Embassy of the United States

Law & Justice

Crime, Violence & Law Enforcement Archive

GLOBAL REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. February 2009.
Full Text [PDF format, 292 pages]
The report provides new information, based on data gathered from 155 countries. It offers the first global assessment of the scope of human trafficking and what is being done to fight it. The report includes an overview of trafficking patterns, legal steps taken in response, and country-specific information on reported cases. The most common form of human trafficking, 79%, is sexual exploitation. Surprisingly, in 30% of the countries which provided information on the gender of traffickers, women make up the largest proportion of traffickers. The second most common form of human trafficking is forced labor (18%).
[Note: contains copyrighted material]

AA09055
SILENT SERVANTS (Asia-Pacific Defense Forum, vol. 33, no. 3, Third Quarter 2008, pp. 44-51)
Available online
Trafficking in people is the modern-day form of slavery, the world’s third most profitable organized crime which principally targets women and children, and one of the fastest-growing criminal activities. Trafficking victims are typically defrauded or coerced into the sex services industries or into situations where their labor is exploited. Traffickers often rely on the confiscation of travel documents to exercise control over a victim. Between 600,000-800,000 people annually are transported across borders worldwide, including 14,500-17,500 persons into the United States alone. The U.S. is committed to putting an end to human trafficking; the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons and assists in the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts, and its annual Trafficking in Persons Report serves as the primary diplomatic tool through which the U.S. Government encourages partnership and increased determination in the fight against human trafficking. Another effort is the U.N. Convention against Transnational Crime, adopted by the UN General Assembly during its Millennium Meeting in November 2000 and considered the first serious attempt by the international community to answer the global challenge of transnational organized crime with a global response in the form of international law.

AA09071 Twomey, Steve TO CATCH A THIEF (Smithsonian, April 2008, pp. 88-99)
Currently available online
In 2006, a Civil War buff searching on eBay discovered documents for sale that turned out to be stolen from the National Archives. The thief was a rare book dealer who had interned at the Archives. He confessed and sought clemency, but the judge sentenced him to 15 months in jail, saying that original documents have “an absolute uniqueness” and people “must be deterred from even thinking about” stealing them. Unfortunately, there is a big market for stolen historical materials; books can be damaged when pages and maps are torn out, and moreover, the thefts create gaps in our knowledge about the past. “A recent strong of high-value crimes has led not only to greater vigilance but also to greater frankness about the threat,” says author Steve Twomey. The thinking is that publicity may make it more difficult to sell stolen items, and warnings about the penalties (fines and jail) may discourage potential thieves. But rare books, maps and documents are hard to protect, and often the thieves are employees or other trusted individuals. “Perfect security for a special collection or an archive will never exist, and their contents will never lose allure,” says Twomey.

A RISING SHARE: HISPANICS AND FEDERAL CRIME. Pew Hispanic Center. Mark Hugo Lopez et al. February 18, 2009.
Full Text [PDF format, 27 pages]
Sharp growth in illegal immigration and increased enforcement of immigration laws have altered the ethnic composition of offenders sentenced in federal courts. Latinos, who are 13% of the U.S. adult population, accounted for 40% of all sentenced federal offenders in 2007—up from 24% in 1991. Immigration offenses now represent about one-quarter of all federal convictions, compared with 7% in 1991. Most Latinos with federal sentences are not U.S. citizens. Hispanics are more likely to receive a prison term but it is generally shorter than prison terms for whites and blacks.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS. U.S. Supreme Court. Web posted January 27, 2009.
Recent Supreme Court decisions ranging from sentencing guidelines to sexual harassment are covered.
Full Text:
Nelson v. U.S. [PDF format, 4 pages] Van de Kamp v. Goldstein [PDF format, 15 pages]
Arizona v. Johnson [PDF format, 12 pages]
United States v. Eurodif S.A. [PDF format, 19 pages]
Kennedy v. Plan Administrator for DuPont Savings & Investment Plan [PDF format, 22 pages]
Crawford v. Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn. [PDF format, 14 pages]

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS. U.S. Supreme Court. Web posted January 22, 2009.
The five Supreme Court decisions range from criminal accomplice liability to sentencing.
Full Text:
Waddington v. Sarausad [PDF format, 30 pages]
Locke v. Karass [PDF format, 18 pages]
Pearson v. Callahan [PDF format, 24 pages]
Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee [PDF format, 16 pages]
Spears v. United States [PDF format, 11 pages]

HANDBOOK ON PLANNING AND ACTION FOR CRIME PREVENTION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGIONS. Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations. January 14, 2009.
Full Text [PDF format, 130 pages]
Drawing on lessons from 40 crime prevention programs, the handbook explores the extent to which lessons can be drawn, and where evidence is lacking. The handbook seeks to identify suggestions for further action, either for research or experimentation.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS: 2007. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. December 2008.
Full Text [PDF format, 4 pages]
The report presents information on the apprehension, detention, return and removal of foreign nationals during fiscal year 2007.

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Wilkinson, Alec NON-LETHAL FORCE (New Yorker, June 2, 2008)
Available on request
For about a decade, researchers have sought to design non-lethal weapons specifically for civilian law enforcement agencies, rather than simply modifying non-lethal weapons intended for military use. Current options are “primitive,” says Charles Heal, an expert who works with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Tear gas, for instance, is dependent on wind direction and can affect innocent bystanders. Some other examples: billy clubs, stun bags fired from shotguns, dogs, stink bombs, smoke, Tasers, extremely loud noises or bright lights, soporifics, and sticky foam. The critical standard is whether the non-lethal weapon creates a “save” -– that is, whether a person who would have been killed was instead apprehended. This not only saves lives, it also reduces the chance of costly lawsuits. Heal, who tests products proposed by inventors and manufacturers, discusses some promising products such as a flashlight that disperses pepper spray (so a police officer who feels threatened can use the spray to incapacitate an offender rather than hitting him on the head). Heal hopes someone will invent a device that causes the engine of a car being pursued to die. Currently he is testing a speaker that broadcasts sound with clarity at ranges never seen before. It could be used by police to broadcast warnings, instructions, or frightening sounds such as machine gun fire or police dogs barking. Heal says it is being used in Iraq “to clear neighborhoods and to tell people at checkpoints to stop.”

