How to Conduct an Online Criminal
Investigation
You can conduct criminal investigations yourself, by using resources
easily available to you online. Records such as criminal records and
driving records can be accessed online and lend you valuable clues for
your criminal investigation. Read more... |
Criminal
Court Transcripts... and Hollywood
Criminal court transcripts are useful sources of ideas and background
information for TV shows and movies. Whether the producers or directors
of the show want to have an actual court proceedings scene, or are
planning to make a whodunit plot, these transcripts can definitely help
provide a more believable setting for such segments. Read
more... |
Clear Criminal Record Through
Expungement
If you had been convicted of a minor offense and the case has already
been dismissed, you may get your criminal record expunged. Expungement
is a way to clear criminal record. Read more... |
Conviction
Records – How To Clear Them
If you are applying for a job, security clearance or professional
license, cleaning your conviction records may be one of your primary
concerns. You may be allowed to clear conviction records only if you
have already finished your probation and followed all court orders; and
if there are no new charges against you. Read
more... |
Searching
For County Criminal Records – Tips And Guide
In some counties, records of felony and misdemeanor cases are
maintained in one database. In some counties, felony and misdemeanor
records must be stored in and obtained from separate jurisdictions.
Read more... |
Criminal
Background Check – A Way To Prevent Bad PR and Financial
Losses
A simple criminal background check enables you hire competent people
who can bring your company to greater heights. Not conducting a
criminal background check, on the other hand, may cause you bad
publicity and major financial losses. Read
more... |
Criminal Background Checks - A Step By
Step Guide On How To Conduct One
Criminal background checks are essential part of the hiring process.
They are conducted to ensure that the potential employee is free of
criminal liabilities and doesn’t have undesirable criminal
history. Criminal background checks would be beneficial not only to the
employer but as well as to the person’s coworkers. Read more... |
Getting
Criminal Court Records – Frequently Asked Questions
Criminal court records are permanent records of proceedings and
judgments of a trial court of record. Checking criminal court records
has become a standard procedure done as part of a thorough background
check on individuals. Read
more... |
Criminal
Public Records – Terms That Blur Their Meaning
Criminal public records often contain words or phrases that are not
familiar to common people; these include jargons of legal
practitioners. Although the meaning of these words can also be
understood by considering the context in which they are used, they
sometimes cause confusion. Read
more... |
Criminal
Record Check – Myths And Facts
A criminal record check then is not just a standard procedure in the
selection and hiring process. It is also the company’s
defensive move against those with malicious intent and those who are
potentially detrimental to the company. Here are some myths and facts
about the subject. Read
more... |
Are
Police Records In Your Background Check Checklist?
Police records are compilations of a person’s identification,
arrest, incarceration, warrant information and other information that
pertains to one’s involvement with the police (like when one
is interrogated or brought by the police to a hospital). One may have
police records even if the person is not charged with an offense or
convicted. Read more... |
Why
Check Criminal Records – Facts You Need To Know
Criminal records are records that provide detailed information about
the crimes a person has committed or has allegedly committed. Criminal
records contain information like date and reason of an arrest,
prosecution, and conviction. Read
more... |
The
Different Types of Legal Abandonment
What is abandonment? Abandonment comes in different
forms.
Whether it pertains to people, property, intellectual property or any
other kind of material, it can lead to fines or more serious forms of
punishment. Read more... |
Abuse
of the Disabled - One of the Worst Crimes Possible
What is abuse of the disabled? Being disabled does not
make
life any easier, so abuse of disabled people quickly becomes a
crime. Read about examples of often unaware criminal behaviour within
this area of
crime. Read more... |
What is Abuse?
How far should abuse go before it becomes a
crime? Are children protected enough? Read about the different types of
abuse and the possible
penalties. Read
more... |
Adultery -
A Crime against Marriage
What is adultery? It is the crime against public morals
and the
institution of marriage. Find out what causes adultery and real-life
adultery statistics today. Read more... |
Make
the Skies SafefFrom Aircraft Hijacking...
What is aircraft hijacking? Terrorism has made aircraft
hijacking a serious threath. Who is to stop it and what are
the
consequenses? Read about the most recent developments in this area of
crime. Read more... |
Protecting
Wildlife Through Anti-Animal Poaching Laws
What is animal poaching? Defensless but not helpless, there is founded
and good reason
why there is legislation to protect animals. Serious punishment is
possible
for this criminal offense so read on. Read
more... |
What is Arson?
Arson is when a simple fire becomes a serious
offense. It is a crime against possession and punishment can vary
depening on the state in which the crime is
commited. Read
more... |
Bail
Offenses - Why You Should Never Skip Bail
What are bail offenses? Bail can be used for different
reasons. Since it is intended to be a guarantee in the first place, a
bail offense is not a smart thing. Read on to discover the
different types of bail offenses. Read
more... |
Battery -
The Crime of Inflicting Injury
What is battery? Harming other people intentionally in
various ways is a serious offense. Find out about battery
as a crime and the legalities concerning it. Read more...
|
Bioterrorism
And Its Criminal Implications
What is bioterrorism? Maybe the most serious of
terrorist
acts, bioterrorism is a criminal offense with heavy penalties. How is
it done, who is doing it and how do we stop them? Find out more about
these facets of bioterrorism. Read more... |
How to
Identify Blackmail
What is blackmail? Financial gain through blackmail at
the
expense of others is a serious offense, but is that blackmail or
extortion? Read about the exact definition of blackmail and related
crimes. Read
more... |
Bootlegging
- A Buying and Selling Crime- A History in
the United States
What is bootlegging? Although shifting from liquor to
music
and film, bootlegging is still a serious criminal issue. Intellectual
property deserves the same protection, but is it possible to
control through regulations and enforcement of law in the
international system? Read more... |
What
Makes Breaking and Entering a Crime?
