The Crime Report

Cybercrime

Cyberattack on Red Cross Puts Half a Million 'Vulnerable' People At Risk

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

The International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed that hackers have stolen data on over 515,000 “highly vulnerable people,” recipients of aid and services from at least 60 affiliates of the charitable organization worldwide, forcing the aid organization to temporarily halt a program that reunites families torn apart by violence, migration or other tragedies.

Policing

‘On the Job’: Police Unions and Police Behavior

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Some of the systemic problems of modern policing in America have more to do with the constraints of unions and public service personnel policies than with so-called police “culture,” says a Northwestern University law professor.

White Collar Crime

How the Pandemic Fueled a Surge in Wire Fraud

By Sarah Santos | January 21, 2022

The massive disruption of business brought about by the global pandemic almost two years ago opened a veritable Pandora’s Box of wire fraud. Here’s how to avoid becoming a victim.

Immigration

Buried Under 1.6 Million Cases, Lawmakers Consider Immigration Court Overhaul

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Critics have attributed some of the backlog to the oversight of the immigration courts system by the Department of Justice, making it subject to the political whims of ever-changing administrations.

Domestic Terrorism

Prosecutors Allege Oath Keepers Stockpiled Weapons in Preparation for Capitol Attack

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Prosecutors described evidence that members of the right-wing militia group had purchased more than $15,000 worth of firearms and related supplies in the days before the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol.

Science & Technology

Apple Airtags Used as Stalking Tech

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Police both within the United States and internationally are reporting that Apple Airtags, quarter-sized Bluetooth devices that retail for $29 each and are used as tracking tools that users can pair with the company’s Find My app to help locate lost belongings, are being used to stalk individuals and target cars for theft

Bail

Civil Rights Commission Stalled Over Bail Reform

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

A new report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has found that 60 percent of people awaiting trial are locked up because they can’t afford bail, but political polarization over the issue has paralyzed efforts at reform.

Crime Victims

Limits of Norway’s Lenient Justice System Tested by Mass Murderer

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Families of convicted mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik’s victims charge his comfortable prison conditions and ability to spread extremist views through publicized parole hearings are reprehensible.

Policing

Warmer States Lure Cops From Demoralized Chicago Police Department

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Police departments in states like Florida and Texas, as well as local Illinois suburbs, are stepping up efforts to aggressively recruit cops from Chicago, where morale has sunk. So-called “lateral” hiring programs, which have recruited more than 50 in the past three years, save money by getting trained cops..

Policy & Politics

Republicans Want Election Police 'Strike Forces' to Combat Elusive Voter Fraud

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Republican politicians in Georgia, Florida, and Arizona are proposing to establish police forces to hunt exclusively for voter fraud and other election crimes, although none of the states have experiences significant election fraud.

Reforming the System

New York Moves to Ease Arrest Disclosure Requirements by Would-Be Lawyers

New York is moving to end a requirement that law school graduates report past arrests and police interactions short of convictions in order to become practicing attorneys, following a new report finding that excessive screening discourages people of color from applying to law school and the bar.

Reforming the System

George Floyd Killing Raises Demand for Duty-to-Intervene Laws

The lack of response to intercede by former officers during the killing of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin has led 18 states to codify through legislation or policy that officers have a duty to step in if they witness a colleague using excessive or unauthorized force.

Campus Crime

USC Frat Parties to Resume Under Watch of Sexual Assault Guards

New sexual assault prevention policies were released as a Title IX investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at several USC fraternities remains underway. Fraternities, while having house parties, must post guards not only at entry points and gather areas, but also “at stairs or hallways leading to bedrooms.”

Research & Analysis

Jails

Jail Lengths of Stay Increasing Across the US: Report

A new report from Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice finds that higher bail amounts are associated with longer lengths of stay behind bars, while Black individuals are disproportionately affected.
Juvenile Justice

‘Stunned for Life’: The Use and Abuse of TASERs on Children and Youth

Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWS) are too frequently being used by police on children and youth who are in distress or emotional crisis and, as a result, are exacerbating their trauma, warns a report by Strategies for Youth.
Cybercrime

California Cybersecurity ‘Plagued’ by Weak Systems

Auditors who took a deep dive into the cybersecurity systems of all 108 California State reporting entities found that the state Department of Technology can't paint a clear picture of their security, and many agencies aren't up to date on security standards.
Juvenile Justice

Is Online Learning Creating a Virtual School-to-Prison Pipeline?