SMART ON CRIME: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEXT ADMINSTRATION AND CONGRESS. The 2009 Criminal Justice Transition Coalition. Web posted November 5, 2008.
Full Text[PDF format, 263 pages]
The report identifies critical needs for federal policy reform. It contains comprehensive policy recommendations at every stage of the justice system for the new Administration and Congress. “Americans of all political stripes, and especially professionals with experience in every aspect of the criminal justice system, recognize that the system is failing too many, costing too much, and helping too few,” says the report. It will be distributed to the Obama/Biden transition team and key leadership on Capitol Hill.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]

FACT SHEET: PROTECTING VOTING RIGHTS AND PROSECUTING VOTER FRAUD. U.S. Department of Justice. November 2008.
Full Text [PDF format, 3 pages]
Among the Department of Justice’s highest priorities are protecting voting rights and combating voter fraud. The Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces specific federal laws that help to ensure all qualified voters have an opportunity to cast their ballots and have them counted, while the Department’s Criminal Division oversees the nationwide enforcement of federal laws integrity of the federal election process.

WELFARE PAYMENTS AND CRIME. National Bureau of Economic Research. C. Fritz Foley. June 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 44 pages]

The study tests the hypothesis that the timing of welfare payments affects criminal activity. Analysis of major crime incidents in twelve U.S. cities reveals an increase in crime over the course of monthly welfare payment cycles. This increase reflects an increase in crimes that are likely to have a direct financial motivation like burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and robbery, as opposed to other kinds of crime like arson, assault, homicide, and rape. Temporal patterns in crime are observed in jurisdictions in which disbursements are focused at the beginning of monthly welfare payment cycles. [Note: contains copyrighted material]

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF POTENTIAL SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE: INFORMATION STUDENTS LEARN MAY PREVENT A TARGETED ATTACK.
U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education. May 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 15 pages]

One of the most significant findings from the Safe School Initiative (SSI) is that prior to most school attacks, other children knew what was going to happen. In collaboration with the Department of Education and McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) interviewed friends, classmates, siblings and others in whom school shooters confided their ideas and plans prior to their incidents. Other interviews included students who came forward with information regarding a planned school based attack, and are believed to have prevented an attack from happening. The goal of the study was to provide information to school administrators and educators regarding possible barriers that may prevent children who have information about a potential incident from reporting that information to a responsible adult.

PROTECT CHILDREN NOT GUNS.
Children’s Defense Fund. Web posted June 9, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 15 pages]

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3,006 children and teens were killed by firearms in 2005, the first increase since 1994 and the first rise in gun deaths since Congress allowed the Assault Weapons Ban to expire in 2004. The report recommends what individuals, communities and policymakers can do to reverse the increase in gun violence.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

IDENTITY THEFT: THE AFTERMATH 2007.
Identity Theft Resource Center. Linda Foley and Sheila Gordon. Web posted June 14, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 37 pages]

The primary purpose of the study is to identify what the impact of identity theft is to the victim. The victims’ lives have been interrupted, altered, torn apart and/or impacted for years to come. The study indicates a need for research on various topics including family identity theft, long-term emotional impacts of this crime on victims, child identity theft, and the criminal elements involved in identity theft. The questions asked ranged from the emotional impact this crime has had on victims’ lives all the way through to their ability to recover their good name. It also includes the financial loss to the business community in goods and services.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

AA08149
Quirk, Matthew HOW TO GROW A GANG (Atlantic Monthly, vol. 301, no. 4, May 2008, pp. 24-25)
Full Text [html format]

By deporting record numbers of Latino criminals, the U.S. may make its gang problem worse, says Quirk, staff editor at The Atlantic Monthly. Using the Salvadoran gang MS-13 as an example, Quirk notes that Salvadoran police report that 90 percent of deported gang members return to the United States, and many use their free trip south to bring others back with them upon their return. As a result, MS-13 members now control many of the “coyote” services that bring undocumented immigrants up from Central America. Those “free trips” are increasing, although not all of the travelers are gang members. During 2006 and 2007, the number of deportation proceedings jumped from 64,000 to 164,000. This year, it is expected to hit 200,000, an all-time high. Quirk recommends anti-gang intervention programs and lengthy American prison sentences as the more effective means for dealing with Latino gangs.

GANGS IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
Congressional Research Service, RL34112, Library of Congress. Clare Ribando Seelke. Web posted May 10, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 21 pages]

The Congress maintains an interest in the effects of crime and gang violence in Central America and its spillover effects on the United States. Since February 2005, more than 1,758 alleged members of the violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang have been arrested in cities across the United States. These arrests have raised concerns about the transnational activities of Central American gangs, and governments throughout the region are working to find the right combination of suppressive and preventive policies to deal with them. An inter-agency committee worked together to develop a U.S. Strategy to Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and Mexico.

2007 WIRETAP REPORT.
U.S. Courts. Web posted May 2, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 11 pages]

A total of 2,208 intercepts authorized by federal and state courts were completed in 2007, an increase of 20 percent compared to the number in 2006. The number of applications for orders by federal authorities fell less than 1 percent to 457. The number of applications reported by state prosecuting officials grew 27 percent to 1,751, with 24 states providing reports, 1 more than in 2006. Installed wiretaps were in operation an average of 44 days per wiretap in 2007, compared to 40 days in 2006.

FIRST RESPONSE TO VICTIMS OF CRIME.
Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice. April 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 97 pages]

The handbook was created to help law enforcement officers better understand and meet the needs of victims of crime, particularly during the first response period. It addresses issues that arise during the initial contact between officers and victims. The first response can strongly influence victims' subsequent participation in the investigation and prosecution of the crime. Ultimately, victims who have had a positive experience with law enforcement will be more likely to report future offenses. In this way, a good first response to victims by officers ultimately increases the overall effectiveness of law enforcement.

INTERNET CRIME REPORT: THE TOP SCAMS OF 2007.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, National White Collar Crime Center. April 3, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 28 pages]

Over $239 million was lost in 2007 as a result of internet crime scams. Pets, romance, and “secret shoppers” are among the top ruses used by internet scammers. This annual report outlines the types of fraud and how to spot them and thus avoid being victimized.

THE MS-13 AND 18TH STREET GANGS: EMERGING TRANS-NATIONAL GANG THREATS.
Congressional Research Service, RL34233, Library of Congress. Celinda Franco. Web posted March 23, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 24 pages]

Two predominantly Latino gangs in the United States, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street gang (M-18), are becoming “transnational,” primarily because branches are being established in Central America and Mexico. Evidence suggests that these gangs are engaged in criminal enterprises normally associated with better organized and more sophisticated crime syndicates, though no direct evidence yet exists to indicate terrorist connections. At issue for Congress is whether these two gangs constitute an emerging transnational criminal threat.

A CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGE TO STATE SOVEREIGNTY: GANGS AND OTHER ILLICIT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS (TCOs) IN CENTRAL AMERICA, EL SALVADOR, MEXICO, JAMAICA, AND BRAZIL.
Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. Max G. Manwaring. Web posted January 15, 2008.
Full Text [pdf format, 67 pages]

Rather than trying to depose a government via a coup or insurrection, modern gangs “subtly take control of territory and people one street or neighborhood at a time.” This type of instability poses threats nationally, regionally, and even globally. This monograph seeks to explain the extent and seriousness of this new kind of gang activity.

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN: WHAT DO WE KNOW AND WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice. Web posted December 8, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 20 pages]

This report discusses the current U.S. outreach programs aimed to prevent or intervene in the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The report provides an overview of federal laws including the law that requires internet service providers to report child pornography. It also includes U.S. participation in international programs through the World Congresses and the U.N. Lastly, the report describes what more can be done to protect children.

Anthony J. Pinizzotto, Ph.D; Edward F. Davis, M.S. and Charles E. Miller III. STREET-GANG MENTALITY: A MOSAIC OF REMORSELESS, VIOLENCE AND RELENTLESS LOYALTY (FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 2007, vol. 76 no.9; pp. 1-7)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

More than 20 years of research by the authors with specific focus on killing of police officers. This article relates to the attitude and approach of the members of the street gangs.

COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM: LESSONS FROM THE ABRAHAMIC FAITHS.
Dina Kraft, Daniel Levitas, Stephen Tankel, and Thalia Tzanetti. Policy Research Report, EastWest Institute. Web posted October 19, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 92 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Since 9/11, many religious leaders, civil society organizations, and government agencies have focused on countering extremist violence committed in the name of religion. However, the authors point out that this violence has been prevalent long before the 9/11. This report is intended to increase understanding of extremist recruitments and their pathways to violence. The report also contains recommendations to policymakers, civil society, faith leaders, and the media.

BURMA AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIME.
Liana Sun Wyler. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. October 25, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 12 pages]

Organized crime groups in Burma operate multi-billion dollar industries; e.g., trafficking in drugs, humans, wildlife, gems, timber, and other contraband. These groups threaten regional security in Southeast Asia and foster a culture of corruption. This report analyzes the players that drive these transnational crimes and provides an overview of current U.S. policies that combat them.

AA07367
Chestnut, Sheena ILLICIT ACTIVITY AND PROLIFERATION: NORTH KOREAN SMUGGLING NETWORKS (International Security, vol. 32, no. 1, Summer 2007, pp. 80-111)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

The author draws attention to North Korea’s well-established transnational smuggling networks, which keeps the country stocked with hard currency, distributes counterfeit money and goods internationally, and, it is feared, gives Pyongyang the “means and motivation” to be a key player on the global nuclear black market. These smuggling operations, linked to criminal gangs and even terrorist networks, highlight the need for increased attention to tracking and curtailing them, since their activities ultimately exceed the control of the supplier states, making them a major proliferation danger. Law enforcement agencies must team with counter-proliferation experts to meet the threat of these illicit criminal networks.

GANGS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. Clare M. Ribando. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. Updated August 2, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 19 pages]

This report discusses the effects of crime and gang violence in Central America and its impact on the U.S. Some analysts assert that deporting individuals with criminal records to Central American countries may actually contribute to the gang problem, but most experts agree that repressive anti-gang laws adopted in some of these countries have not worked.

The 110th Congress has introduced immigration legislation that includes provisions for increased cooperation with Mexico and Central American officials to track gang activity and to handle deportation of gang members. This report reviews and summarizes this legislation.

SOCIAL CAPITAL, VIOLENCE AND PUBLIC INTERVENTION: THE CASE OF CALI. José Cuesta, Erik Alda, and Jorge Lamas. Economic and Sector Study Series, Region 3, Inter-American Development Bank. April 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 40 pages]

Crime and violence are a growing concern in Latin America. Cost estimates of violence range from 5% to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP). The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has worked for two decades in the area of citizen security and crime prevention attempting to control the risk factors associated with crime. The IDB has supported “national efforts to develop preventive interventions with extensive community and youth participation.” This study quantifies the impacts of these interventions.

MEASURING THE CONTRIBUTION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS TO THE CONTROL OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE: LESSONS FROM JAMAICA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
Todd Foglesong and Christopher Stone. Faculty Research Working Paper Series, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Web posted April 9, 2007
Full Text [pdf format, 39 pages]

This paper examines the criminal measurement tools used in two developing countries—Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The paper shows how existing data might be analyzed and presented more effectively. The authors describe two strategies used by police, prosecutors, and institutions within criminal justice systems: (1) removing criminals from society; and (2) reducing the proximate causes of crime. Most countries rely on a combination of these two strategies usually favoring the first; however, “the second usually produces greater crime reduction.” The authors show “how improving five specific performance indicators can help governments reduce the proximate causes of crime, maximizing the contribution of criminal justice systems to public safety.”

OVERCOMING LANGUAGE BARRIERS: SOLUTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Susan Shah, Insha Rahman, and Anita Khashu. Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice. Web posted March 31, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 20 pages]

Law enforcement personnel must be able to communicate with the people they serve. This report provides a number of cost-effective steps and practical suggestions that agencies and departments can do to meet these needs. This report offers guidance on how to create language access policies, train staff, and develop partnerships with local organizations.

FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANTS AND CRIME RATES: NO CONNECTION EXCEPT FOR WASTE AND ABUSE.
David B. Muhlausen and Erica Little. Backgrounder, The Heritage Foundation. March 14, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 9 pages]

Many mayors and local police chiefs think the U.S. is beginning “an epidemic of violence” that will worsen if Congress does not restore funding to local police. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) figures show a slight increase in overall crime rates in 2005 compared to 2004. 

The Bush Administration has requested $200 million for new grant programs in its Violent Crime Reduction Partnership Initiative FY 2008. This paper supports the use of these grants as “better examples of the proper nation-state cooperation in law enforcement priorities.”

INTERNET CRIME REPORT JANUARY 1, 2006 to DECEMBER 31, 2006.
National White Collar Crime Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. Web posted March 18, 2007.
Full Text [pdf format, 27 pages]

The 2006 Internet Crime Report is the sixth annual compilation of criminal complaints received by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). In 2006, IC3 processed more than 200,481 complaints composed primarily of fraud types such as auction fraud, non-delivery, and credit/debit card fraud. The total dollar loss was $198.44 million—up from $183.12 million in 2005. Electronic mail and webpages were the two primary mechanisms for the fraudulent contact.