What is breaking and entering? A high percentage of
crime
relates to the violation of property boundaries. Breaking and entering
can have different motives, but what exactly quantifies as breaking and
entering and what are the consequences for perpetrators? Read
more... |
Bribery -
The Crime of Exchanging Favors
What is bribery? A person's integrity plays a big role
in the issue of bribery. When is it okay to pay a little
extra and when
does tipping become a crime? Find out about the fields in which bribery
is used and what are their legal implications. Read more...
|
Bullying -
Powerplay on the Playground
What is bullying? Everyone can relate to intimidating
behavior by classmates in school, but is it limited to adolescents? And
if not, where else does it occur and how is our legal system equipped
to deal with it? Read about some practical incidents. Read more...
|
Burglary -
Unlawful Entering
What is burglary? Although easily associated with
theft,
burglary can have different motives and is not in all cases the crime
we think it is. Find out when it is not and which elements actually
make up burglary as a crime. Read more... |
The
Criminal Truth About Cannibalism
What is cannibalism? We see it as a huge disrespect for human
life, but there is a history to cannibalism that simply shows it
as part of tribal rituals. Is survival a valid reason to eat
another human being? When is at a crime? Read
more... |
Child
Labor - Unlawful Employment of Children
What is child labor? Our children are our future. In
some
cases, this is taken a bit to literally and children are put to work at
an age where it is not allowed. Read about the history of child labor
and how this exploitation of children is now dealt with. Read
more... |
Child
Murder - Killing the Innocent
What is child murder? Vulnerable and innocent, killing
children is one of the worst crimes around. Who would do such a thing?
Surprisingly it does happen the other way around as well, where
children are the actual murderers... Read
more... |
Child
Prostitution - An Escalating Problem
What is child prostitution? Is poverty the only
motivator?
Exploitation of children is bad enough, but child prostitution takes it
to another level. Tackling the problem has and will not be easy but it
must be done. Read more... |
Child
Trafficking: Child Exploitation at its Worst
What is child trafficking? Exploitation of children has
become a global problem and child trafficking is a key criminal offense
contributing to this global problem. Read more about the harsh reality
of this crime today. Read more... |
Computer
Crime - The Little Known Ways That You Can Be a
Victim
What is computer crime? The advancement of technology
also has
it's downsides. Computers are so common these days that people often
forget that computer crime exists. But it is a serious and growing
problem. Find out about some of the different types of computer
crime. Read more... |
Are
You Guilty of Consensual Crime?
What is consensual crime? Can anything be a
crime if you agree? How
should we define crimes that someone, at the time, might actually agree
to? Are we always aware? Some examples of real situations. Read
more... |
Copyright
Infringement = Stealing!
What is copyright infringement? If someone else thinks
of it,
can't I think of it as well? What copyright means and how it is
intended to protect the intellectual ideas of someone. Read
more... |
What
Makes Counterfeiting Currency a Heinous Crime?
What is counterfeiting currency? Getting rich the easy
way:
print your own money! Since the intrinsic value of money has declined
over years, the replication of money has become more and more
interesting for criminals. Learn how counterfeiters are caught and what
penalties they face. Read more... |
How
to Prevent Credit Card Fraud
What is credit card fraud? It is the use of your Read
more...
|
Crimes
Against Humanity - Crime on a Grand Scale
What are crimes against humanity? These are grave offenses
made to a vast number of people. Crimes against humanity have been with
us since time immemorial. It does not mean, however, that we should let
it go on forever. Luckily today, there are international bodies that we
can call on to intervene and - hopefully - put an end to these heinous
offences against man. Read more...
|
Crime
and Forensics - Using the Latter to Solve the Former
Crimes occur everday and it is a gargantuan task to
solve all of them. However, thanks to advancements in forensic
technology, we move one step closer to really serve justice for
all. Read more...
|
Crimes
Against Property I
What are crimes against property? Unfortunately, we live at a time
when
crime is very much a part of our society. As such, it is important to
know about crimes against property and all the other crimes prevalent
today so that
we can arm ourselves with what’s going on around us and know
what
we can do if and when we encounter or become direct victims of these
crimes. Read more...
|
Crimes
Against Property II
What are crimes against property? Unfortunately, we live at a time
when
crime is very much a part of our society. As such, it is important to
know about crimes against property and all the other crimes prevalent
today so that
we can arm ourselves with what’s going on around us and know
what
we can do if and when we encounter or become direct victims of these
crimes. Read more...
|
Criminal
Damage - Offenses Against Personal and Public Property
What is criminal damage? It is an offense against
property but how it is quantified? Basically, one is convicted of this
crime if it is proved that the wrongdoing was done with malicious
intent. Read more...
|
What
are Date Rape Drugs?
Date rape is one of the hardest crimes to approve because the
victim and the offender know each other. To help prevent this crime,
educate yourself by finding out what offenders use to incapacitate
their victims so you can stay clear of them.
Read
more...
|
Date Rape
- The Misunderstood Sex Crime
What is date rape? Put simply, it is the crime of
forcing someone to engage in sexual activity. The main
difference
- and what is making this crime difficult to prove - is that victim is
a social acquaintance of the perpetrator. Read
more...
|
Domestic
Violence - Crimes within the Home
What is domestic violence? It takes place when a family
member, a domestic partner, or
ex-partner physically
or psychologically dominates and/or causes harm to another family
member. Are you in a household where domestic violence is a daily
occurrence? Read more...
|
Drug
Trafficking And Its Penalties
What is drug trafficking? Drug
trafficking is the illegal production,
distribution and exchange of psychoactive substances. The substances
are sold
in black markets, especially in areas with low or
“zero-tolerance” rules. It is a
grave criminal offense since it triggers other forms of acts
such
as violence, crime, rebellion and vandalism. Read
more...
|
DUI - Driving
Under the Influence
What is DUI? DUI, or
Driving Under the
Influence, refers to the act of operating a motor vehicle while drunk.
Conviction is based on the legal limit for alcohol content in the
blood, which
is .08 grams/deciliter in 45 states. A person’s
blood alcohol is
determined through a urine exam, blood analysis, or Breathalyzer test.
