Criminal Justice USA

Careers in Criminal Justice to Look At

Posted by Site Administrator on 05/15/2009 | 0 Comments

It’s a scary out there right now for potential job-seekers, especially in industries where jobs are scarce for many recent college grads.  However, careers in criminal justice are on the rise, and what better way to illustrate this then to just think about the masses of law enforcement that have developed over the past few years.  There are very few fields that have experienced this type of rise, and belonging to such a field is an excellent way to begin your career.  As a fresh graduate, you will probably get many entry-level positions in law enforcement or similar organizations, but keep in mind that these positions are only temporary and involve a great deal of upward promotions over the years.

When you first start out in criminal justice, you should look for jobs that are easily accessible, first of all, but also look at jobs that cater more to a specialty you may have studied in school.  If you were well trained in certain levels of crime, you will be better equipped to begin a career in this field.  If you have more of a general understanding of criminal justice, don’t despair, because many of these jobs additionally allow you some leeway to learn on the job.  However, many employers like to give jobs to people who have some background in the subject.  While internships and previous jobs help this case, simply studying a certain subject (maybe your senior seminar class) will help sway employer’s decisions.  City law enforcement offices usually have the best options for recent graduates because their organizations are so wide spread. 

If you want to gain more experience within the criminal justice sector, then looking at jobs that give you the opportunity to learn more about a specialty are probably the best for you.  While careers in the FBI and CIA can be difficult to attain, they are well worth it in the end and allow you insight into many of the top tiers of law enforcement.  Regardless of what your specialty in criminal justice was, these organizations will ensure you have the proper training before they send you out into the world.

Finally, if law enforcement positions are not for you, you can always get a job with the more judicial aspect of criminal justice, working for a lawyer or a judge.  While these are pretty set positions (there is only so far you can move up as a law clerk), they might entice you to go on to study law and allow you to experience the inner workings of court houses.  Criminal justice degrees equip students with the understanding of the judicial system and of the punishments that go along with crimes, making many students excellent candidates for working with criminal defense attorneys.   Regardless of what type of field you wish to enter into with your criminal justice degree, it is a relief to keep in mind that there are many opportunities within the criminal justice industry. 

Most Dangerous Criminal Justice Degree Jobs

Posted by Site Administrator on 04/25/2009 | 0 Comments

Criminal justice is one field that offers students the opportunity to take a wide array of job options as soon as they graduate.  However, most students are attracted to the field to get involved in more of the “nitty-gritty” aspects of crime and help solve many complex crimes as well as have a deeper understanding of the criminal mindset.  As a result, these students often go on to take positions in law enforcement, many of which are more of the dangerous careers that you can take on as a recent graduate.  While these may not be a future every person looks forward to, many students dream of the day when they will be able to take such a job.

Many people consider careers in law enforcement to be among the most dangerous criminal justice jobs.  While this is one career option that is more dangerous than say a receptionist, it does not inherently mean that you will be faced with dangerous situations every day.  Rather, much police work involves a great deal of paperwork after a single incident and much time behind a desk.  While field work does involve many dangerous situations, it is not as dangerous as the media and Hollywood has made it out to be.  It is still a dangerous job, however, although many law enforcement careers simply do not rise up to the level that they are portrayed by the media to be. 

Positions in intelligent agencies are another dangerous position for criminal justice students.   While these are more romanticized “James Bond-esque” positions, working for intelligence agencies requires a great deal of diligence and higher levels of education.  CIA and FBI positions are typically reserved for those who have years of experience in the field already, although sometimes recent graduates of criminal justice degrees have been offered positions in Homeland Security, one industry that is constantly changing with the threat of terrorism.  As a result, it has become one of the most dangerous career options for recent graduates because of the unexpected results that can happen from a routine investigation. 

Finally, while most prison-work is reserved for potential law enforcement candidates, there are areas within prison that require employees with a higher level of education, typically in the criminal justice field.  Prisons constitute one of the more dangerous realms of law enforcement, as they can contain hundreds of dangerous criminals, albeit behind bars.  Positions within prisons require criminal justice graduates to either understand more of the psychology behind criminal acts or investigate further into the prevalence of prison gangs.  While these may not sound like dangerous ventures, there are many instances within prison walls that can rapidly become deadly without the proper background education. 

Criminal justice degree jobs come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and if you do not want to go into the more dangerous realm of career choices, you are not forced too.  However, for the students who want to live life on the edge, there are plenty of future options for you in this industry.  