MIAMI BLUE: THE TESTING OF A TOP COP.
Elsa Walsh. New Yorker, March 5, 2006
Full text available from your nearest American Library

Chief of Police John Timoney is regarded as one of the most progressive and effective police chiefs in the country. He has had notable success in transforming the police departments of New York, Philadelphia and most recently Miami. Reduced crime as well as fewer civilian deaths at the hands of the police are a result of his use-of-force policy.

His career has not been without setbacks and for periods he has worked for private security firms. The demands of his job have also impacted on his family, with his daughter turning to heroine and his son facing charges for dealing in drugs. Though focussing on the man, his story provides an insight into the politics and policies of policing in the USA.

MONEY LAUNDERING AND ITS REGULATION.
Alberto Chong and Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes. Research Department Working Paper 590, Inter-American Development Bank. January 2007.
Full-Text [pdf format, 55 pages]

As terrorist attacks have increased, so have the activities dealing with money laundering. This paper investigated the regulations in over 80 countries and developed indices of money laundering regulations. “The paper finds that tougher money laundering regulations, particularly those that criminalize feeding activities and improve disclosure, are linked to lower levels of money laundering across countries. . .”

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE ANNUAL REPORT 2005.
National Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. Department of Justice. December 2006.
Full Text [pdf format, 84 pages]

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) “is the Nation’s primary resource for advancing scientific research, development, and evaluation to enhance the administration of justice and public safety.” NIJ completes research and technological challenges that state and local agencies are not equipped to handle; thus, NIJ provides criminal justice practitioners with the most up-to-date tools and the most comprehensive information.

STRATEGY FOR TARGETING ORGANIZED PIRACY (STOP) REQUIRES CHANGES FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS. General Accountability Office. Web posted December 8, 2006.
Full Text [pdf format, 57 pages]

The protection of intellectual property (IP) rights is crucial to preventing billions of dollars in losses from trade in counterfeit and pirated goods. The National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council (NIPLECC) was created by Congress in 1999 as an oversight body. The Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) is a comprehensive integrated national strategy to protect and enforce IP rights. STOP was initiated by the Bush Administration in 2004 and is led by the National Security Council.

The report states that these two entities have much overlap and their objectives are largely undefined. STOP is a good first step, but its potential is limited since it does not fully address the characteristics related to planning and accountability. It also lacks permanence beyond the current administration. NIPLECC, on the other hand, lacks a clear, effective strategy.

AA06414
Kapstein, Ethan B. THE NEW GLOBAL SLAVE TRADE
(Foreign Affairs, vol. 85, no. 6, November/December 2006, pp. 103-115)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

Human slavery may be more widespread in the 21st century than ever in the past, says Kapstein, Professor of Sustainable Development at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a visiting Fellow at the Center for Global Development, in Washington, D.C. In June 2006, the U.S. government estimated that some 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders each year. Slavers enjoy huge profits -- about $10,000 per person -- and face fewer risks and penalties than do narcotics traffickers. Human trafficking is corrosive, Kapstein says, because “the same people who engage in human trafficking also contribute to the deepening criminalization of the world economy overall.” Advanced industrial states denounce slavery, but they have failed to take much action to address the issue, Kapstein says. “The problem is one of political will, not capability,” he says. Kapstein calls for tougher law enforcement, tougher penalties, and strong cooperative efforts among nations to sanction those countries that currently turn a blind eye toward human trafficking

PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS: A LEADERSHIP GUIDE FOR STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Web-posted September 27, 2006.
Table of Contents [three sections, all in pdf format, various pagings]

Prepared by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), this guide is a comprehensive overview of the civil rights issues and challenges faced by law enforcement leaders. It describes the process by which agencies with alleged pattern or practice civil rights violations are investigated and monitored and offers lessons learned, resources, and strategies for protecting and promoting citizens' civil rights. The guide examines the experiences of a wide cross section of agencies engaged in protecting civil rights.

The chapter headings provide a glimpse into the coverage of this document:

• Protecting Civil Rights: A Leadership Guide for State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement.
• Sustaining Community Outreach and Engagement: The Intersection of Civil Rights and Community Policing.
• Developing an Early Intervention Strategy.
• Managing the Complaint Process.
• Managing Use of Force.
• Addressing Racial Profiling: Creating a Comprehensive Commitment to Bias-Free Policing.
• Personnel Management Issues in the Context of Protecting Civil Rights and Serving the Community.
• Data-Management Issues in the Context of Protecting Civil Rights and Serving the Community.

CRIME, JUSTICE, AND GROWTH IN SOUTH AFRICA: TOWARD A PLAUSIBLE CONTRIBUTION FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE TO ECONOMIC GROWTH.
Christopher Stone. Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. September 20, 2006.
Full report [pdf format, 20 pages]

The high crime rate in South Africa is widely believed to discourage investment. According to this report, both the mechanisms through which crime constrains growth and the actions that might be taken to change this situation are poorly understood. In light of the limited knowledge in the field and the limited capacity of criminal justice institutions, Stone urges officials to focus on two issues: (1) the costs of crime to business, especially household-based enterprises in low-income settlements, and (2) how violent crime leads to a perception of instability that discourages investment. For both issues the author proposes a cyclical process of iterative innovation in which government seeks to solve narrowly circumscribed crime problems, and then leverages each success to generate wider hope and confidence in the criminal justice system.

HATE CRIME STATISTICS 2005.
U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Web-posted October 16, 2006.
Table of contents [sections in pdf, html and spreadsheet formats]

Data in this report indicate that 7,163 criminal incidents involving 8,380 offenses were reported in 2005 as a result of bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or physical or mental disability. The report includes data from hate crime reports submitted by city, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the nation.

Among the statistical information provided in the report are these:

• There were 5,190 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against persons in 2005. Intimidations accounted for 48.9 percent, simple assaults for 30.2 percent, and aggravated assaults for 20.5 percent. Six murders as well as three forcible rapes were reported as hate crimes.
• Of the 3,109 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against property, 53.6 percent were directed at individuals, 9.8 percent were against businesses or financial institutions, 8.9 percent were against government, and 6.8 percent were against religious organizations. The remaining 20.9 percent were directed at other, multiple, or unknown victim types. Damage/destruction/vandalism was the most frequently reported crime against property, accounting for 81.3 percent of the total.
• The majority (30.0 percent) of hate crime incidents in 2005 occurred in or near residences or homes; followed by 18.3 percent on highways, roads, alleys, or streets; 13.5 percent at colleges or schools; 6.6 percent in parking lots or garages; and 4.3 percent at churches, synagogues, or temples. The remaining 27.3 percent of hate crime incidents occurred at other specified locations, multiple locations, or other/unknown locations.