Since
these tests aren’t 100% accurate, showing a large margin of
error in many
cases, a DUI arrest doesn’t guarantee conviction. Read more...
|
What is
Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse
is neglect of the elderly. For many of us, it's hard to
imagine neglecting our parent in their old age. However, as the most
notorious cases of elderly abuse will show, this crime is often
committed by people closest in relation to the senior person
concerned. Read more...
|
What is
Embezzlement?
Embezzlement
occurs when a
person deceitfully misuses money
or property entrusted to his/her care by another party. Embezzlement
can range
from a cashier simply pocketing a few bills to the chief financial
officer of a
large company diverting funds to a personal bank account. Read
more...
|
How
Stopping Environmental Crime Saves the World
What is environmental crime? It is any wrongdoing or offence
against Mother Nature and the world we live in. People seem to forget
that there is only one Earth ands that harming it is damaging our own
existence in this planet. Find out about the different types of
environmental crime and maybe it will change the way you look at
environmental offenses. Read more...
|
Extortion
- Threat and Coercion for Personal Gain
What is extortion? Extortion
involves the act of obtaining money, property or services from another
person by coersion, force, or by threatening to cause injury or harm
unless
one’s demands are given. Extortion
is a criminal offense that is usually practiced by organized crime
groups. The
money or properties obtained by these groups are often referred
to as
“protection”. Read more...
|
Felony -
Crime and Punishment - Everything You Ought To Know About Crime
What is a felony? These are crimes of a graver or more
serious nature. Each state classifies felonies differently and as such,
redners punishments differently as well. Read more...
|
First
Degree Murder And Its Penalties
Murder
is the killing of another human
being with “malice aforethought”. Malice
aforethought means that there is
intention with the performed killing. This element then makes the act
considerable for express malice. First degree murder is a Class A
felony, due
to the fact that the killing was planned, ruling out the possibilities
of
frustration and accident. Another term synonymous with malice
aforethought is
premeditation, which means that the person who committed that crime has
considered or thought of the crime carefully before it was carried
out. Read more...
|
What is
Forced Entry and Why is it a Crime?
Forced
entry is the act of entering a
structure without due permission by the owner and using force as an
element
during the entry. The offense of unlawful entry may be subject to
further
criminal acts like theft or murder. The structure can be described as
any
formation that has defined perimeters such as a house, garage, car,
boat,
stable or cage. Also, there should be a form of boundary access that is
used as a
means to
enter with force like a door, window or wall. Read
more...
|
The Little
Known Ways Forgery is Committed
What is forgery? It is the act of replicating something with
the express intention of fooling others that it is the original (of
what was copied). However, did you know that forgeries are not always
considered a crime? Find out when deceit of this kind is considered a
criminal offense. Read more...
|
Defining
Fratricide And Its Nature As A Crime
What is fratricide? It
refers to an individual who
commits murder wherein the victim is his/her brother. The
term is
also
commonly used in military context as friendly fire. Friendly fire
occurs when a
combatant advertently or inadvertently kills another person belonging
to the
same group. The killing of an ally may be penalized depending on the
intent and
manner. There are several cases of fratricide throughout the years
wherein some
individuals have been sentenced with capital punishment or the death
penalty. Read more...
|
Fraud - Gain
through Misrepresentation
What is fraud? It is to intentionally deceive someone for
personal gain. It is often said that there is fraud in what most people
do but when is it 'too far' that it is considered a
crime? Read
more...
|
Frustrated
Murder - Can a Missed Attempt Be
Considered a Crime?
What is frustrated murder? Murder is defined as the intention and act Read
more...
|
Gang Rape
- Rape by More than One
What is gang rape? Gang rape is identified as the sexual assault on a
single person by two or more
offenders. Gang rape is also referred to as group rape or pack
rape. In
many jurisdictions, gang rape is more severely punished than rape
committed
by one person. Read more...
|
Genocide:
The Crime of Group Murder
What is genocide? Genocide
is a deliberate and systematic attempt to
annihilate or destroy a group of people often based on their race or
ethnicity
as well as religion and politics. And while many associate this term
with the Jewish Holocaust, genocide, sadly, is prevalent at this day
and age. Read
more...
|
Government
Corruption - Dishonesty at the Highest Levels
Government corruption is the acceptance of any form of bribe
by a government official for various reasons, often, for the betterment
of the person offering the bribe. Government corruption goes beyond the
usual handing over of a 'sealed envolope'. Find out what constitutes
this crime today. Read more...
|
Graffiti -
Art or Vandalism?
What is graffiti? It is any lettering or image drawn,
scratched or spray-painted on another property (usually, a
wall). There
is a thin line that separates graffiti as art from vandalism and making
that
delineation has proven to be difficult not only for the government but
also for
private citizens. Read more...
|
Grand
Theft Auto - Vehicle Stealing on a 'Higher' Level
Car theft occurs just about everywhere but do you know where
they most occur and what the chances are of ever retrieving your
vehicle? Find out too if your car is a 'hot brand' that actually
attracts car thieves. Read more...
|
What
is Happy Slapping?
Happy slapping is a fairly new addition to crime. It
started out as a fad but has evolved into a criminal act. Happy
slapping
occurs
whenever there is an assault of any kind, whether it is physical or
sexual.
What makes happy slapping 'unique' is that there is a camera phone
involved in
the process, since a third party accomplice is often on hand
to record
what
happens. Read more...
|
Homicide -
To Kill a Human Being
What is homicide? Homicide
can be simply defined as the act of killing
another human being. While the term homicide by itself does not
necessarily
pertain to an illegal act, many jurisdictions use the term in a
criminal
context. Read
more...
|
Human
Trafficking - The Crime of Exploiting Human Beings
What is human trafficking? Human
trafficking or slavery
still exists today, over half a
century since being declared a crime against mankind by the
international
community. And after over 140 years after we thought slavery ended when
the
13th Amendment was ratified, the US is still a favorite destination of
modern
day slave traders for their victims. Read
more...
|
How
to Stop Yourself from Being Victim of Identity Theft
Identity theft is one of the most common crimes committed
today. While technology has made our lives easier, it has also
made us more vulnerable like never before. Find out more about this
crime and how you can prevent it from happening to you. Read
more...
|
What
Is Illegal Dumping And How Is It A Criminal Offense?
