / Bad Cop NYPD’s handling of a student protest may have missed its mark (UF) Looking Beyond the Gun Barrel Trying to draw lessons from a wave of senseless shootings (CP) Oakland: How could it happen? Dissecting the murder of four police officers, and its implications A Larger Force, But At What Cost? As crime falls, LAPD’s growth threatens other city services (RST) Tasering a Youngster is Wrong, Except When it’s Not Should police have zapped a violent 12-year old? (UF) Who’s Guarding the Henhouse? (Part II) The devastating legacy of Al Gore’s reinvention movement What Can Cops Really Do? Specialized teams can help, but their officers must come from somewhere Who’s Guarding the Henhouse? While Madoff pulled off the heist of the century, who was watching? Can We Outlaw Wrongful Convictions (Part II)? Legislator proposes banning showups and recording all interrogations (WC) Can We Outlaw Wrongful Convictions? Are sequential, double-blind lineups really the answer? (RST) Crime-Fighting on a Budget When money’s tight can we afford specialized units? Is it Too Easy to Zap? An invaluable tool is threatened by abuse (UF) Miscarriages of justice: a roadmap for change To prevent wrongful convictions, education is key (WC) The Ten Deadly Sins Why do miscarriages of justice keep happening? (WC) Near Misses Six chilling examples of an imperfect criminal justice system (WC) When Cops Kill (Part II) Why are some officers repetitively involved in questionable shootings? (UF) Lying: The Gift That Keeps on Giving Deceiving suspects to get them to confess can backfire Intrusions “Happen,” Good Police Work Doesn’t Home intrusions by homicidal strangers may be more common than police imagine Why the Drop? Crime has been falling. Does anyone know why? (CP) Damned if they do, even if they could Pressures to make arrests distract FBI agents from pursuing worthwhile targets When Cops Kill Individual differences are key to understanding why some cops shoot (UF) The Gangs of L.A. To rid a city of gangs, look to the basics first There’s no Of Hot Spots and Band-Aids Intensively policing troubled areas isn’t a lasting remedy To Discover the Truth When kids tell tall tales the consequences can be grave Your Lying Eyes Poor witness ID + pressure to solve a crime = tragedy (WC) Disturbed person + gun = killer, disturbed person + assault rifle = mass murderer Neither SWAT nor armed citizens are a solution to the threat posed by assault weapons (GC) Justice was his Client A prosecutor chooses between what’s right and what’s expedient (CE) The myth of profiling Pop psychology can lead investigators astray (TF) Love your brother -- and frisk him, too! Aggressive patrol strategies have costs other than money Who rioted in MacArthur Park? Bratton, who wasn’t there, moves swiftly to censure those who were Governor to CCFAJ: drop dead Bowing to cops and victim groups, the Guvernator nixes justice reforms (WC) Assisted suicide is not police work! Less-than-lethal weapons can keep cops from becoming executioners (UF) Making terrorists (Part II) Relaxing the standards for electronic interceptions can be a good idea (T) If You Can’t Find a Terrorist, Make One! Encouraging Jihadist wannabees is the wrong approach (WC) The craft of policing (.pdf) Technology & Forensics The Killers of L.A. DNA nabs three serial killers in four years, most recently through a familial search DOJ: Texas Executed an Innocent Man (WC) Before a national audience, experts confirm what was long suspected Bigger Guns Aren’t Enough Cops need protection from rifle rounds, not just the ability to shoot back More Labs Under the Gun Resource issues, poor oversight and pressures to produce keep plaguing crime labs DNA: Proceed With Caution Subjectivity can affect the interpretation of mixed samples Would You Bet Your Freedom on a Dog’s Nose? Dog scent evidence comes under fire What’s the D.A. Want From the Sheriff? The DNA lab, of course. Or if he can get it, everything. DNA’s Dandy, But What About Body Armor? As lethal threats to police increase, protection languishes -- but there’s hope Tasering a Youngster is Wrong, Except When it’s Not Should police have zapped a violent 12-year old? (UF) N.A.S. to C.S.I.: Shape Up! Putting the “science” back in forensics won’t be simple Oakland BART Shooting: A Tragedy, Yes -- But is it Murder? It’s not the first time that a cop accidentally drew a gun (UF) Forensics Under the Gun Commonly accepted techniques may lack scientific value Labs Under the Gun Can police crime laboratories be trusted? Mindboarding Is brain scanning the new polygraph? Is it Too Easy to Zap? An invaluable tool is threatened by abuse (UF) The Ten Deadly Sins Why do miscarriages of justice keep happening? (WC) Beat the Odds, Go to Jail DNA random match probabilities may be overstated Believe