Top Five Criminal Justice Careers

Posted by Site Administrator on 04/20/2009 | 0 Comments

Criminal justice careers appeal to nearly every person who watches crime shows: Law & Order, CSI, even movies such as the Bone Collector.  These movies and TV shows romanticize criminal justice careers and almost belittle the amount of work which actually goes into this type of job.  However, criminal justice degrees remain a popular major in undergraduate institutions solely because they offer students the flexibility to choose within a wide array of future careers.  Some are more popular than others, but the top careers are listed below. 

Police Officer
One of the more prominent positions in the criminal justice field is that of a law enforcement officer.  While it is not pertinent to get a criminal justice degree in order to become a police officer, it helps you better understand the law and the reasoning behind it.  Larger cities typically require a criminal justice degree, while small towns only require a high school diploma.  Criminal justice degrees are also attractive on resumes when you are enlisted into the police academy.  Criminal justice classes additionally help focus students’ skills on judgment, decision-making, and a background in weaponry.  There will always be a need of law enforcement in any civilized society, which means this career will be stable for years to come although not for the faint of heart.

Detective
Detectives are next on the tier of law enforcement although they typically require a more advanced degree than most police officers.  Detective work is more analytical and therefore a background in criminal justice or related fields helps many students hone in on this special qualification.  Detective work has also been romanticized by the many movies and characters that have pervaded through history (Sherlock Holmes); however, many detectives will tell you that real life is far from cinematic and typically requires following many leads with little to show for it. Detective work is not for everyone, but contributes to the upholding of the law and sometimes can prove to help solve a crime that threatens the well-being of society.

Criminal Investigator
Criminal investigators are also in the realm of law enforcement, although they go a step further and present evidence to the prosecution and help prepare pre-trial paperwork.  In this sense, criminal investigators seem more closely related to the judicial process than to law enforcement, but it becomes obvious that the two realms intermingle on many occasions.  Criminal justice degrees help promote this type of connection and introduce students to the many forms law enforcement can take.

Specialists (fingerprinting, arson, etc.)
The many forms of specialists that exist within the criminal justice system are vital to solving crimes and preventing future felonies.  Fingerprint specialists focus their sole career on finding remnants of fingerprints on the crime scene and applying them to the national database.  While this may be disappointing work on many occasions, this has proven to be an important part of the criminal justice system.  Additionally, arson specialists help determine what the true cause of a fire is, either releasing innocent people from jail or exonerating the guilty. 

Legal Assistant
Finally, criminal justice degrees have been found to lead to careers within the legal industry, such as legal assistants and other clerkship positions.  Legal assistants are the right hand person to many prestigious attorneys and therefore require a basic understanding of the law.  Criminal justice degrees prepare students specifically for this type of broad spectrum of careers and therefore introduce students to knowledge they need for this type of job. 

Criminology Careers Still on the Rise

Posted by Site Administrator on 03/15/2009 | 0 Comments

Despite what you may have heard (or not have heard spoken) crime is not as down, as many politicians make it appear to be.  As Americans, we have literally “swept it under the rug” and no longer debate the rising criminal problems in our nation, many of which have resulted in prison wars, overcrowded prisons, and have even helped lead to drug violence across the border.  As a result of all of this, it is obvious that there is no shortage of criminology jobs on the market, despite what many political commentators maintain.  One of the most prevalent notices that we have stopped talking about crime is that the national government hardly recognizes it – only local and state governments seem to care about any rising numbers of crime, presumably because they are faced with it on a day-to-day basis.  However, the problem of rising crime remains an issue largely untackled and left to local governments to fix, causing a need for criminologists to understand the methodology and background of crime.

The nation stopped talking about crime as rates when drastically down throughout the 90s, up until 2004.  At this point, urban crime was at one of its lowest levels and the nation thought it had cracked down on crime to a good enough extent.  However, criminals began to venture out into the streets again, especially after the economic downturn, as they had little to lose economically.  National disasters like Hurricane Katrina also spiked an increase in crime rates throughout the South, as more disenfranchised citizens had nothing left to do than to steal for a living.  Major cities throughout the United States are on constant alert for criminal and gang-related activity, even cities that are not the common urban areas we think of when we hear about crimes.  The mayor of an Arkansas town initiated a 10-block 24-hour curfew in one extreme example because he described this section as “under siege by repeated gunfire, drug dealing, loitering, and general mayhem.”  This is in Arkansas, a state many of us presume to be as hunky-dory as the Duggar family on TLC maintains it to be.