TOOLKIT TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). October 6, 2006.
Full text [pdf format, 250 pages]

This document was written to help governments, policymakers, law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) more effectively deal with issues related to human trafficking. It contains practical tools for police and other law enforcement officers such as a checklist to help identify trafficking victims, as well as guidance on interviewing victims and victim protection.

The toolkit also outlines key aspects of a comprehensive response to human trafficking, such as the need to bring national legislation into line with international standards and to strengthen international cooperation in criminal justice, including the extradition of criminals, seizure of assets and confiscation of the proceeds of crime.

THIRD REPORT OF THE PROSECUTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TO THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL PURSUANT TO UNSCR 1593 (2005) [DARFUR]. International Criminal Court (ICC), Office of the Prosecutor. June 14, 2006.
Download: [pdf format, 11 pages]

The investigation team in the Office of the Prosecutor (the Office) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has collated information relating to alleged crimes in Darfur, Sudan into a Darfur Crime Database. The analysis of the data, relating to the period October 2002 - May 2006, shows significant variations in the crime patterns reflective of the different phases of the conflict, with violence escalating between October 2002 - April 2003 and peaking during the period April 2003 - April 2005.

The Office has so far documented (from public and non-public sources) thousands of alleged direct killings of civilians by parties to the conflict. The available information indicates that these killings include a significant number of large scale massacres, with hundreds of victims in each incident. The Office has selected several of these incidents for further investigation and analysis.

In addition to direct killings, there is a significant amount of information indicating that thousands of civilians have died since 2003 as a consequence of the conditions of life resulting from the conflict and the ensuing displacement. These include a lack of shelter and basic necessities for survival as a result of the destruction of homes, food stocks, and the looting of property and livestock, as well as obstacles to the provision of life-saving humanitarian assistance. This type of 'slow death' has particularly affected the most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and the sick.

The Office has also registered hundreds of alleged cases of rape. This is likely to be indicative of a practice that was endemic among some groups involved in the conflict and in relation to which there are indications of significant under-reporting. The Office has interviewed a number of victims of alleged rapes and has commissioned further expert studies in this area.

PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. [Problem-Oriented Guide for Police] Gary Cordner. United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). May 2006.
Download [pdf format, 82 pages]

[Note: This series of reports is designed for law enforcement officers and those who work with them to address community problems. These guides have drawn on research findings and police practices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.]

Problems associated with people with mental illness pose a significant challenge for modern policing. This guide begins by describing the problems and reviewing factors that increase the challenges that police face in relation to the mentally ill. It then identifies a series of questions that might help law enforcement officers analyze their specific local policing problems associated with people with mental illness. Finally, it reviews responses to the problems and what we know about these from evaluative research and police practice.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRIME: TREASURY'S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO SELECTED PROVISIONS OF THE USA PATRIOT ACT. [GAO-06-483] United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). May 2006.
Download [pdf format, 62 pages]

Money laundering and terrorist financing can severely affect the nation's economy and also result in loss of lives. To combat these transnational crimes, the Treasury Department (Treasury) and its component bureau, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), have key roles.

Section 330 of the USA PATRIOT Act encourages the federal government to engage foreign jurisdictions in negotiations to ensure that foreign banks and financial institutions maintain adequate records to combat international financial crime. Treasury plays a lead role in facilitating such efforts. In accordance with its various responsibilities codified by section 361, FinCEN is to coordinate with its foreign counterparts--financial intelligence units (FIU). This report describes:

1. Treasury's approach for negotiating with foreign jurisdictions;
2. How FinCEN has contributed to establishing FIUs in foreign countries and enhancing the capabilities of these units; and
3. What actions FinCEN is taking to maximize its performance as a global partner.

The report concludes that FinCEN plays a critically important role in international efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. It has been a leader in the adoption and implementation of international money laundering countermeasures. A key part of FinCEN's international role has been its efforts to respond to requests for information related to possible international financial crime. But, says GAO, FinCEN's method for obtaining performance feedback data from global partners is flawed. Relevant feedback data include whether FIUs find the information provided by FinCEN to be substantive, timely, and useful -- how information-sharing efforts could be improved. Without such data, FinCEN is not in the best position to help the international community combat financial crime.

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ON THE INTERNET. [Problem-Oriented Guide for Police] Richard Wortley and Stephen Smallbone. United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). May 2006.
Download [pdf format, 103 pages]

[Note: This series of reports is designed for law enforcement officers and those who work with them to address community problems. These guides have drawn on research findings and police practices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.]

The guide begins by describing the problem and reviewing factors that increase the risks of Internet child pornography. It then identifies a series of questions that will assist law enforcement officers in analyzing the local Internet child pornography problem(s). Finally, it reviews responses to the problem and what is known about these from evaluative research and police practice.

Internet child pornography is unlike most crimes local police departments handle. Local citizens may access child pornography images that were produced and/or stored in another city or on another continent. Alternatively, they may produce or distribute images that are downloaded by people thousands of miles away. An investigation that begins in one police district will almost certainly cross jurisdictional boundaries. Therefore, most of the major investigations of Internet child pornography have involved cooperation among jurisdictions, often at an international level.

Appendix C provides specific information on cases in which there was coordinated law enforcement operations across jurisdictions, most involving international cooperation.

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: GLOBAL PATTERNS. United Nations, Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). April 2006
Download [pdf format, 128 pages]

In summary fashion, this report reviews basic trends in the worldwide trafficking of persons. Even though all human trafficking cases have their individual characteristics, most follow the same pattern: people are abducted or recruited in the country of origin, transferred through transit regions and then exploited in the destination country. If, at some stage, the exploitation of the victim is interrupted or ended, they can be rescued as victims of trafficking in persons, and it is possible they might receive support in the country of destination. Either immediately or at some later point, victims might be repatriated to their origin country; in some cases, relocated in a third country; or, as unfortunately too often still happens, are deported from destination or transit countries as illegal migrants.

The report identifies 127 countries of origin, 98 transit countries and 137 destination countries. It shows that global efforts to combat trafficking are being hampered by a lack of accurate data, reflecting the unwillingness of some countries to acknowledge that the problem affects them.