What is illegal dumping? It is the discarding of thrash in an
improper manner. Illegal dumping can be as simple as throwing one's
thrash in his/her neighbors premises or as complicated as a factory
throwing industrial waste in the environment. Read
more...
|
Illegal
Immigration And Why People Still Keep Doing It
Illegal
immigration is unlawful entry
across international borders, violating the immigration laws set by the
countries involved. An illegal immigrant is an alien or person who does
not
lawfully belong in a certain area due to the coverage limits of his
race,
documentation or birthright. Read
more...
|
Illegal
Logging - Definition and Sanctions
Illegal
logging is the unlawful collection,
transportation, barter, trade or release into the market of timber.
There are
national laws that strictly require loggers and the companies involved
to have
permits in each process to be legitimately approved. In each step, the
loggers
must be aware and knowledgeable about the limits, details and manner by
which
they accomplish the tasks. Read more...
|
Immigration
Offenses - Crossing Border No-Nos
Immigration offenses usually take place when one
overstays or goes beyond the limits as stated on his travel documents
(visa). This may be unintentional or intentional. Either way, it's best
to avoid it so that you don't get deported (and blacklisted) from the
country you want to settle in. Read
more...
|
Incest - Sex
with Family Relations
What is incest? It pertains to any sexual activity
between two family members whose degree
of
relationship is prohibited by law and/or custom to marry. Even cultures
that
are sexually permissive and allow child sexuality and experimentation
forbid
incestuous relationships. Read more...
|
Inchoate
Offenses - Committing the Crime of Intention
What are inchoate offenses? These are wrongdoings that
focus on a person's intent to commit a crime. Many think that just
because a crime was not carried out or did not bear intended result,
that it is not a crime. This is proven wrong by existence of inchoate
offense charges. Read more...
|
What
Is Inciting to Sedition?
Inciting to sedition is the act of trying to cause unrest. It
is to encourage people to rebel against a established or governing
body. This is far from exercising your right to freedom of speech. For
example, when you falsify facts to entice unrest, this is inciting to
sedition. Read more...
|
Indecent
Exposure and Its Criminal Nature
What is indecent exposure? It is the act
of intentionally revealing a portion (or more) of
your body. The 'revelation' is done beyond the standards set by public
laws in
terms of decency. As such, it's considered an
offense. Read more...
|
Industrial
Espionage - Spying on a Grand Scale
What is industrial espionage? It is spying conducted
for commerical purposes. In short, it is not just spying 'to know' but
spying 'to profit'. Read more...
|
What
You Need To Know About Insider Trading And How The
Law Handles It
What is insider trading? It is the illegal exchange or
barter of a firm’s bonds, stocks or other features by firm
insiders such as
directors, executives or other individuals possessing more than ten
percent of
shares. Basically, it's the illegal use of information for personal
gain. Read more...
|
The
Legal Implications Of Internet Fraud
What is internet fraud? It is the use of services or
materials in the World Wide Web to deceive another individual. The
offender may make use of websites, forums, Web logs, e-mail and chat
rooms as
mediums. It is entirely a scheme made for the sole purpose of acquiring
information, monetary
gain or
deceiving the entities involved. Read
more...
|
Larceny -
The Crime of Illegal Possession
What is larceny? It is the illegal taking of another
person's personal property with the intent of completely depriving
him/her of it. Larceny is often not seen as a vicious crime but it is
when you consider the value of the item taken and its effect on the
person(s) from which it was taken.
Read
more...
|
Libel
and Slander - The Crime of Harming Another's Reputation
What are libel and slander? These are acts committed
for the sole purpose of 'bringing down' or hurting another person's
name or reputation. Slander and libel are normally carried out by
making false statements, accusations or even documents that pretend to
support the negative claim against the intended party. Read
more...
|
The Crime of
Looting
What is looting? It is the act of taking goods
(stealing) during unusual circumstances such as the occurrence of a
natural disaster, unrest (e.g, during a riot), and others.
Looting is charactereized by the mob mentality; i.e., because others
are doing it, others are encouraged to join the foray. Read more...
|
Lynching -
The Rule of the Mob
Lynching
pertains to violence and murder used by perpetrators to pass
extrajudicial
judgment for their perceived offenders as well as terrorists to enforce
social
domination. Lynching can also be defined as the illegal execution of an
accused
person by a mob rather than by legitimate means. Read more...
|
Manslaughter
- Killing Without Intent
What is manslaughter? Compared
with murder, manslaughter is a less serious
offense of taking another person’s life. The reasoning behind
the lower level
of culpability of manslaughter is that it lacks the intention to kill
or malice
aforethought which is determined to be present in case of
murder. Read more...
|
Marital
Rape - The Underestimated Sexual Assault
Marital rape is one of today's 'silent crimes'. It
happens
more often than we think but those who are victims of it do not speak
out because of fear and the incorrect thought that it is not a crime at
all because the perpetrator is one's spouse. Learn more about marital
rape and fight for your right to say 'no'. Read
more...
|
Mutiny -
Gaining Power in Numbers
What is mutiny? By
general definition, mutiny is an act of conspiracy whereby a group of
individuals agree to disobey an order or orders of similarly-situated
individuals who are often part of the same organization as the
mutineers. Read more...
|
What is
Necrophilia?
