Philosophy
I was talking with an acquaintance the other day who is a police captain in a near-by county. He was relating a frustration from work. His people were conducting prostitution stings based on Craig's List ads. The johns who were busted included some well-respected members of the community and he received flack from above for wasting the force's time and resources busting people who were not really criminals. His contention was that a criminal is anyone who commits a crime and these people did, making them every bit a criminal. Surely, there is some element of class and race here, but it seems a fair question, what do we mean by "criminal"?
- Is Crime Healthy?
I've been working through Emile Durkheim's classic The Rules of Sociological Method and in one section he works to draw a line between types of acts that are normal and those that are pathological. I don't want to discuss the criterion, but...
- Just Because You Are Innocent Doesn't Mean You Have The Right Under Due Process To Demonstrate Your Innocence
In a case decided 5-4 by the Supreme Court last Thursday, it was decided that you do not have the right to DNA test state's evidence against you, even when that evidence could demonstrate your innocence. Chief Justice Roberts writes for the majority,...
- Patrick Harran Plea Bargains
"UCLA chemistry professor avoids prison time in fatal lab fire case" by Kim Christensen June 20th, 2014 Los Angeles Times UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran on Friday struck a deal with prosecutors that all but frees him from criminal liability...
- Full Moon And Crime
Othello: It is the very error of the moon; She comes more near the earth than she was wont, And makes men mad. Othello, the Moor of Venice Act V Scene II Line 133 to 135 "Full moon eclipsed as accessory to crime" by Dan Vergano July 11th, 2010...
- "dna Evidence Infallible" Poll
Is DNA evidence infallible in criminal justice cases? Yes...0 No...3 Looks like there is room for "doubt". I have seen a number of those CSI television programs where a person's DNA is available within a short period of time to connect an individual...
Philosophy
What Is a Criminal?
I was talking with an acquaintance the other day who is a police captain in a near-by county. He was relating a frustration from work. His people were conducting prostitution stings based on Craig's List ads. The johns who were busted included some well-respected members of the community and he received flack from above for wasting the force's time and resources busting people who were not really criminals. His contention was that a criminal is anyone who commits a crime and these people did, making them every bit a criminal. Surely, there is some element of class and race here, but it seems a fair question, what do we mean by "criminal"?
- Is Crime Healthy?
I've been working through Emile Durkheim's classic The Rules of Sociological Method and in one section he works to draw a line between types of acts that are normal and those that are pathological. I don't want to discuss the criterion, but...
- Just Because You Are Innocent Doesn't Mean You Have The Right Under Due Process To Demonstrate Your Innocence
In a case decided 5-4 by the Supreme Court last Thursday, it was decided that you do not have the right to DNA test state's evidence against you, even when that evidence could demonstrate your innocence. Chief Justice Roberts writes for the majority,...
- Patrick Harran Plea Bargains
"UCLA chemistry professor avoids prison time in fatal lab fire case" by Kim Christensen June 20th, 2014 Los Angeles Times UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran on Friday struck a deal with prosecutors that all but frees him from criminal liability...
- Full Moon And Crime
Othello: It is the very error of the moon; She comes more near the earth than she was wont, And makes men mad. Othello, the Moor of Venice Act V Scene II Line 133 to 135 "Full moon eclipsed as accessory to crime" by Dan Vergano July 11th, 2010...
- "dna Evidence Infallible" Poll
Is DNA evidence infallible in criminal justice cases? Yes...0 No...3 Looks like there is room for "doubt". I have seen a number of those CSI television programs where a person's DNA is available within a short period of time to connect an individual...