AA06197
Marshall, Andrew K. MAKING A KILLING (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 62, no. 2, March/April 2006, pp. 36-42)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

Marshall provides an expose on international illegal wildlife trafficking. Estimated at $7-10 billion annually by INTERPOL, illicit trade in exotic pets, pelts, and animal parts (used in traditional medicines) not only places animals and their habitats at risk, it also reveals extensive networks of corruption among police and customs officials who facilitate the trade, as well as criminal smuggling networks who use the routes to smuggle other illicit commodities, including narcotics and weapons.

AA06165

Caryl, Christian POCKETBOOK POLICING (Newsweek, international edition, April 10, 2006)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

The author writes that the U.S. is going after North Korea's sources of illicit cash worldwide, and the efforts are putting serious pressure on the regime. An intense three-year effort by numerous U.S. government agencies has resulted in the confiscation of some $48 million in fake $100 bills and effectively curtailed North Korea's dealings with international financial institutions, he notes. For example, a warning from the U.S. Treasury that designated a Chinese bank as a "primary money laundering concern" for North Korea, brought on a run on the bank, which subsequently cut all its ties with Pyongyang and froze nearly 50 accounts linked to North Korean companies and institutions. Other banks around the world have also begun to cut ties with North Korea for fear of similar U.S. actions. In February a North Korean spokesman complained that the U.S. had effectively banned North Korea from having normal international financial transactions, and recently Pyongyang has claimed that it, too, has been a "victim" of counterfeiting and promised to punish any North Koreans involved! Fears that North Korea may collapse are worrisome to its neighbors, he writes, but the U.S. insists it is simply trying to force the regime to give up its nuclear program rather than foment regime change.

EXPLOITATION OF TRAFFICKED WOMEN. Graeme R. Newman United States Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. February 2006.
Report [pdf format, 98 pages]

This document provides on-the-ground assistance for police to assist them in enforcing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.

The guide begins by describing the problem of exploiting women who have been trafficked into the United States, and the aspects of human trafficking that contribute to it. The guide's focus is on the final period in the process of trafficking at which women are further exploited by those into whose hands they are passed. This is the point at which human trafficking becomes a problem for local police and so the guide identifies a series of questions that can help analyze local problems related to trafficking. Finally, it reviews responses to the exploitation of trafficked women and examines what is known about the effectiveness of these responses from research and police practice.

AA06161
Allsup, Dan CSI EFFECT (American Legion, Vol. 160, No. 5, May 2006, pp. 32)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

The author notes that the unrealistically quick way of solving crimes by forensic experts on fictional television shows is influencing the minds of real-world jurors, known as the "CSI effect". After seeing forensic methods on television shows like "CSI," "Cold Case," and others, jurors are demanding DNA, fingerprints, and other scientific evidence. The author interviews prosecutors, defense attorneys, CSI experts and others in the unglamorous world of criminal investigation, who describe the lack of the high-tech labs portrayed on television and the backlogs even when they are available.

AA06180
Thomas, Kelly Devine THE MISSION OF MATTHEW BOGDANOS (ARTnews, vol. 105, no. 4, April 2006, pp. 130-133)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

Bogdanos, a classical scholar, Marine Corps Reserves colonel, middle-weight boxer, and Manhattan assistant district attorney, headed the interagency counterterrorism team that recovered about 5,500 artifacts out of the 14,000 that were looted from the Iraq Museum. The blunt-spoken Marine, who is currently assembling New York City's first task force on the illegal antiquities trade, talked to Thomas about his present assignment as well as his experiences in Iraq. While the museum's records and resources were "woefully lacking," Bogdanos found the international community's "response and commitment to stopping the flow of illegal antiquities no less inadequate," and contends that "by cracking down on the trade in illegal antiquities, law enforcement agencies would also uncover weapons and evidence of terrorist activity."

TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME: PRINCIPAL THREATS AND U.S. RESPONSES. John R. Wagley. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. March 20, 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 24 pages]

This report examines the growing threat of transnational organized crime to U.S. national security and global stability. The end of the Cold War and increasing globalization has helped criminal organizations expand their activities and gain global reach. Criminal networks are believed to have benefited from the weakening of certain government institutions, more open borders, and the resurgence of ethnic and regional conflicts across the former Soviet Union and many other regions. Transnational criminal organizations have also exploited expanding financial markets and rapid technological developments.

In addition, terrorist networks are believed to be increasingly supporting themselves through traditional crime, and have been linked to criminal organizations. Alliances between the two groups could amplify threats to American security. Transnational criminals engage in a spectrum of illicit activities, including narcotics and arms smuggling, trafficking in persons, counterfeiting, and money laundering and other financial crimes.

The report also outlines the U.S. response to international crime. While U.S. policy is framed within the 1998 International Crime Control Strategy, it is also shaped by other more recent federal and agency plans. Agencies heading government efforts include the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Treasury, and Homeland Security. Key federal programs and initiatives and their interagency coordination are discussed. International cooperation and agreements are vital to U.S. strategy, and many programs seek to assist and train foreign law enforcement. Finally, this report examines likely Congressional concerns related to U.S. efforts to combat transnational crime. The report will not be updated.

AA06150
Keefe, Patrick Radden THE SNAKEHEAD: THE CRIMINAL ODYSSEY OF CHINATOWN'S SISTER PING (New Yorker, April 24, 2006, pg. 68-85)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

Illegal migration from China to the U.S. burst into public view in 1993 with the wreck of the tramp steamer Golden Venture; at least ten people died. This was not an isolated incident but part of a large human smuggling business run by "snakehead" Ping Jia, known in the U.S. as Sister Ping. The article details the nearly twenty year saga of Chinese criminal networks, operating in the U.S. and in China, that illegally transport people, at great personal risk, hardship, and expense, from China to the United States. Today Sister Ping is serving a 35-year prison sentence, and several of her associates are dead, murdered by rival gang members. There is, however, "no evidence to indicate that the total number of [Chinese migrants] entering the country illegally has diminished in the years since the Golden Venture incident."

AA06076
Krebs, Brian. INVASION OF THE COMPUTER SNATCHERS
(Washington Post Magazine, February 19, 2006, pp. 10-15, 23-29)
View article on publisher's website

Nearly all criminal commerce on the Internet is being driven by "botnets" -- networks of hijacked home computers, known as robots or "bots". Most of the botnets are created by hackers in the U.S. and abroad, who troll the Internet, looking for vulnerable computers to take over. The botnets, often consisting of tens of thousands of hijacked computers, are used to distribute millions of junk e-mails, spyware and adware. The author notes that computer-security firms and law-enforcement authorities are spending more and more time combating botnets; they often face the dilemma of whether to shut them down right away, or monitor them for a period of time in order to gather intelligence that would enable them to track down the criminals behind them.