Necrophilia is all about domination. Studies show that
since necrophiliacs cannot control the living, they gain pleasure in
dominating the dead. Read more...
|
Organized
Crime - A Systematic Way of Perpetrating Offenses
Organized
crime refers to
groups of individuals who have banded together to commit unlawful acts
and make
a profit in the process. In the United States, being part of the mob is
called
racketeering and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
regulates activities related to it. Organized crime is usually composed
of
individuals from
the same ethnic background banding together, such as Italians, Irish,
Japanese
and Russian. Read more...
|
Parricide
- The Murder of a Blood Relation
What is parricide? It is the murder of
one’s close relative, particularly one’s father
and/or mother. The term can
also refer to the perpetrator who committed the crime. Parricide is one
of
several forms of family homicide.. Read more...
|
Password
Trafficking - Gaining Illegal Access
What is password
trafficking? It is the illegal
distribution, trading or selling of passwords via any medium. The
passwords may
be codes for credit card access, computer system access or any other
material
that may cause harm or damage the credibility of the legal owner. There
is the
intent to defraud or violate privacy in the part of the offender, which
makes
the offense a misdemeanor to a crime depending on the damages incurred
by the
invasion. Read more...
|
Pedophilia
- Sexual Crimes Against Children
Pedophilia is a grave crime againts children. Not only does
it rob them of their childhood but it seriously negativeley affects
these kid's mental health. Find out what pedophilia really is and its
related punishments. Read more...
|
Perjury -
Lying Under Oath
What is perjury? It is any act committed by a person who lies
or give false statements under oath. Perjury is a serious offense
because it's consequences can be grave for the parties concerned. Have
you ever committed an act of perjury? Read more...
|
Police
Brutality - Law Enforcement Misconduct
What is police brutality? It is the use of a law
enforcer's power to inflict physical and/or verbal abuse. This type of
offense is widely untolerated by society for the simple reason that one
would expect protection and not abuse form law enforcers. Read
more...
|
How The
Law Defines And Sanctions Prostitution
What is prostitution? It is the
bartering of sex or the physical body with money or anything
else which
has value to the seller. The seller can independently be the prostitute
or the
pimp or person who manages. Read more...
|
Red
Light Running - The Dangers of Beating the Red Light
What is red light running? Put simply, it is a driver's
attempt to 'beat the red light' and thus drive on despite the presence
of a red light signal. It may not seem so offensive but did you know
that it is the second most driving behavior? Read
more...
|
Robbery -
Stealing by Force
Robbery
is the act of seizing or taking another person’s
property
by force,
violence or intimidation. Common law defines
robbery
as the offense of taking another’s property with the intent
of permanently
depriving the rightful owner of that property. Read more...
|
Serial
Killers - An Unquenching Desire for Death
Serial killers are those who commit murder by the
numbers regardless of whether they commit the crimes in fast
succession or after a 'pause'. Serial killings are often characterized
by a 'trademark' or 'signature' left by the murderer. Read
more...
|
Smuggling
- Illegal Transport
Smuggling,
also known as trafficking, can apply both to goods and people. By
definition, smuggling
is the illegal transport of these, particularly across the border of
two countries. Read more...
|
Speeding -
Rushing Can be Dangerous!
What is speeding? It is the crime of
driving beyond the speed limit dictated by law on a specific
road (or streatch of it). Speeding may not seem dangerous but it can
nonetheless result in the serious loss of property and even
life. Read
more...
|
Squatting
- Setting Up Illegal Residences
What is squatting? It
pertains to the act of illegally
setting up residence in premises that you do not own or rent. It is
prevalent in those
areas
where space is scarce, thus the need to take up occupancy in places
where there
is no owner who can drive you away. Read more...
|
Stalking -
The Crime of Unwarranted Attention
What is stalking? It is the offense of subjecting
somebody to 'too much attention' to the point that the object
of the attention feels threatened. Read on to find out the latest
statistics regarding this crime. Read more...
|
Statutory
Rape - Sex Crimes Against a Minor
What is statutory rape? It is rape that happens when an adult engages
in
sexually activity with a minor who is under the Age of Consent (AOC).
The Age
of Consent is the prescribed age when a person is deemed competent
enough to
consent to sexual activity. Read
more...
|
What is
Terrorism?
Terrorism,
broadly defined, is
a crime or series of crimes
intended to strike fear in its victims. The broad definition further
breaks
down into more than a hundred definitions, most of which agree that a
terrorist
act not only involves a violent act but also the THREAT of it.
Read
more...
|
Thuggery -
A Prevalent Cyber Crime
While
thuggery is a term that is more commonly associated
with hip hop slang, it also refers to organized hacker activity.
Similar to
identity theft and identity fraud, thuggery allows for credit card
numbers to
be stolen and used for illegal purposes without the user's
authorization. Read more...
|
Trafficking
in Women - Sex Exploitation in Global
Proportions
Trafficking
in women is one form of human trafficking with women as the victims of
the
crime. It is closely associated with the sexual exploitation of women
and
is one of
the ever-increasing criminal phenomena in present society. Read
more...
|
Treason -
Crimes Against Your Own Country
What is treason? It is committing acts that show one's
unfaithfulness to one's own country. Treason is a bit hard to prove and
because of this not many are convicted of this crime. However, there
was once a time when it was regarded as the worst offense one can ever
commit. Read more...
|
Criminal
Charges Against Trespassing
What is trespassing? It is
the illegal entering of private premises without the legal consent
of the owner. However, there is such a thing as 'allowed
trespassing'. Find out what constitutes this permissible
offense. Read more...
|
What is Usury
and Why is it a Criminal Offense?
What is usury? It is when somebody charges
excessive interests on another individual who borrows money from him or
her.
The interests are exagerated charges on loans, equity or
currency
conversion. Read more...
|
What is
Vandalism?
Vandalism
is a crime that involves the
mutilation or destruction of a structure or disembodiment of a symbol,
that
another governing establishment or private party has jurisdiction over.
Forms
of vandalism may be both an act of artistic expression or contempt
against the
owners or governing body. Either way, it is disrespectful and
destructive to
private or public property, which is why it is prohibited by law.
Read
more...
|
Vehicular
Manslaughter - When is a Road Accident Considered a Crime?
What is vehicular manslaughter? It is the offence of taking a
human life as a result of a violation of driving and traffic laws. This
crime is not applicable only to the driver of the vehicle that caused
the crime; i.e., it can be applied to passengers of the said
vehicle as well. Read more...
|
What
are Victimless Crimes?