If anything, this is a clear example that crime is on the rise in cities that do not make the national spotlight.  Despite the fact that national news networks are on the constant prowl for a newsworthy, sensational story, they have largely shied away from any constant worry of crime.  Major cities have it the worst, as cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Houston all experience several murders a week, if not a day.  This has yet to be firmly addressed by our nation as a whole, and until it is, criminologists have their work cut out for them.  Getting to the root of the problem is no easy task, but with decades of background work, criminologists are able to see recurring trends in major cities and can many times determine what has caused the recent spike in crime.  Until the nation takes notice, criminologists will continue working on preventing local crime throughout the inner-workings of the nation. 
 

Will Reforms in Forensic Science Lead to Higher Salaries?

Posted by Site Administrator on 03/07/2009 | 0 Comments

Forensic Science has been badly in need of reforms for several years, even decades, as technology has advanced to such a point that we cannot afford to have mistakes that have occurred in past years.  Forensic Science is a complex subject, in that it involves many different realms of criminal justice and is the most important aspect of many criminal proceedings.  Without forensic analysis of hair particles and blood stains, many criminals would not be prosecuted or convicted.  However, the new procedures in forensic science has helped many in the field earn a better salary and will inevitably lead to a better organized criminal justice system.

Forensic Science has come under fire in recent years because of the mounting evidence of many criminals’ presumed innocence.  This has been a monumental development for forensics because it has meant that past law enforcement work has convicted innocent men and possibly even executed some of them.  This is a frightening thought, but has become a reality for our criminal justice system as many men have been pardoned in lieu of recent forensic evidence.  Along with these developments has come the new training recent graduates have received in school, which is vastly different from training of only a few decades ago.  Recent forensics graduates are trained in the most current realms of forensic science and deserve to be paid higher salaries because of this fact. 

Even today it is difficult to get accurate results from forensic tests, as many have an error rate around ten percent.  When you are dealing with someone’s future or even life, this is a huge margin of error, leading many courts to wonder whether Forensic Science is a discipline of the justice system that should be continued.  With many recent cases such as Todd Willingham in Texas (in which he was convicted and executed for the arson of his house and subsequent killing of his two daughters), courts have become increasingly hesitant to base an entire decision on forensic evidence.  We are a nation based on the most basic freedoms, and the error rate of forensics seems to strip this away from a sizeable percentage of our population.

While forensic science may continue to be a discipline that raises skepticism among many people, the technological advances has meant that the analytic methods have become more carefully constructed.  The error margin is down more than it ever has been, and recent graduates should look forward to a high paying salary as a result of these advances.  These reforms are ongoing, but hopefully the next few years will reveal a justice system that can trust the forensic system one hundred percent of the time. 

The Changing Tide of Criminal Justice Jobs

Posted by Site Administrator on 03/01/2009 | 0 Comments

The Criminal Justice System was implemented hundreds of years ago to protect the innocent from persecution and to ensure criminals were appropriately punished.  Since this point in time, our ideals have become somewhat warped (as many states continue to execute seemingly innocent criminals) and the criminal justice system has become almost a joke, with overcrowded prisons and biased judges presiding over criminal courts.  It takes an idealist to look at the system and maintain that it can be corrected.  However, until this point, we are stuck with questions such as “what age is too young?”

This recent question plaguing criminal courts stems from the rise in youth violence as juveniles have overrun many communities throughout the United States and have since become a major problem for the judicial system.  With crimes rivaling that of the Melendez brothers, judges are hesitant to impose too light a sentence on children, but are equally hesitant to send them to prison where they may be further corrupted into a life of crime.  Arizona recently confronted such a quandary when debated where to send an eight-year old boy who calmly admitted how he shot his father and his father’s roommate to death.  Arizona prosecutors sought to charge the child as an adult, adding to the handful of states that have considered such options, North Carolina prosecuting a child as young as six for murder. 

Franklin Zimring, a professor at the University of California Berkeley School of Law has commented on this type of situation, noting that the murder policy for most states and the nation was not predicated with images of eight-year olds going on shooting sprees.  However, the modern trend in crime has led to younger criminal offenders and younger murderers; children who may not have the knowledge that what they have done is a moral and judicial crime.  While prosecutors maintain that children are aware of the difference between right and wrong, it is a difficult question to answer, especially when it involves a child’s future in the penal system.  Many judicial systems are facing the task of implementing new reforms for their juvenile systems, revamping them to deal with more severe offenses, rather than simple teenage misdemeanors. 

Policymakers continue to struggle with the notion of criminal intent in a child, as states continue to drop the age in which a juvenile can be tried as an adult.  Criminal intent is one of the essential parts of a crime, and the lack to form such intent can be vital to the defense’s case, causing an ongoing debate.  The criminal justice system is an ever-changing entity and jobs in this sector continue to be current and exciting, as so many policy changes continue to be made every day.  Having the ability to witness this change first-hand through a career in criminal justice is a welcome future for any current student of criminal justice. 