JUVENILE VICTIMIZATION AND OFFENDING, 1993-2003
Katrina Baun. Bureau of Justice Statistics. August, 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 10 pages]

Presents findings about violent crime committed against or by juveniles from 1993 to 2003. Comparisons are made in the report between younger teens (ages 12-14), older teens (ages 15-17), and adults. Data are drawn from the National Crime Victimization Survey for nonfatal violent victimization and offending {rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault} among those 12 years and older, and from the FBI’s Supplemental Homicide Reports for fatal victimization and offending of the entire population. Analyses include characteristics of victim, offender, and of the criminal event such as weapons, location, and time of day.

Highlights include the following:

• The number of victimizations by violent crime per 1,000 teenagers dropped from about 130 victimizations in 1993 to about 60 in 2003
• On average, juveniles (ages 12-17) were more than twice as likely as adults (age 18 or older) to be the victim of violent crime from 1993 to 2003
• Older teens (15-17) were about 3 times more likely than younger teens (12-14) to be the victim of a violent crime involving a firearm
• Juveniles were involved as victims or offenders in 38% of all violent crimes in which the victim could estimate the age of the offender(s), 1993-2003

STATE DEPARTMENT: IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN U.S. PASSPORT FRAUD DETECTION EFFORTS. [GAO-05-853T - U.S. Senate Testimony]
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). June 29, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 21 pages]

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the GAO's Director of International Affairs and Trade summarized GAO's recent report on the State Department's efforts to strengthen U.S. passport fraud and detection (GAO-05-477, May 20, 2005). His testimony focused on two of the reports key issues:

• How passport fraud is committed; and
• What key challenges the State Department faces in its fraud detection.

The Director also discussed the report's recommendations to the Secretary of State, which were:

• Consider ways to improve interagency information sharing;
• Establish a centralized and up-to-date fraud prevention library;
• Consider augmenting fraud prevention staffing;
• Assess the extent to which interoffice workload transfers may hinder fraud prevention; and
• Strengthen fraud prevention training and oversight.

According to the testimony, the State Department has generally concurred with the report's recommendations, and has indicated that it has taken steps to implement most of them.

AA05154
Stern, Seth GANG NETWORKS TARGETED IN SWEEPING GOP BILL (CQ Weekly, vol. 63, no. 20, May 16 2005, pp. 1281-1282)
Full text available from your nearest American Library

Stern, a Congressional Quarterly staff writer, describes a new criminal justice bill in Congress which will have much tougher penalties for gang-related crimes. The new legislation was prompted by the murder of a witness in the MS-13 gang prosecution trial. The bill contains harsh minimum sentences for gang-related crimes and compels gang members to testify against each other or face prison sentences. The FBI is investigating the MS-13 gang, sending FBI agents to Central America to keep tabs on MS-13 gang growth there. Not all the experts agree on the legislation or the extent of the problem. A companion bill authorizing money for gang prevention was not considered on the House floor but local police believe that "we can't arrest our way out of the problem."

DETENTION OF U.S. CITIZENS. [RS22130]
Louis Fisher. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. April 28, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 6 pages]

In 1971, Congress passed legislation to repeal the Emergency Detention Act of 1950 and to enact the following language: "No citizen shall be imprisoned or otherwise detained by the United States except pursuant to an Act of Congress." The newer language, codified at 18 U.S.C. §4001(a), is called the Non-Detention Act. This statutory provision received attention after the 9/11 terrorist attacks when the Administration designated certain U.S. citizens as "enemy combatants" and claimed the right to detain them indefinitely without charging them, bringing them to trial, or giving them access to counsel. In litigation over Yaser Esam Hamdi and Jose Padilla, both designated enemy combatants, the Administration has argued that the Non-Detention Act restricts only imprisonments and detentions by the Attorney General, not by the President or military authorities.

This report concludes that "Legislative debate, committee reports, and the political context of 1971 indicate that when Congress enacted Section 4001(a) it intended the statutory language to restrict all detentions by the executive branch, not merely those by the Attorney General. Lawmakers, both supporters and opponents of Section 4001(a), recognized that it would restrict the President and military authorities."

STREET GANGS: THE NEW URBAN INSURGENCY.
Max G. Manwaring. United States Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute (SSI). March 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 53 pages]

This report identifies some of the most salient characteristics of contemporary criminal street gangs (that is, "the gang phenomenon" or "third generation gangs"). The author argues that gang-related crime is now a serious national security and sovereignty problem in important parts of the global community. Manwaring maintain that although there are differences between gangs and insurgents in terms of original motives and modes of operation, "the gang phenomenon is a mutated form of urban insurgency. That is, these non-state actors must eventually seize political power to guarantee the freedom of action and the commercial environment they want. The common denominator that clearly links gangs and insurgents is that the gangs' and insurgents' ultimate objective is to depose or control the governments of targeted countries."

INFORMAL VALUE TRANSFER SYSTEMS, TERRORISM AND MONEY LAUNDERING. A REPORT TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE.
Nikos Passas. United States Department of Justice. National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). November 2003; Web-posted January 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 137 pages]

Note: The following disclaimers accompany this report: "This report has not been published by the U.S. Department of Justice. To provide better customer service, NCJRS has made this Federally-funded grant final report available electronically in addition to traditional paper copies" and "Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice."

The author reviews a wide range of informal value transfer systems (IVTS), including: Hawala; Hundi; Black market peso exchange networks; Fei chien, door-to-door, and other Asian varieties; Invoice manipulation schemes; In-kind fund transfers (India and elsewhere); Trade diversion schemes; Courier services and physical transfer methods; Corresponding banking accounts; Charities; Gift and money transfer services overseas via special vouchers and internet web sites (Africa and Asia); Internet based payments/transfers; Stored value, such as pre-paid telephone cards; Debit and credit cards used by multiple individuals; Bank guarantees; Brokerage accounts.

In the report Passas reiterates a number of points, among them:

• Focusing on one IVTS or ethnic group is not only seen by those affected as discriminatory (with its own negative consequences), but also misses the point and opens up opportunities for terrorists or any criminals to take advantage of inattention of certain routes or networks for easier and undetected value transfers.
• Attempts to over-regulate or regulate without understanding their inner workings cannot be expected to work.
• Attempts to regulate without the consensus and input of insiders (operators, users and intermediaries) will simply violate the element of trust that is one of their defining and time-abiding elements.
• Attempts to regulate strictly without the above will simply drive the IVTS underground (much more than they are now), will provide incentives for secrecy and better organization, participation (given the higher premium that can then be charged), and resistance to authority in general. Such attempts may also generate ill will and discontent with the US government.