Victimless
crimes are referred to as such because, despite
being illegal, they don’t threaten or violate any
person’s rights. Since the
term suggests that these acts shouldn’t be outlawed as there
are no victims,
the term “public order crimes” is now more commonly
used in the US. Read more...
|
White
Collar Crimes - Offences in the Corporate World
What are white collar crimes? These are offences that
take place usually in business world. Usually, it is committed
by a 'person of standing' such a the company's CEO or one of
the
memebrs of the Board. Whoever commits it though, and whatever
way
it's carried out, it's an abuse of power and influence for personal
gain. Read more...
|
White
Slavery - Forced Prostitution and Sex Exploitation
What is white slavery? It is the act of kidnapping or
intimidating someone (usually, women) to engage in prostitution.
Although deemed 'barbaric', white slavery is rampant today and a direct
relation between victims and the economies of the countries
from
which they come from are seen. Read more...
|
Wiretapping
- The Crime of Listening Over Phone Lines
What is wiretapping? It
is committing the crime of observing telephone
calls and lately, internet exchanges. The term 'wiretap'
comes from the
way the telephone line wires are used to apply the
connection for
monitoring and the 'tapping' of electrical signals to deliver the
message. Read more...
|
Abortion As
A Criminal Act: Guide To Premises, Procedures, And Legalities
Abortion is the expulsion of an embryo or fetus that is
incapable of independent survival through induced termination of
pregnancy. Read more...
|
Aggravated
Assault: Why Is It Criminal?
Aggravated
assault is defined as attempting to give serious injury to the body of
a
person. Hurting a person physically with the intent to rape, kill or
maim is
also considered as aggravated assault. Injuring or attempting to injure
a
person with the use of a deadly weapon is grounds for
aggravated
assault too. Read more...
|
Aiding
A Fugitive Could Make You A Criminal
A fugitive
is someone who runs away from unpleasant circumstances or from
government or
private groups. This article, however, will concentrate on fugitives of
the United States government. A person who escapes from prison or who
absconds from
government custody is considered to belong to this category of
fugitives. Read more...
|
Making
False Bomb Threats Could Land You In Jail
The steady threat of terrorism worldwide and continuing
attacks on different parts of the globe, which have cost thousands of
innocent
lives, has given birth to a highly sensitive level of vigilance among
law
enforcements and private individuals. The mere mention of a bomb, even
if done
in jest, could merit not just raised eyebrows from those within
earshot, but
also a conviction and fines. Given the trauma that came after 9/11,
anybody who
says the word “bomb” or brazenly (stupidly)
attempts to make a false claim on
the existence of one is slapped with Class E felony charges, among
others. Read more...
|
Check
Kiting - Unlimited, Yet Illegal, Cash Flow
Check Kiting is the act of drawing out excess money
from a
bank account when in fact, the account does not have enough funds to
completely
cover the check. It is a fraudulent scheme which takes advantage of the
“float”
or the time between the issuance of the check and the clearance at the
bank.
Two banks are used to create the illusion of having real assets or
money in one
thereby using the time of transfer to draw out extra cash Read
more...
|
What Is
Color of Law Abuse And Why Is It A Crime?
When a police officer, after arresting and handcuffing
a person, gives
him a blow in the head for no apparent reason, then that is a crime
under the
color of law. A federal officer who uses his position to gain sexual
favors;
that is also under the color of law. Simply put, color of law abuse
means to
act like or to pretend to be under legal authority or jurisdiction, but
really
is not. Color of law abuse is also known as police misconduct.
Read
more...
|
What
Does Compounding A Crime Mean And How Is It Penalized?
Compounding a crime or felony is the act of agreeing
with
a thief or felon not to prosecute in exchange for the stolen goods or
other
rewards for not prosecuting the alleged. The individual who is
compounding the
crime may be immediately affected by some circumstances, which explain
the
mischievous act. The offender may be someone sitting in office or has
legal
rights to prosecute violators of the law. Read
more...
|
Criminal
Impersonation: What You Need To Know
Criminal
impersonation is a crime where a person assumes
the identity of another person to deceive other people for gain or
profit. Read more...
|
Criminalizing
The Transmission of HIV
Infecting
a person deliberately or recklessly with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency
Virus) is
considered a criminal act by the United States and some other
countries. A
person can be charged with Criminal Transmission of HIV for such act.
Other
criminal charges like murder, attempted murder, assault, or
manslaughter can
also be filed against a person if found guilty. Read
more...
|
Identifying
And Penalizing Cyberstalkers
The
crime of cyberstalking is committed when there is the
use of electronic communications devices to harass a victim. Usually,
the
attacker uses certain electronic communications devices such as the
Internet,
e-mails or instant messaging (IM), or through social web sites or
discussion
groups that allow him or her to remain anonymous in order to stalk
their
victims undetected, sending them with often threatening messages.
Read
more...
|
Criminalizing
Acts That Intentionally Damage Property
Property damage can refer to several things and can be
manmade, brought about by natural causes, or both (as with a neglected
wall
crack that resulted in a collapse when a storm hit). Most of the
damaged
property that springs from a hurricane or other natural forces is
unintentional
and is rarely classified as a crime. However, intentional property
damage,
especially those that have malicious intentions can amount to huge
fines and
jail time. Read more...
|
How The
Law Deals With Defacement Crimes
Defacement is the act of intentionally marking or
removing
the portion of an image or article which is specifically created to
fulfill the
entity of the piece. Defacement is a form of vandalism which may
include the
presence of actual planning to successfully desecrate the image or
article.