100 Tips, Tools, and Legal Resources to Be Your Own Real Estate Agent

Posted by Site Administrator on 02/27/2009 | 0 Comments

By Courtney Phillips

These days, people in the real estate market can use all of the money they can get. For many people, that means cutting out the middleman and saving on agent commissions. It’s easier to go it your own than you’re probably thinking, and you’ll find lots of great tips, tools, and resources for doing so here.

Tips

Follow these tips for great advice on being your own real estate agent.

1. Hire a real estate lawyer: Using a real estate lawyer is a very smart move, as a good lawyer’s advice and guidance can help you save lots of money and headaches.
2. Invest in marketing: Take the time to develop strong marketing materials, such as an effective for sale sign and an informative flyer.
3. Consider every offer from qualified buyers: If the terms of an offer are not what you’re looking for, you wan always deliver a counter-offer.
4. Clean and declutter: When taking photos and showing your home, be sure that your home is clean and presentable for potential buyers.
5. Get preapproved: Before you start looking at homes, be sure to get preapproved so that you know what you can afford, and so your offer will be more attractive to sellers.
6. Visit open houses: Get a look at other homes for sale in the neighborhood, including how they are marketing and what they have to offer.
7. Hire your own inspector: Have an inspector give you a report on your home before you sell-you can generally repair problems identified by your own inspector at a lower cost than if they are pointed out by a buyer’s inspector.
8. Require pre-qualification: Make sure that you’re only talking to qualified buyers by requiring that anyone who wants to see your home has proof of pre-qualification first.
9. Add strategic value before selling: Adding a new bathroom or refinishing your cabinets may help raise your price, but not all improvements will pay off in your final profit.
10. Consider offering a home warranty: Provide buyers with peace of mind by offering a low cost warranty that covers major home systems.
11. Ask for a comparative market analysis: Realtors do not charge for CMAs, and it’s a good idea to have this information. Just be honest about selling or buying on your own-they’ll be waiting if you decide you need help.
12. Sell your home "as is": If you want to avoid inspection problems, or having to deal with repairs, you can sell your home "as is," although at a lower price.
13. Get an appraisal: Make a qualified valuation of your home by hiring an appraiser.
14. Take lots of high quality photos: Make it easy for buyers to fall in love with your home before they even step foot in it by taking photos that show them everything they want to see.
15. Get a homeowner’s report: Be sure to check for liens against your property to avoid trouble before getting into a sales contract.
16. Price aggressively: By saving on commissions, you can afford to price your home more aggressively and attract more buyers.
17. Give the proper disclosures: If you know your roof leaks, or your electricity is not up to code, you will be required to disclose this information to potential buyers.
18. Carefully list what is and is not included with your home: Make it explicitly clear whether or not the buyer will be able to keep items like appliances and chandeliers.
19. Consider all of the fees involved: When pricing your home, be sure to factor in closing fees and other selling costs in the final profit.
20. Hold an open house: An open house is a good way to attract buyers to your home and allow a lot of people to see it at the same time.
21. Consider special financing: Your house may become more attractive if you allow buyers to assume your mortgage, or if you provide seller financing.
22. Check references: Before hiring a contractor or accepting an offer, be sure that you can trust who you’re doing business with.
23. Prequalify: Instead of opening your home up to everyone who wants to take a look, require that buyers meet certain criteria before they can come in for a showing.
24. Know when you need help: Not everyone can handle being their own real estate agent, so know when it’s time to call in an expert.
25. Tell your friends, family and neighbors: Get the word out about selling your home-you never know who knows someone in the market.
26. Negotiate: Don’t be afraid to go back and forth on terms and offers to get the deal you want.
27. Watch out for contingencies: An offer with restrictive or too many contingencies can make it hard to complete a sale, so tread carefully when it comes to these terms.
28. Check comparable sales: Be sure to find out what similar homes in your area are selling for.
29. Know the market: Pay attention to the selling market so that you can be aware when home sales are hot or when they are slow.
30. Write easily-scannable copy: Most buyers will just skim through what you write on flyers and online, so make sure what you write is formatted in a way that’s easy to read.
31. Write an effective ad: An ad with the right information is an incredibly powerful tool for attracting home buyers.
32. Repaint: Something as simple as slapping a fresh coat of paint on your walls can help make your home more attractive to buyers.
33. Get help with marketing: Use an MLS listing service to make sure that your home is seen by a wide variety of buyers.
34. Set your price just under a whole number: By setting your price at $249,999, you can make your price more attractive than $250,000.

