http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/justice/ Read the latest research on crime, punishment and justice. Read about what works and what doesn't. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/justice/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm New research suggests that unrelated individuals may be mistakenly identified as genetic family members due to inaccurate genetic assumptions. This is particularly relevant when considering familial searching: a new technique which extends forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In a new study, researchers show that false familial identification may be more likely for individuals with particular genetic backgrounds; for example, in the USA, those of Asian or Native American descent. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125151841.htm Your genes could be a strong predictor of whether you stray into a life of crime, according to a new research paper. The study focused on whether genes are likely to cause a person to become a life-course persistent offender, which is characterized by antisocial behavior during childhood that can later progress to violent or serious criminal acts later in life. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125151841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105143305.htm A smuggler using a public bus to transport a veritable aviary of rare birds for the illegal pet trade was recently arrested by Indonesian authorities. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105143305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103135323.htm Use of torture around the world has not diminished but the techniques used have grown more complex and sophisticated, according to new research. Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120103135323.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214102849.htm Scientists are reporting development of a first-of-its-kind technology that could help law enforcement officials trace the residues from terrorist attacks involving nerve gas and other chemical agents back to the companies or other sources where the perpetrators obtained ingredients for the agent. The technique could eventually help track down perpetrators of chemical attacks. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214102849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209150154.htm Terrorist attacks with chemical weapons are a real possibility, according to a new study. Thanks to their extensive knowledge of toxic agents, and how to treat those who have been exposed, pharmacists are an invaluable resource in the event of an actual or potential chemical weapons attack. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209150154.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142027.htm Catching terrorists who detonate bombs may be easier by testing the containers that hide the bombs rather than the actual explosives, according to pioneering research. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206115252.htm New discoveries in "marine forensics" will allow federal seafood agents to genetically test blue marlin to quickly and accurately determine their ocean of origin. The test is needed to ensure that the blue marlin sold in US seafood markets were not taken from the Atlantic Ocean. Regulation of Atlantic blues reflects overfishing and a troubling drop in population. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:52:52 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111206115252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130115534.htm Hand gestures influence eyewitnesses in police interviews, study suggests. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130115534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116151333.htm A man with a low IQ confesses to a gruesome crime. Confession in hand, the police send his blood to a lab to confirm that his blood type matches the semen found at the scene. It does not. The forensic examiner testifies later that one blood type can change to another with disintegration. This is untrue. The newspaper reports the story, including the time the man says the murder took place. Two witnesses tell the police they saw the woman alive after that. The police send them home, saying they "must have seen a ghost." After 16 years in prison, the falsely convicted man is exonerated by DNA evidence. How could this happen? A new study examines how false confessions can corrupt evidence. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116151333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120218.htm Seclusion should always be the last resort when it comes to dealing with aggressive episodes involving young offenders with psychiatric disorders, according to a study covering forensic units for 12 to 18-year-olds in Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands and UK. 58 staff took part in the study including nurses, doctors, psychologists, social workers, educators, support workers, occupational, art and family therapists and sports instructors. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111103120218.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031121234.htm Mathematicians working with the Los Angeles Police Department to analyze crime patterns have designed a mathematical algorithm to identify street gangs involved in unsolved violent crimes -- the first scholarly study of gang violence of its kind. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031121234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080034.htm A new study into the use of social media in street protests and riots has revealed how it is effective for both protesters and police. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014080034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011145711.htm Biometrics experts are developing a tool that can help law enforcement and military officials identify suspicious individuals at crime scenes. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011145711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011112459.htm Researchers have found that unlike adults, most children and adolescents who are found incompetent to stand trial are not psychotic; rather, they have cognitive impairments. And, they are often too immature to understand the magnitude of the situation. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011112459.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173614.htm New research based on post-hospital arrival data from U.S. trauma centers finds that even after adjusting for differences in injury severity, gun use, and other likely causes of race difference in death from assault, African-Americans have a significantly higher overall post-scene of injury mortality rate than whites. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006173614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132212.htm Neighborhood poverty is likely to make a mother more fearful about letting her children play outdoors, according to a new study. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927192347.htm New online research reveals that over 200,000 people living in Britain may have fallen victim to online romance scams -- far more than had been previously estimated. The study is believed to be the first formal academic analysis to measure the scale of this growing problem. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110927192347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151737.htm A new show "Breaking Bad" makes chemistry entertaining but is not improving chemistry's tarnished public image, according to a new article. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919101926.htm Researchers in the U.S. are proposing a health-based approach to identifying groups at high risk of genocide, in a first-of-its-kind attempt to target international efforts to stop these mass killings before they start. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919101926.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914105757.htm Criminality can be an indicator of a higher risk of suicide in young people. A new study shows that repeat offenders between the ages of 15 and 19 are three times more likely to commit suicide than young people who have not been convicted for a crime during these years. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914105757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912152858.htm Experts suggest using game theory and a scalable method of rewards and punishments (called linear compensation) to help develop strategies that encourage all nations to participation fully in greenhouse gas mitigation programs. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110912152858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909141635.htm Human DNA found on deer remains could help to track down poachers. Identifying deer poachers can be problematic, as the crimes are often committed in remote areas and are not discovered until some time after the event. Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909141635.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907163912.htm Violent crime could be reduced significantly if policymakers at the local level limit the number of neighborhood liquor stores and ban the sale of single-serve containers of alcoholic beverages, according to separate U.S. studies. Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907163912.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830165016.htm Two new studies cast doubt on whether sex offender registry and notification laws actually work as intended. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830165016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110828171208.htm In this International Year of Chemistry (IYC), writers and producers for the most popular crime and science-related television shows and movies are putting out an all-points bulletin for scientists to advise them on the accuracy of their plots and to even give them story ideas. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110828171208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824123128.htm Employing technology that reads the entire DNA code, researchers have pinpointed the source of a cholera outbreak in Haiti that killed more than 6,000 people and sickened 300,000. Using whole genome sequencing, which spells out the billions of chemical bases in DNA, the team of researchers provided the strongest evidence yet that peacekeepers from Nepal, where cholera is widespread, brought the disease to Haiti. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824123128.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091859.htm Happy youth report less involvement with crime, and programs that increase happiness could deter crime and drug use. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822091859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110820135256.htm Elementary, middle, and high schools with large minority populations -- but not necessarily higher crime rates -- are far more likely than others to require students and visitors to pass through metal detectors, according to new research. Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110820135256.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818190604.htm Newspaper accounts of black executions in the old South reveal a social history that intersects race with crime and punishment. Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:06:06 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818190604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815101535.htm A new study uses -- for the first time -- recorded jailhouse telephone conversations between men charged with felony domestic violence and their victims to help reveal why some victims decide not to follow through on the charges. Researchers listened to telephone conversations between 17 accused male abusers in a Washington state detention facility and their female victims, all of whom decided to withdraw their accusations of abuse.  Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815101535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808115416.htm Professors have developed a high-powered context-based search algorithm to analyze digital data on-the-fly to support ongoing criminal investigations. The research not only gives crime-fighters a new tool, but also may be used for more legitimate location-based marketing. Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808115416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110805135337.htm Almost 1 million criminal cases may be compromised each year in the United States because suspects don't understand their constitutional rights, according to new research. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110805135337.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175002.htm A pioneering technology to detect fingermarks at crime scenes, which provides additional information about a suspect, is a step closer to being incorporated into traditional forensic investigations in the UK. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727122702.htm An immense and increasingly sophisticated illegal trade in wildlife parts conducted by organized crime, coupled with antiquated enforcement methods, are decimating the world's most beloved species including rhinos, tigers and elephants on a scale never before seen. Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727122702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726111109.htm Children in a school that uses corporal punishment performed significantly worse in tasks involving "executive functioning" -- psychological processes such as planning, abstract thinking, and delaying gratification -- than those in a school relying on milder disciplinary measures such as time-outs, according to a new study involving two private schools in a West African country. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110726111109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720205944.htm Engineers in the UK have for the first time created a way of measuring how much force is used during a stabbing using a broken bottle. The advance is expected to have significant implications for legal forensics. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720205944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720151539.htm Instead of calming fears, the death of Osama bin Laden actually led more Americans to feel threatened by Muslims living in the United States, according to a new nationwide U.S. survey. In the weeks following the US military campaign that killed bin Laden, the head of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, American attitudes toward Muslim Americans took a significant negative shift, results showed. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720151539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627184002.htm With the threats of cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare looming over our hyper-connected world, the best defense for the U.S. might be a good offense, says new research by an expert in technology and legal issues. Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627184002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622224459.htm Self-conscious about your age? Careful where you spit. Geneticists now can use saliva to reveal how old you are. The findings suggest a myriad of potential applications, including the development of a new forensic tool for pinpointing a suspect's age in crime-scene investigations. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622224459.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615080213.htm Scientists have used 3D images derived from post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans as an aid to demonstrate injuries to a jury for the first time in evidence at a UK trial. Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615080213.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614083930.htm Forensic scientists have to rely on their own subjective experience when asked to ascertain the age of contusions. Now, however, researchers in Norway have found a far more objective and precise method, using lamps and spectrometers. From the assembled data the researchers created a model for bruise progression over time which enables them to determine the age of the bruises more reliably. Bruises on children develop differently from on adults. Knowledge within this area could be particularly important in cases of suspected child abuse. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614083930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613103827.htm Researchers have developed a tool to rapidly assess the risk of aggressive and violent behavior by children and adolescents hospitalized on psychiatric units. Ultimately, they hope to use the questionnaire to improve treatment and prevention of aggressive behavior in schools and in the community. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613103827.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110609123346.htm Should physicians assist in a lethal injection execution -- or lose professional certification if they do? The American Board of Anesthesiology will revoke certification of anesthesiologists who participate in capital punishment. A new article concludes that decertification of physicians participating in lethal injections goes too far -- though individual physicians and private medical groups like the AMA are entitled to oppose the practice and may censure or dismiss members who violate it. Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110609123346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110608153540.htm Using forensic genetics techniques, the University of Arizona's Conservation Genetics Lab is working to protect wild animals and catch the criminals in cases of wildlife crime. Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110608153540.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110527162504.htm Moral responses to similar situations change as people age, says a study that combined brain scanning, eye-tracking and behavioral measures to understand how the brain responds to morally laden scenarios. Preschool children and adults distinguish between damage done either intentionally or accidentally when assessing whether a perpetrator had done something wrong. Adults are much less likely than children to think someone should be punished for damaging an object, especially if the action was accidental. Fri, 27 May 2011 16:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110527162504.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524081148.htm Each year, billions of euros worth of goods are being stolen from European transport networks. A discouraged transport and logistics sector has more or less chosen to tolerate the problem. But there are solutions, according to one researcher. Tue, 24 May 2011 08:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524081148.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524070313.htm Physicists have worked out a system that can often determine exactly where blood spatters originate, a critical piece of evidence in not only solving a crime but securing a conviction. Tue, 24 May 2011 07:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524070313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114305.htm Despite playing an increasingly vital role in criminal investigations, digital forensic examiners face staffing cuts, heavy caseloads and stress within police departments that may not fully understand their responsibilities, according to a new study. Wed, 11 May 2011 11:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511114305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510101627.htm When someone is acting suspiciously at an airport, subway station or other public space, how can law enforcement officers determine whether he's up to no good? A psychology professor has identified key indicators that a person is being deceptive. Tue, 10 May 2011 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110510101627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509151248.htm Medical involvement with torture is prohibited by international law and professional associations, and yet sometimes it is the right thing for doctors to do, argue two bioethicists. Their timely paper comes as news of the trail leading to the death of Osama Bin Laden points to prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who were subject to "enhanced interrogation techniques," which many believe amounted to torture. Mon, 09 May 2011 15:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509151248.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503133230.htm Under Osama bin Laden's leadership, al-Qaida has been one of the most lethal terrorist organization in the world, responsible for more than 10,000 deaths and injuries in a dozen years, according to a new analysis. Tue, 03 May 2011 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503133230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110427101532.htm Despite the fact that nearly one-third of American households have a firearm, studies show that having a gun in the home poses a household a greater health risk than a potential benefit. A new study examined scientific research on both sides of the debate to put hard numbers to this on-going discussion. Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110427101532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426151037.htm Inspection of medical records, case files and legal affidavits provides compelling evidence that medical personnel who treated detainees at Guantanamo Bay failed to inquire and/or document causes of physical injuries and psychological symptoms they observed in the detainees, according to a new article. Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426151037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110413093250.htm Gang members are twice as likely to be crime victims than non-gang members and are more frequently subject to simple assault, aggravated assault and drive by shootings, according to a recently study. Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110413093250.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110328101607.htm Optimism about studies that show a drop in the African-American percentage of crime may be dampened by demographic trends and statistical aberrations, according to a group of criminologists. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110328101607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110307151913.htm Researchers working with the FBI have published the first scientific paper based on their investigation into the anthrax attacks of 2001. The case was groundbreaking in its use of genomics and microbiology in a criminal investigation, a new field called microbial forensics. More than 20 people contracted anthrax from spores mailed in letters in 2001, and five people died. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110307151913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303184115.htm Researchers have developed a set of algorithms and created software that will automatically match hand-drawn facial sketches to mug shots that are stored in law enforcement databases. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303184115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110223171243.htm Imagine your city isn't as safe as it used to be. Robberies are on the rise, home invasions are increasing and murder rates have nearly doubled in the past three years. What should city officials do about it? Hire more cops to round up the thugs and lock them away in a growing network of prisons? Or design programs that promise more peace by addressing issues like a faltering economy and underperforming schools? Your answer -- and the reasoning behind it -- can hinge on the metaphor being used to describe the problem, according to new research by psychologists. Your thinking can even be swayed with just one word, they say. Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110223171243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110219160013.htm While a world free of nuclear weapons remains a goal for governments around the world, nuclear security constitutes a major challenge for the 21st century, as recognized at the 2010 nuclear security summit in Washington. Citizens are generally aware of international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but they are often unaware of nuclear security research and the important role science in this field. A new European nuclear security training center and enhanced international collaboration are good examples. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110219160013.htm