Website defacement is also a term used in cyberspace to describe the
electronic
graffiti or system cracker which altered an original existing home
page. Read
more...
|
How
The Law Deals With Disorderly Conduct
Disorderly
conduct is the act of an individual disturbing
public peace. The nature of the act is to corrupt the public morals,
outrage
the sense of public decency, affect the peace and quiet of persons who
may
witness them, engage in brawling or fighting or engage in such conduct
as to
constitute a breach of the peace. Disorderly conduct is typically a
misdemeanor
of the second degree. It is punishable although some statutes do not
strictly
enforce laws for the offense. Read
more...
|
FACE - Denying
People Entry To Clinics Is A Crime
FACE, or the Freedom of Access to Clinics Act, was
signed
into law in 1994 to criminalize the use of force, threats of force, and
physical obstructions to prevent any individual from entering
reproductive
health clinics, regardless of the nature of business and the intention.
The
need for such an act was recognized in the late 80s to the early 90s,
when
blockades and public protests against reproductive health clinics,
particularly
those that welcome abortion and the like, turned too passionate that
they
became destructive and hurtful. Read more...
|
Issuing
And Using False Drug Prescriptions Is A Crime
Using/Issuing a false drug
prescription is defined as the obtaining of
a controlled substance or any prescription drug through illegal means.
It could
be through forging prescriptions, altering prescriptions, and other
tactics to
be able to acquire a prescription drug. It is a felony, which means
that it is
punishable by law with imprisonment for a year, to say the very
least. Read more...
|
How To Detect Flim Flam Scams
Flim flam is
the act of a human person deceiving another
individual through swindling or creating a confidence play that
presents clever
persuasion or smart manipulation. The offense can be classified as a
misdemeanor or felony depending on the value of properties or money
acquired
and counts of violation. The offender intentionally tricks the victim
into
investing real property or money in exchange for value of reputation by
the
offender. In common law jurisdictions, flim flam may be referred to as
“theft
by deception,” “larceny by trick” or
“larceny by fraud and deception.” Read more...
|
Get A Food Stamp Violation And You Might Land In Jail
Food stamp provision is a program of the US government
aimed
at helping low-income households so that they have the opportunity to
acquire food staples. Providing false information to get food
stamps or using food stamps in ways other than their original purpose
is a crime punishable by fines and jail time. Read more...
|
Harboring Illegal Aliens: How Is It A Crime?
Illegal alien is the term used
for a person who illegally entered and
migrated into the country. But the term illegal alien doesn’t
only apply to
those who have illegally entered the United States. There are also
those who have entered the country legally but are staying illegally.
An
example would be using a tourist visa to enter the United States but
still
remaining after the visa expires. Such, too, can be called illegal
aliens. Read more...
|
Health Care Fraud - Patients Beware!
Health
care
fraud is the act of knowingly and willfully
executing or attempting to execute a scheme to defraud any health care
benefit
program in connection with the delivery of or payment for health care
benefits
or services or obtains any property of the health care benefit program
by false
representations. The law is applicable to fraud targeting private
insurance
agencies, insurance programs responsible for medical payments and
public health
care programs. Read more...
|
Hit And Run: Turning Your Back On Road Responsibility Is A Crime
Hitting a
person or the property of a person and to flee the scene right away
without
identifying oneself is the crime called Hit and Run... Read more...
|
Homophobic Crimes: Why They Happen And How They Are Punished
Homophobic
crimes come from the word homophobia. The root word literally means the
irrational fear or discrimination against homosexuals or homosexuality
itself.
Basically, homophobic crimes are offenses committed with homophobia as
the main
motivation. Victims do not necessarily have to be gay or lesbian, but
deemed to
be so by the offender. The crimes may be in the form of bullying,
harassment,
assault, verbal abuse, name calling, damage to property, and graffiti. Read more...
|
Hostage Taking - What Makes It A Crime?
A hostage
could be a person, animal, or thing that is held captive. Hostages have
two
classifications: those seized by force, held
captive and
treated like a prisoner, and those handed over voluntarily as proof that one will follow with what was
agreed
upon. This type of hostage is more like a 'guest'. Read more...
|
Why Is Illegal Detention A Crime?
Illegal
detention is willfully, deliberately and
intentionally confining another human person without legal authority
and
consent. The offender apprehended, arrested or confined another
individual with
direct intent and without reasonable ground to do so. There is unlawful
exercise of right and voluntary restrain. Detention may also be
applicable to
property or objects when persons confiscates or withholds property from
the
legal owner without consent or reason. Read more...
|
Shield Yourself From Insurance Fraud
Insurance
fraud is the act of creating a false
representation of insurance policies, documentations and benefits for
the
offender to gain financially. Fraud schemes usually make up the faulty
or
nonexistent representation in order for policyholders or victims to
rely and
trust the offender into investing real assets. The offender obtains
benefit or
advantage which he is not legally entitled to. The offense is then
classified
as a misdemeanor or felony depending on severity. Read more...
|
Involuntary Manslaughter - Almost Murder
Involuntary
manslaughter is the act of killing another
human person by doing an unlawful act which is not a felony or a lawful
act
done in a grossly negligent way. It is also known as criminally
negligent
homicide or culpable homicide. It counts as a homicide since there is
no
intention to kill or cause harm or presence of malice aforethought. The
death
of the other individual is due to recklessness or negligence but not
necessarily
disregard for human life. Read more...
|
Youth Sex Trade: Penalizing Juvenile Pimping
Juvenile
pimping is the act of any individual who receives
any money, property, token, object, benefit, article or anything of
value from
a prostitute under the legal age of consent or from a prostitute who is
an
institutionalized severely or profoundly mentally retarded person, not
for
lawful consideration, knowing it was earned in whole or in part from
the
practice of prostitution. Read more...
|
Liquor License Violation Defined
Liquor
license violation is the illegal act of selling or
purchasing alcohol due to failure to obtain a liquor license. Stores,
restaurants and other business structures are required by federal and
state
laws to acquire a liquor license by filing an application indicating
the
clientele, types of alcohol intended to be sold and area where the
selling will
be done. On the other hand, clients or customers are also required to
have an
active legal license in order to purchase alcohol. Those who are not
allowed to
purchase must not violate laws and sellers must be strict in enforcing
this. Read more...
|
What is Malicious Mischief?