Tools

Here you’ll find lots of great tools for doing your own real estate work.

35. Audrie.com: Audrie.com is full of real estate tools, including a flat fee MLS service and web pages.
36. Real Estate Glossary: In this glossary, you’ll find helpful real estate terms and definitions.
37. Angie’s List: Find a high quality inspector, appraiser, and more using Angie’s List.
38. Checklist for Buying a Home: Take this checklist along with you when shopping for a home, and it will help you evaluate different houses.
39. Sperling’s Best Places: Sperling will make it easy for you to assess different cities.
40. Multimap: Get a bird’s eye view and lots of information about locations using this tool.
41. Better Business Bureau: Make use of the Better Business Bureau to check up on title companies, inspectors, and more.
42. Glossary of Legal Terms: You’ll be able to look up hard to understand real estate terms in this glossary.
43. Yelp: Yelp will help you find good service providers with reviews and more.
44. House Buying Checklist: Follow this checklist to make sure you’re ready before buying a home as your own agent.
45. Real Estate ABC: Get definitions to real estate terms in plain English from this glossary.
46. Google Maps: Google Maps is a great tool for checking out neighborhoods, with street view, local businesses, and more.

Listing Services

With the help of these services, you can get your home seen by buyers.

47. For Sale By Owner: You can see your home without commission on this website.
48. BuyOwner: Buyers and sellers alike can use this website to be their own real estate agent.

Calculators

Make use of these calculators to do the math in your real estate transactions.

49. Bankrate Mortgage Calculator: Enter your mortgage amount, term, interest rate, and start date, and this calculator will tell you your approximate monthly payments.
50. Seller’s Net Cash Calculator: With this calculator, you can estimate the proceeds from the sale of your house.
51. Real Estate Calculator Suite: This software will help you with amortization schedules, closing costs, payments, and lots more.
52. How Much Can I Borrow Calculator: This calculator will help you determine the maximum loan you can expect to qualify for.
53. Simple Mortgage Calculator: Check out this mortgage calculator for a no-frills look at your payments.
54. Pre-Qualification Calculator: Sellers can use this calculator to determine whether or not a prospective buyer will be able to obtain a loan.
55. How Much Can I Afford Calculator: Find out if your income is enough to qualify for the home you want with the help of this calculator.

Legal

You’ll find legal forms, advice, and more in these resources.

56. Katkus: Katkus is home to a variety of free and low cost real estate forms, including disclosures, tax forms, and more.
57. Legal Home Forms: This website has more than 60 professional fill in the blank real estate forms.
58. US Legal Forms: In this resource, you’ll find state specific real estate forms for deeds, contracts, liens, and more.
59. Lienfax: With this service, you can look up any and all liens on your home before putting it up for sale.
60. ZipForm: ZipForm’s software will make it easy for you to create your own real estate forms.
61. All Law: Check out this site to find real estate forms and information.
62. Profpub: With this software, you’ll get a variety of real estate forms that you can use nationwide.
63. ‘Lectric Law Library: Use this library’s forms room to find all of the forms you’ll need for real estate.

Communities

Get lots of great advice from the people in these real estate communities.

64. Redfin Real Estate Forums: Redfin’s forums are full of DIY real estate mavens with lots of great information and conversations.
65. National Real Estate Directory: In these forums, you’ll find news, advice, and ideas.
66. Agents Online: These forums are designed to help both agents and aspiring agents.

Advice

Read these articles to learn valuable advice for being your own real estate agent.