Advocates and civil rights attorneys are examining the legal issues presented by virtual school disciplinary policies, noting that predominantly children of color and those with disabilities are disciplined the most. Others worry about privacy concerns regarding freedom of speech, and having an academic setting police someone's home behavior.
Reforming the System

A ‘Fair and Speedy Trial’ is a Pipe Dream for Many Poor Americans: Study

Over 30 states lack laws that establish a firm deadline for initial appearances, requiring only that such appearances occur “within a reasonable time,” with the result that individuals can be held behind bars for weeks before seeing an attorney, according to a Southern Methodist University study.
Crime Prevention

Ten ‘Essential Actions’ to Curb American Violence

Traditional policing must be linked to partnerships with community leaders, says a new report by the Council on Criminal Justice Violent Crime Working Group.

WORTH A READ

At the Crossroads

‘We’re Not Ready for Police-Free Zones’
By Greg Berman | January 20, 2022
Explanations for the rise in violent crime tend to avoid the role police play in crime prevention, argues policing expert Peter Moskos. In the latest installment of the “At the Crossroads” series of interviews sponsored by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, Moskos tells Greg Berman that cops need to be proactive in addressing clear threats like gun offenders.
Reforming the System

Judge Allows Violence Researchers Access to CA Gun Owners’ Personal Info
By TCR Staff | January 20, 2022
California U.S. District Judge Larry Alan Burns ruled Assembly Bill 173 provides a "research service" for law enforcement who lack “the training, background or education” to evaluate gun violence. The NRA has challenged the law on the grounds of defending gun owners' privacy.
Viewpoints

Why the Bill for Miscarriages of Justice Should be Shared by All of Us
By James M. Doyle | January 19, 2022
Some 99.98 percent of the money paid out for police misconduct in civil rights cases comes from public funds, not from the wallets of individual cops. It’s money well spent if it helps prevent future tragedies, writes TCR’s legal affairs columnist.
Capital Punishment

Will Utah Scrap the Death Penalty?
By David Dudley | January 19, 2022
A new push to repeal the death penalty is gathering momentum in a state that has been a bedrock of support for capital punishment. It’s the latest sign of a slow shift of opinion among conservatives nationwide.

Featured

Bill Moyers on Justice

By TCR Staff | December 1, 2017

Moyers was honored as TCR’s 2018 “Justice Media Trailblazer.” Watch the video of his remarks at the Feb 15, 2018 John Jay College dinner here.

The Crime Report - Your Complete Criminal Justice Resource

Domestic Terrorism

Prosecutors Allege Oath Keepers Stockpiled Weapons in Preparation for Capitol Attack

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Science & Technology

Apple Airtags Used as Stalking Tech

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Bail

Civil Rights Commission Stalled Over Bail Reform

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Crime Victims

Limits of Norway’s Lenient Justice System Tested by Mass Murderer

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Policing

Warmer States Lure Cops From Demoralized Chicago Police Department

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Policy & Politics

Republicans Want Election Police 'Strike Forces' to Combat Elusive Voter Fraud

By TCR Staff | January 21, 2022

Reforming the System

New York Moves to Ease Arrest Disclosure Requirements by Would-Be Lawyers

Reforming the System

George Floyd Killing Raises Demand for Duty-to-Intervene Laws

Campus Crime

USC Frat Parties to Resume Under Watch of Sexual Assault Guards

Race and Equity

Overdose Death Rate for Black Men Tripled Since 2015

Policing Reform

North Carolina to Begin Psychological Screenings for Sheriff Department Employees

Experts Question Legitimacy of Non-Profit Raising Funds for Capitol Riot Defendants

Kansas County DA Won’t File Charges in Juvenile Detention Killing of Cedric Lofton

New Jersey Expands Expungement Eligibility for Drug Court Grads

New York AG Levels Detailed Fraud Charges Against Trump Family