Sex offenders and Community Notification
[ send me this essay ]
This 15 page paper evaluates the problem of sex offenders that are released into the community. Megan's law along with similar legislation is discussed in depth. The problem of impinging on offenders' rights, as well as these laws having the opposite of the intended effect, are issues included. Statistics regarding recidivism are relayed. The paper supports community notification despite some arguments made to the contrary . Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: SA341s.rtf

Steve Vogel's "Reasonable Doubt: A True Story of Lust and Murder in the American Heartland"
[ send me this essay ]
This 6 page report discusses the 1989 book, Reasonable Doubt: A True Story of Lust and Murder in the American Heartland, written by radio reporter Steve Vogel. In it, Vogel tells the story of the 1983 murder (which Vogel covered) of the murders of Susan Hendricks and her three children, Benjamin (5), Grace (7) and Rebekah (9). The person found guilty of the crime was David Hendricks -- Susan's husband and the children's father. Vogel establishes a plausible argument that there was most certainly "reasonable doubt" regarding Hendricks guilt. Bibliography lists only the primary source.
Filename: BWrdoubt.rtf

Techniques in Forensic Psychology
[ send me this essay ]
Defines forensic psychology emphasizing that it is used to prove the guilt or innocence of an individual. The job of the forensic psychologist is to present psychological analyses which are able to stand before a court of law. In order to be admissible in a court of law and to stand up under the close scrutiny of individuals whose job it is to place question on the authenticity or applicability of the evidence, said evidence must be collected and processed in a carefully documented scientific manner. Central to this collection and documentation are the diagnostic criteria identified in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association”. Demonstrates that even with such clearly defined criteria, however, the diagnosis and analysis of the forensic psychologist can very considerably. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: PPcrmPsT.wps

Technology's Impact on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
[ send me this essay ]
A 7 page discussion of the impact technology has had on law enforcement and criminal justice. The contention is presented that not only has the complexity of some crimes compounded with technology but so too has our ability to catch criminals and to definitively demonstrate that they indeed are guilty of a particular crime. Bibliography lists 11 sources.
Filename: PPtchCrm.rtf

The Body Farm
[ send me this essay ]
A 3 page paper discussing the function of the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility, commonly referred to as the Body Farm. Cadavers are left exposed to the elements so that forensic anthropologists can study how unburied bodies decompose. The Body Farm appears to operate well within the guidelines of accepted scientific practice regarding the study and handling of human remains. Though the site and its purpose may be shocking initially, it apparently violates no stated code of ethics as it provides a valuable service to law enforcement organizations. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: KSethBodyFrm.rtf

The Crimes in Bruce Henderson’s “Trace Evidence: The Hunt for an Elusive Serial Killer”
[ send me this essay ]
This 8 page report discusses the book “Trace Evidence” that details the tracking of the infamous “I-5 Strangler,” Roger Kibbe, in Sacramento, California, in the late 1980s. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: BWtracee.rtf

The Death Penalty and Forensic Science
[ send me this essay ]
A 3 page paper which examines the relationship between the death penalty and forensic science. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: RAforsdt.rtf

The Green River Serial Killer Investigation
[ send me this essay ]
This is a 6 page paper discussing the investigation and its progress over the past twenty years in pursuit of the Green River serial killer who murdered 49 women from 1982 to 1984 in Seattle. Although a suspect, Gary Leon Ridgway, has been arrested and is currently on trial for four of the murders due to recent DNA evidence, it is estimated that it will take another two years and several million dollars to complete the trial and still will not satisfy investigators, criminologists and the public in regards to the other women who were killed and why the killings apparently abruptly stopped in 1984. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: TJGrRiv1.rtf

The Impacts of Technology on Criminal Justice
[ send me this essay ]
A 10 page examination of the many ways in which technology has impregnated the criminal justice system. Everything from computerized police dispatch systems, criminal databases, to complex computer technology used in forensic applications has experienced a tremendous growth in criminal justice. This paper provides an overview of each with a more detailed discussion of DNA analysis and online security in terms of criminal databases. Bibliography lists 11 sources.
Filename: PPpolTch.rtf