67. How to Be Your Own Real Estate Agent: This article offers useful advice for selling your own home.
68. FSBO Signs for Selling Your Own Property: This article is a goldmine of advice for creating your own sale sign.
69. Facts About Real Estate Appraisals: Read this article to find lots of great information about real estate appraisals.
70. Negotiating Tips for Selling by Owner: Learn the fine art of negotiation from this article.
71. Making an Attractive Home-Purchase Offer: Read this article to learn more about making a home purchase offer.
72. The Basics on Lease-Option (Rent to Own): Find out how lease-option sales work from this article.
73. 77 Surefire Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value: Follow this article to get a variety of useful ideas for improving the value of your home before selling it.
74. A Simple Guide for Selling a Home on Your Own: This article offers lots of great details to keep in mind when selling your own home.
75. Buying a House on Your Own Versus Using an Agent: Here you’ll find out the advantages of buying without an agent, and how you can go about doing so.
76. Home Selling Price: Set it Right and Everything Else is Easy: Audrie.com’s article is full of advice for setting the right selling price.
77. Be Your Own Real Estate Broker: Rome Neal offers a variety of tips for avoiding pitfalls when selling your home without a broker.
78. Closing the Deal to Sell Your House: This article deals with the nitty-gritty details of finalizing your home sale.
79. Snagging a Home Buyer: Selling Secrets for Writing a Successful Property Listing Ad: Find valuable advice for writing a successful property listing ad in this article.
80. Showing FSBO Homes for Sale: In this article, you’ll find great advice and ideas for an open house.
81. Setting a Value on a Home: Check out this article to learn more about determining value for a home.
82. What is FSBO?: Read this article to learn the basics of selling your home without an agent.
83. Can You Really Be Your Own Real Estate Agent?: This article weighs the pros and cons of DIY real estate.
84. Formatting Tips for Home Selling Pictures: This article has advice on lighting, sizing, perspective, and other photo taking essentials.
85. United Kingdom: Be Your Own Landlord/Managing Agent: Brits interested in changing the terms of their lease can benefit from reading this article.
86. 5 Reasons You Don’t Need an Agent: Read this article to find out why you don’t need an agent to see your own home.
87. Prepare Your Home for FSBO by Cleaning and Clearing: Check out this resource to learn about preparing your property for sale.
88. Simple Steps to Pricing Your Home: Follow this article to determine a good asking price.
89. How to Be Your Own Realtor: This article will provide you with a look at how you can cut out the middlemen and sell your home yourself.

Blogs

Check out these blogs for ongoing advice and inspiration for working as your own real estate agent.

90. Inman News: Inman News discusses the intersection of real estate and technology.
91. Bubble Meter: This blog covers the decline of houseing markets in the US.
92. Go Beyond MLS: Get lots of tips for smart home marketing from this blog.

Resources

Make use of these resources to make working as your own real estate agent easy.

93. Total Real Estate Solutions: This website is full of listings, tips, tools, forms, and more.
94. Zillow: Zillow makes it easy for you to look up comparable sales, local information, and more.
95. HomePages: HomePages is a great resource, including information on buying or selling a home, and obtaining a loan.
96. Homes.com: On this site, you can learn about finance, neighborhoods, home values, and other valuable information.
97. DoorFly.com: This is a cool reverse auction site for home buyers and sellers with lots of free information.
98. Real Estate Wiki: This wiki offers information on home selling, buying, mortgages, and more.
99. Foreclosure.com: You can find foreclosures, pre-foreclosures, and more on this site.
100. Trulia: Trulia’s website will provide you with advice, news, comps, and more.

A Rise in Forensic Scientist’s Salaries?

Posted by Site Administrator on 02/07/2009 | 0 Comments

Forensic science has meant a new way to look at the criminal justice system.  We no longer have to explicitly rely on the testimony of witnesses and law enforcement, but instead have concrete evidence that a certain person was at the crime or that a crime happened in a particular form.  However, forensic scientists and the criminal justice process have recently come under fire in a myriad of Supreme Court cases that have ruled if forensic analysts do not appear at trial as witnesses, their evidence cannot be admitted due to the constitutional right of a defendant to confront witnesses. 

The process is different in courts around the country, but it remains fairly standard that forensic science analysis has to be thorough for a court to accept it as evidence.  Many forensic scientists have been recently called to participate in drug-related charges in order to prove to the court that the substance is illegal contraband.  Because of new technology, however, the cost in obtaining this information has gone down and therefore fewer scientists are needed to testify in court.  This has resulted in an increasing level of value in the forensic scientists who are needed, resulting in an increase in their salaries.

While the role of forensic scientists in criminal proceedings remains largely unsettled by the majority of states, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, it is clear that the justice system has experienced a complete turnaround since the advancement of these procedures.  Forensic science has not only helped many prosecutor’s secure their cases by DNA and scientific evidence, it has also helped release many defendants who had previously been improperly charged for a crime they did not commit.  It is amazing to think how we got along without forensic science analysts only a few decades ago.   They have become a major part of our criminal justice system, and are involved in cases as minor as personal injury cases stemming from car accidents to major capital murder proceedings.  The reason forensic scientists have become so valuable in recent years is due to this broad range of expertise they exhibit to courts and the common knowledge that our criminal justice system would be vastly different without the evidence they bring to trial. 

Despite recent constitutional issues regarding forensic science, it continues to be a go-to for many prosecutors and defense attorneys alike, each relying on evidence to prove a different defense.