COMPUTER INTRUSION CASES.
United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division. Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). Updated December 17, 2004.
Download the document [html format, 15 printed pages]

This chart summarizes information concerning computer intrusion cases prosecuted in the U.S. from 1998 to the present. Many cases were prosecuted under the authority of 18 U.S.C. 1030, "Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers", which outlines unauthorized access and other types of computer fraud, as well as penalties for transmitting worms and other harmful payloads.

The chart includes basic data about the cases, including: "Interest Harmed"; Estimated Dollar Loss"; "Target"; "Perpetrator Charged"; "Geography" [whether or not the case involved international actors]; and "Punishment". Links from each case name leads to a Department of justice press release describing the case in more detail.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED AND ASSAULTED [LEOKA], 2003.
United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). November 8, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 98 pages]

In 2003, 52 U.S. law enforcement officers were feloniously killed. Forty-six separate incidents in 25 states claimed the lives of these officers. Trend data showed that the number of officers feloniously slain was 4 fewer than in 2002, 10 more than the 42 slain in 1999, and 27 fewer than the 79 officers killed in 1994. Local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement from more than 10,100 agencies submitted data to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program about officers who were killed and assaulted. Of the 52 officers feloniously slain in 2003, 14 were killed during traffic stops or pursuits. Eleven were killed in arrest situations, 10 officers while investigating disturbance calls, 9 in ambush situations, 6 while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances, and 2 while transporting or handling prisoners. Offenders used firearms to kill 45 of the victim officers. Of these officers, 34 were slain with handguns, 10 were killed with rifles, and 1 officer was killed with a shotgun. Six officers were intentionally struck by vehicles and 1 officer was beaten to death with a police baton.

In addition to those killed, the report notes that 57,841 officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2003, and 16,339 officers suffered injuries as a result of these attacks. Assaults on officers were most often committed with personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.), used in 81.0 percent of the attacks. Firearms were used in 3.2 percent of assaults on law enforcement officers, knives or cutting instruments in 1.9 percent, and other dangerous weapons were used in 13.9 percent of assaults on officers.

HATE CRIME STATISTICS, 2003.
United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). November 22, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 166 pages]

According to this report, antagonism toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or physical or mental disability prompted crimes against 9,100 victims in the U.S. during 2003. The data are aggregated from hate crime reports submitted by local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. A review of the data by incident showed that almost all of the incidents were classified as single-bias (involving only one bias motivation). A breakdown of the single-bias incidents by the type of bias revealed that 51.4 percent were motivated by racial bigotry, 17.9 percent were caused by religious intolerance, 16.6 percent were the result of a sexual-orientation bias, and 13.7 percent were triggered by an ethnicity/national origin bias. The remainder involved a bias against a disability.

The survey categorizes the data by type of location and found that the majority of hate crime incidents (32.0 percent) took place in or on residential properties. Highways, roads, alleys, or streets were the settings for 17.6 percent of the reported incidents, and 11.8 percent took place at schools and colleges. The remaining incidents were distributed among various other locations.

CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES - 2003.
United States Department of Justice. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). October 25, 2004.
Table of Contents [sections in pdf format, tables in Excel format, various sizes]

This is the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) most recent annual report of nationwide crime statistics. Among the major categories of statistics compiled are those for Violent Crime (murder and non-negligent manslaughter; forcible rape; robbery; aggravated assault) and Property Crime: (burglary; larceny-theft; motor vehicle theft; arson). A separate section is devoted to "Hate Crime", defined in the publication this way: "A hate crime, also known as a bias crime, is a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin." Each section has valuable narrative material as well as statistical data. Section V of the report contains reports on two aspects of crime, "Violence Among Family Members and Intimate Partners" and "Homicide as a Community Problem in the United States".

CRIME AND THE NATION'S HOUSEHOLDS, 2003.
United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). October 27, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 4 pages]

This most recent annual survey presents national prevalence estimates for the percentage of households with one or more persons who were victimized by crime as measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey. Analyses provide household prevalence estimates for violent and property crimes and information on those households experiencing vandalism and intimate partner violence. Findings are presented by race and Hispanic origin, by region, by urban, suburban or rural location and by household size. Overall trends since 1994 are included, as well as specific comparisons with the previous year's data.

Highlights include the following:

• The percentage of households experiencing crimes, about 15%, did not change significantly between 2002 and 2003.
• In 2003 about three in 1,000 households included a member victimized by an intimate partner, such as a spouse, ex-spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend.
• About one in every 26 households in 2003 were either burglarized or had a member age 12 or older who was victim of a violent crime committed by a stranger.

A NATIONAL PROTOCOL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT MEDICAL FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS: ADULTS/ADOLESCENTS.
U.S. Department of Justice. Office on Violence Against Women. September 2004; Web-posted October 4, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 141 pages]

This manual provides detailed guidelines for criminal justice and health care practitioners in responding to the immediate needs of sexual assault victims. As the authors note in the foreword, "…collection of evidence is of paramount importance to successfully prosecuting sex offenders. Just as critical is performing sexual assault forensic exams in a sensitive, dignified, and victim-centered manner. For individuals who experience this horrendous crime, having a positive experience with the criminal justice and health care systems can contribute greatly to their overall healing." This protocol was developed with the input of national, local, and tribal experts throughout the country, including law enforcement representatives, prosecutors, advocates, medical personnel, forensic scientists, and others.

The Department of Justice outlines specific goals for this publication:

• To supplement but not supercede the many excellent protocols that have been developed by States, tribes, and local jurisdictions, as well as those created at the national level. It is intended as a guideline for suggested practices rather than a list of requirements.
• To provide guidance to jurisdictions on responding to adult and adolescent victims. Pediatric exams are not addressed in this document.
• To support the use of coordinated community responses to sexual violence. Although this document is directed primarily toward medical personnel and facilities, it also provides guidance to other key responders such as advocates and law enforcement representatives.
• Addressing the needs of victims while promoting the criminal justice system response. Stabilizing, treating, and engaging victims as essential partners in the criminal investigation.
• Promote high-quality, sensitive, and supportive exams for all victims, regardless of jurisdiction and geographical location of service provision. The protocol offers recommendations to help standardize the quality of care for sexual assault victims throughout the country. It also promotes timely evidence collection which is accurately and methodically gathered, so that high-quality evidence is available in court.