Malicious
mischief is the act of intentionally destroying
the personal property of another person due to resentment or ill will
towards
the owner. It is different from the usual damaging of private property
since
most cases are accidental or done at random. Malicious mischief
includes the
intent or plan of causing destruction to the property as a means of
revenge,
threat or blackmail to the owner. It is a criminal offense and classes
are indicated
depending on severity and intent. Read more...
|
Mob Action - Strength In Unity?
Mob
action is having two or more persons acting together to disturb the
public
peace. Mob action can also be defined as gathering of two or more
persons to do
an unlawful act. Last but not the least mob action is the assembly of
two or
more persons, without the authority of the law, to act against a person
who is
supposed to be guilty of violating a law. Putting the law into their
hands and
punishing the guilty. Read more...
|
Don’t Get Duped: How To Deal With Nigerian Letter (419) Scams
True to its
name, the Nigerian Letter Scam is a grand hoax
commonly sent by a Nigerian national or anybody from West Africa to lure
recipients into funneling
huge sums of money as advanced payments for bogus reimbursements and
providing
personal account information for further milking. Read more...
|
Official Misconduct - When Public Officials Turn Bad
The
definition of official misconduct is essentially the
same in all states and countries. It is the willing and knowing abuse
of power or
refusal to perform duties by a government official, public head, or law
enforcement officer, either for personal gain, to cause harm or injury
to
another, or to provide profits and gains for somebody else. Read more...
|
Online Phishing And How It Happens
Online
phishing is a way to get personal financial data,
account numbers, user names and passwords from other people through the
use of
cleverly designed e-mails. These e-mails that appear to be
official-looking, or
e-mails that appear to be legitimate e-mails from large and familiar
businesses, are in fact fake. This actually helps increase the level of
identity theft crimes in the internet. Read more...
|
The Criminal Nature Of The Ponzi Scam
The infamous
Ponzi Scam, named after its most popular
perpetrator Charles Ponzi, is a scheme that aims to defraud people into
investing huge sums of money into an operation or a business, under the
promise
of around 50% interest that is collectible after only a short period of
time
(usually a month). The gist is that people are often told that the
money will
be invested into some ambiguous and huge sounding venture, like hedge
funds or
securities, when, in fact, no such investment exists. Read more...
|
What Is Public Peace Violation? Definition And Penalties
Public peace
violation is the act of disturbing events
that originally were in order in a public area. The offense can be
considered
as a misdemeanor, infraction or crime depending on the statutes and
nature of
the act. Individuals held in breach of the peace will not be considered
involved in a criminal act. This is to help the individual successfully
deal
with authorities as well as maintain good reputation for future
employment. Read more...
|
The Criminal Nature Of The Pyramid Scam: Don’t Be A Victim
A pyramid
scam is an unsustainable and fraudulent system
wherein the victims pay to join a system that usually offers no product
to be
delivered. If there is a product that its members have paid to receive,
only a
fraction of them ever receive it. People are promised money for being
able to
enroll other people into the scheme, thereby increasing the number of
members,
or victims, of the system. Read more...
|
Reckless Endangerment: How Being Imprudent Can Make You A Criminal
Reckless
endangerment is one of the subclasses of
endangerment that pertains to the conduct of a certain individual that
poses a
major risk of death or physical injury to another. Read more...
|
Does Refusing To Aid An Officer Make You A Criminal?
Sometimes, deciding to 'mind your own business' and refusing to help an officer in need can land you in jail. Read more...
|
Why Resisting Arrest Is A Crime
Resisting
arrest is the act of intentionally and willfully
opposing or resisting any law enforcement officer in serving, executing
or
attempting to serve or execute any legal writ or process or resisting
any
lawful arrest, whether under process or not. It is a criminal offense
of
eluding a law enforcement officer who is attempting to arrest an
individual,
using or threatening to use force against a law enforcement officer
during an
arrest or providing an officer with false identification in order to
elude
arrest. Read more...
|
What is Second Degree Murder?
Second
degree
murder is the act of intentionally killing a
human person without the presence of premeditation or planning. Second degree murder is not caused by
dangerous
conduct or the perpetrator’s lack of concern for human life.
It is less serious
than first degree murder but more serious than voluntary manslaughter. Read more...
|
Sending Unsolicited Email Is A Crime: Why Spammers Are Our Enemy
Spamming
is a term used to refer to unsolicited or
unwarranted mail (snail, fax, or electronic). Email spam, probably the
most
widespread of spam cases worldwide, springs from the desire of
certain
individuals and companies to promote products or services via
least-cost means
or to simply steal PC information and wreak havoc on Internet
users’ online
lives. Read more...
|
The Spanish Lottery Scam
The
Spanish
Lottery Scam, also dubbed as the “El Gordo”
scam, or some other Spanish sounding name, poses itself as an
international
lottery. The victim is informed, either by mail or fax, that he or
she has
won huge sums of money in a sweepstakes in Spain. At first
look, individuals
desperate for a quick fix would find this appealing and might bite into
it.
However, when people start to think about how they had won in a lottery
in Spain, the
questions on its veracity
begin to fly. Read more...
|
Identifying The Crime That Is Tax Evasion
What is tax evasion? Tax evasion
is the illegal act of avoiding or defeating
any imposed tax due to the individual. State laws clearly define the
act being
criminal in nature. Illegal means are used by individuals, agencies and
other
bodies in order to evade taxes. Usual schemes are taxpayers who
intentionally
provide false representations which deter from a statement of fact or
conceal a
statement of fact which shows the actual state of their financial
state. The
false representations then allow tax authorities to give deductions
from the
overall sum. Read more...
|
Rings And Phone Pranks: Telephone Threats Are Criminal
According
to the law, a threat is defined as words, written or spoken, whose
purpose is
to intimidate other persons. Threats are often used to gain advantage
over a
person or situation or sometimes threats are used to make a person do
something
even if it is against his or her own will. Threatening to use a weapon
on a
person, threatening to injure a person or a person’s property
and threatening
to injure a person’s reputation are considered offenses in
all states. Read more...
|
|