World Watchdogs: Top 50 Human Rights Blogs

Posted by Site Administrator on 01/13/2009 | 0 Comments

Watching the news isn’t always the best way to stay on top of human rights cases and the politics, economics and social conflicts that affect living conditions around the world. To study up on human rights campaigns, civil liberties groups and the legislation and movements that spread awareness, check out these blogs.

Civil Liberties

Here you can read about civil liberties infringements, including large cases and campaigns promoted by agencies like the ACLU.

1. ACLU Blog of Rights: The American Civil Liberties Union posts about legislation, issues and campaigns that protect, influence and threaten civil liberties and freedom.
2. Committee to Protect Journalists Blog: This blog is all about the freedom of speech, from the U.S. to Zimbabwe to West Africa.
3. Ella Baker Blog: California’s Ella Baker Center for Human Rights is dedicated to turning around the racism, poverty and injustices of American urban communities. Read this blog for commentary about youth violence and more.
4. Harm Reduction and Human Rights: Read this blog to read news and updates from the International Harm Reduction Association, which aims to end the "harms from all psychoactive substances."
5. abyss2hope: This blogger was date raped at the age of 15 and now writes about the legal, security, and cultural issues surrounding sexual violence.
6. Progressive Liberty Blog: Michael Anthony Lawrence writes about the U.S. Constitution, educating Americans about how current events, culture and politics affect our rights and freedoms.
7. Labor is not a Commodity: This international labor rights blog covers child labor, underpaid workers and more.

Capital Punishment

For different perspectives on capital punishment and the death penalty, read these blogs.

8. Capital Defense Weekly: This blog follows high profile cases and reports on state rules for the death penalty and punishment.
9. For Victims, Against the Death Penalty: This is "the web log of murder victims’ families for human rights." Read the arguments against the death penalty from a different perspective here.

Child-Focused

These blogs focus on children’s issues, including poverty and hunger.

10. Children: The Foreign Policy Association’s blog discusses child hunger, fundraising, children in war-torn countries and more.
11. Field Notes: UNICEF’s blog features photos, campaign news, fundraising information and other information about child hunger around the world.
12. The ARCH Blog: The Action on Rights for Children blog comments on government reforms and human rights issues affecting children around the world.

International Outreach

From Darfur to China to Burma, learn about human rights violations around the world.

13. Global Issues: Global Issues contains articles about "social, political, economic and environmental issues that affect us all." Check back often for updates on poverty, racism, military spending and more.
14. Business and Human Rights in Vancouver: This blog takes a look at the special events and projects of the Amnesty International Business and Human Rights chapter in Vancouver.
15. Truly Equal: This blog is no longer active, but you’ll find a great archive of commentary about AIDS, forced prostitution, slavery, Darfur and more.
16. This is Zimbabwe: Better understand the abductions and human rights issues going on in Zimbabwe when you read this blog.
17. Human Rights Now: The Amnesty International USA blog reports on global and regional conflicts, torture, progressive legislation and a lot more.
18. AlterNet: AlterNet’s Rights and Liberties blog covers everything from current political events to everyday human rights violations in lesser known areas.
19. Save Darfur: Learn about the latest campaigns to save Darfur here.
20. Red Cross Blog: Learn how the Red Cross responds to natural disasters, human rights and refugee situations, and more.
21. World Bridge: World Bridge is primarily devoted to spreading awareness about refugees around the world, including Central Africa, Burma and elsewhere.
22. Rights Watchers: The Washington Post‘s blog keeps an eye on human rights violations and escalating crises from Russia to the U.S.
23. Amnesty International Livewire: Check this blog for posts from a range of international activists and staff.
24. Global Voices: From Egypt to South America to the Gaza Strip, find out what issues are most important to human rights activists and campaigns around the world.

General Ideology

Take a look at these blogs for a general approach to human rights cases and ideology.

26. The Human Rights Blog: Read about human rights groups in other countries, as well as political and social movements that influence human rights.
27. Talking Rights: Robin Kirk shares news stories and gives commentary on all kinds of human rights issues, from the Congo to Latin America. She has been featured in Glamour and has written three books about Peru and Colombia.
28. Amnesty International UK: Multiple bloggers write about human rights events and issues here.
29. Duke Human Rights Center: Duke University’s Human Rights Center features blogs about local issues, international campaigns and more.
30. Human Rights Blog: Check this human rights blog for news and announcements about human rights movements around the world.

Religion

From specific religious groups spreading awareness to blogs that pinpoint religious persecution, turn to this list.

