The recent alleged bribery scandal in cricket may be seen by many as another example of a recent trend where money is said to be influencing players to throw-away matches or produce a particular incident during the course of a game. It is reported that behind it lies the millions spent on gambling on the [more...]
The Prince may have matched the shoe to Cinderella easily enough, but matching a criminal to his shoes takes a rather more scientific approach. Cinderella Analysis is the name that has been given to the forensic examination of shoes and other footwear to match them to a suspect. To assist in this analysis, forensic scientists [more...]
The recent theft of paintings from the Paris Museum of Modern Art which included works by Picasso and Matisse, will concern all gallery owners and private collectors. Stolen works of art and antiques often disappear never to be seen again, or if they do re-emerge, it is often several years later. In an attempt to [more...]
Madame Tussaud’s in London, is world famous for its waxworks of politicians, movie stars, musicians, television celebrities, and sports stars. But what would you have seen in their exhibitions in the 19th century? Madame Marie Tussaud came to Britain from France in 1802 and travelled around the country with her exhibition of effigies of royalty [more...]
Execution Dock is in Wapping, London, and it is here that many criminals were executed for piracy and murder. Under the English legal system, the Admiralty Court dealt with all crimes committed on the high seas, and for at least 500 years, Execution Dock was where its capital sentences were carried out. So that it [more...]
By some statistical measures (but not others), South Africa has the highest crime rate in the world. Robbery, murder and rape are astonishingly high. How can people live in a place like that? First, it should be said that the statistics, horrendous though they are, are somewhat misleading. South Africa is unusual in that it [more...]
If you are starting up a business in the UK, one of most important things you must consider is insurance. There are many types of insurance. Some are required by law, while others you should consider to ensure that you and your business are protected. As to what types of insurance, it depends on the [more...]
Magistrates are an important part of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. They also hear almost 95% of all criminal cases. The vast majority of magistrates are volunteers, and sitting as a Justice of the Peace they perform an important role in today’s society. They are recruited and serve locally, and it is [more...]
Taken literally, a victimless crime is any crime for which there is no identifiable human victim. However, the term is often used more broadly. It may include a crime where the perpetrator is considered to be the victim. It may also be used to describe a crime where the perpetrator doesn’t consider there to be [more...]
Family history researchers must be always ready to be shocked when they find a ‘skeleton in the cupboard’ while researching their family tree. Thieves, arsonists, bigamists and even murderers can be revealed. In the UK, types of records relating to their criminal past can be many and varied, and found in many different archives including [more...]
Google Earth and Maps are being championed as a useful crime prevention tool to tell people about crime in their neighbourhood. While on the other side, there are many who say that the maps and satellite images are too detailed and intrusive, and will be used by criminals. The opponents argue that on Google’s satellite [more...]
The internet is now a useful tool in the investigation of crime and the tracking down of fugitives from justice and suspected criminals. There are several police and justice agencies which use the internet to appeal for information which could lead to the arrest of their most wanted fugitives. The FBI reveals its 10 Most [more...]
A takeover fraud is when a criminal obtains access to details of a person’s account, for instance, a bank or credit card, and operates it for their own benefit or another’s. In other words, hi-jacks the account. This can be via the internet by sending out false emails requesting a person to log into his [more...]
Some of these tips may seem simple and straightforward, but it has been found that almost 30% of mobile phone owners do not seriously consider the security issues involving their mobile phones. When using the phone, be aware of what is going on around you. Not only from the point of someone snatching it, but [more...]