It...Or Not! Despite prosecutors’ best efforts, a wrongfully imprisoned woman gets a break (WC) If it Doesn’t Fit... Why do prosecutors resist post-conviction DNA analysis? (WC) Your Lying Eyes Poor witness ID + pressure to solve a crime = tragedy (WC) C.S.I. They’re Not Lab goofs and dueling “experts” give forensics a black eye Polygraph: science or sorcery? Its usefulness is mostly as a prop The Myth of Profiling Pop psychology can lead investigators astray Closing the “Terror Gap” Concerns about gun rights trump worries about terrorism Flying Under the Radar Can terrorists be caught before they act? Is This What the Framers Intended? Economic woes and inflammatory rhetoric feed a resurgence of extremism Doing Nothing, Redux What’s more frightening than terrorism? Relying on analysts to prevent it. Missed Signals In hindsight everything’s simple. But policing takes a lot more than hindsight. (ST) Dopes, Not Roped More losers get hurled, or hurl themselves, at America. Should we tremble? The Face of Evil Holocaust Museum shooter part of an extensive, loosely-federated hate movement Rope-a-Dope Now that five Liberty City plotters stand convicted, should we feel safer? Torture: Who Decides? The real dilemma’s not about using torture -- it’s about authorizing it Damned if they do, even if they could Pressures to make arrests distract FBI agents from pursuing worthwhile targets Making terrorists (Part II) Change the law! Relaxing the standards for electronic interceptions can be a good idea If You Can’t Find a Terrorist, Make One! Encouraging Jihadist wannabees is the wrong approach Flash: Whitehouse tortures Mukasey! For the would-be Attorney General, waterboarding isn’t torture, unless it is (CE) The Killers of L.A. DNA nabs three serial killers in four years, most recently through a familial search (TF) DOJ: Texas Executed an Innocent Man Before a national audience, experts confirm what was long suspected More Labs Under the Gun Resource issues, poor oversight and pressures to produce keep plaguing crime labs (TF) DNA: Proceed With Caution Subjectivity can affect the interpretation of mixed samples (TF) Baby Steps Aren’t Enough Protections against miscarriages of justice must be embedded within the system Tinkering With the Machinery of Death Academics prove that the death penalty works. And that it doesn’t. (CP) Playing With Fire Journalism students double as advocates for the wrongfully convicted Would You Bet Your Freedom on a Dog’s Nose? Dog scent evidence comes under fire (TF) What If There’s No DNA? When biological evidence is lacking, the wrongfully convicted may be stuck House of Cards Evidence isn’t better just because there’s lots of it: it must also be true Never Say Die When should prosecutors quit clinging to a case? With Some Mistakes There’s No Going Back In capital cases finality of the process must take a back seat (AP) Reversal of Fortune No longer a senator or felon, Ted Stevens chuckles as prosecutors feel the heat (CE) N.A.S. to C.S.I.: Shape Up! Putting the “science” back in forensics won’t be simple (TF) Can We Outlaw Wrongful Convictions (Part II)? Legislator proposes banning showups and recording all interrogations Can We Outlaw Wrongful Convictions? Are sequential, double-blind lineups really the answer? Forensics Under the Gun Commonly accepted techniques may lack scientific value (TF) Labs Under the Gun Can police crime laboratories be trusted? (TF) Miscarriages of justice: a roadmap for change To prevent wrongful convictions, education is key The Ten Deadly Sins Why do miscarriages of justice keep happening? Near Misses Six chilling examples of an imperfect criminal justice system Intrusions “Happen,” Good Police Work Doesn’t Home intrusions by homicidal strangers may be more common than police imagine (ST) A very rightful conviction Crying wolf over a well-deserved conviction Justice was his Client A prosecutor chooses between what’s right and what’s expedient (CE) Following the Rules Over a Cliff Legal ethics aren’t an end: they’re a means (CE) Beat the Odds, Go to Jail DNA random match probabilities may be overstated (TF) The Usual Suspects Having a record makes it far more likely to be mistakenly arrested .027 Rules! How many wrongful convictions have there been? A lot more than what’s known! Believe It...Or Not! Despite prosecutors’ best efforts, a wrongfully imprisoned woman gets a break It’s Good to be Rich When it comes to justice, there’s no substitute for money (AP) If it Doesn’t Fit... Why do prosecutors resist post-conviction DNA analysis? Your Lying Eyes Poor witness ID + pressure to solve a crime = tragedy To Discover the Truth When kids tell tall tales the consequences can be grave (ST) Governor to CCFAJ: drop dead Bowing to cops and victim groups, the Guvernator nixes justice reforms |