31. Baha’i Faith in Egypt and Iran: This blog considers the religious persecution inflicted upon the Baha’is of Egypt and Iran.
32. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee: The UUSC blog shares news and spreads awareness about gender protection issues, Darfur and more.
33. Religion News Blog: Besides being a great resource for learning about different religions, this blog reports on the latest issues and conflicts relating to religious culture and ethnic groups.
34. Persecution Blog: Persecution Blog uncovers cases of Christian persecution around the world.
35. The Liberty Blog: The North American Religious Liberty Association writes about religious bigotry, same sex marriage and more.
36. Christian Persecution India: This blogger is passionate about investigating and publicizing Christian persecution in India.

Whistleblowers

Here you can find tip-offs and first-hand looks at human rights violations.

37. This is Not My Country: Discover a depressed town behind the historic landmarks and tourist attractions of Greece when you read this blog.
38. The Hub: The Hub is a social blogging site that allows anyone to spotlight human rights issues and violations and spread awareness.
39. Blogactiv: Here, Europeans connect to spread the word about human rights violations, social justice issues, politics, environmental issues and more.
40. Early Warning: The Washington Post’s William M. Arkin gives Americans a heads-up on homeland security issues that affect their privacy and civil liberties.

Politics

These political-oriented blogs consider how politics affects human rights.

41. Wronging Rights: Read Wronging Rights for irreverent commentary on human rights issues, politics and more.
42. Susan Loone’s Blog: Susan Loone is a passionate activist who writes about petitioning, Parliament and the media.
43. Invictus: Read about the U.S. military interrogation scandals here.
44. Dipnote: Discover the U.S. government’s positions on human rights and foreign policy campaigns on the U.S. Department of State official blog.
45. America.gov: America.gov actually shares news stories about America’s involvement with global health issues, politics, child hunger and human rights campaigns.

Miscellaneous

Here are even more human rights blogs, dealing with antiwar movements, virtual world campaigns and more.

46. SL Festival of Human Rights: Get information on the Second Life human rights festival here.
47. PHR Student Blog: Medical students have started this branch of the Physicians for Human Rights, and they blog about upcoming conferences and conventions and human rights issues.
48. Stop Genocide: Stop Genocide is a well-organized resource that shares news stories, tips for teaching about genocide, commentary and predictions about the state of human rights.
49. PhD Studies in Human Rights: This blog is designed for PhD students but is a great resource for anyone wanting to find news and reference material related to human rights issues.
50. Antiwar.blog: This antiwar blog analyzes current events and news stories from around the world.

Surrogacy in Texas – What the Law Involves

Posted by Site Administrator on 01/09/2009 | 0 Comments

It’s often ironic how things like pregnancy and childbirth, processes that happen naturally, are elusive to some women and drive them to the limits of desperation. Today’s scientific and technological advances allow them to seek alternative ways to conceive a child – using artificial insemination or going in for an in vitro fertilization procedure where the egg and the sperm are fertilized outside the body and then implanted in the mother’s womb. Adoption and surrogacy are other non-invasive options, and although adoption is the cheaper and easier alternative, if a couple wants the child to be a part of their genetic makeup, surrogacy is the only way out.  
 

A surrogate mother is someone who, to put it in ordinary terms, carries your child in her womb for you. The child may either be biologically yours (the father’s sperm and the mother’s egg are fertilized outside and the surrogate acts as a sort of baby carrier), be partly yours (the intended father’s sperm is artificially inserted into the surrogate mother), or have nothing to do with either of you genetically (the egg and sperm are both from donors). Any of these scenarios are laden with doubts and issues, ethical, moral, social and legal.  

The US is divided over the issue of surrogacy – while some states don’t have specific laws relating to the subject, others are hazy. In Texas though, the procedure is heavily regulated and the following laws apply:

    * The intended parents must be married to each other.
    * Couples of the same sex are not allowed to hire a surrogate to carry a child for them.
    * The intended parents must legalize the process through means of a contract signed and approved by a court. The contract allows the intended parents to claim parental rights as soon as the child is born. This is in contrast to a few other states where the intended parents are required to file adoption papers to legally adopt the child as their own. The surrogate is the legal mother listed on the birth certificate.

 Surrogacy is a costly option and is fraught with a host of emotional issues, from the time you choose a surrogate, through taking care of her medical and other needs, hoping and keeping your fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with the pregnancy, till the time the baby’s born and you get to take him or her home. Be warned that the surrogate mother is bound to feel emotionally close to the baby and may want to keep it for herself once it’s born (worst case scenario) or at least stay in touch with your child as he or she grows up. Whatever the case, ensure your rights through the right legal procedures at the time of hiring the services of the surrogate.