Crime & Crime Prevention

Drug courts have changed the lives of the thousands of people who've "graduated" through the program. But how exactly do the judges, rehab facilities and counselors facilitate these courts, and do they deter repeat offenders?

By John Perritano

If you thought slavery ended with the ratification of the 13th amendment, think again. Slavery is flourishing across the globe.

By Diana Brown

Australia hasn't had a mass shooting in 22 years; the U.S. has had dozens during that same time.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Wayne Williams is serving a life sentence for killing dozens of black kids in Atlanta between 1979 and 1981. But some say he didn't do it and evidence of his innocence was covered up.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Arsenic? Been there, done that! These six other poisons should delight you murder nerds and obscurists out there.

By Laurie L. Dove

Charles Manson and his family have captivated the world since their murderous spree in the late '60s. What is it about this cult leader that made him so mesmerizing?

By Ed Grabianowski

The struggle to define which crimes are considered terrorism — and which are not — isn't easy.

By John Donovan

Hotel security in the U.S. today seems to be where airport security was before 9/11. Will it change after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history?

By Dave Roos

We don't expect to ever be in a mass shooting. But by assuming the worst can happen, one expert says, we take the first step toward being prepared.

By Jamie Allen

Three new studies highlight the regional differences in gun injuries and deaths among young children and teens.

By John Perritano

The Somerton Beach man mystery has baffled authorities and mystery buffs for decades, but DNA researchers have finally put a tentative name to the man found dead on Somerton Beach in 1948.

By Diana Brown

While most people think of the Secret Service's only job as protecting the president, its first mission was combating counterfeiting. How does it balance the two?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

To hunt serial killers you have to understand them, and that's not always an easy task for investigators.

By Diana Brown

Canadian student Elisa Lam went missing in 2013 and the mystery surrounding her death captured national attention. So what really happened to this 21-year-old?

By Diana Brown

Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to reinstate mandatory minimum prison sentences. But do they really deter future criminals, or do they proportionately affect certain groups instead?

By John Perritano

The TSA can open your checked bags at an airport. But how deep can they dig into electronic devices they find inside?

By Patrick J. Kiger

The U.S. has thousands of prisoners in solitary confinement. But experts are now saying it does more harm than good.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

According to new research, shootings pass from person to person like a contagious disease.

By Yves Jeffcoat

Should you ever find yourself in the middle of a protest, you're going to want to avoid being targeted by one of these 'less-lethal' weapons.

By John Donovan

Some serial killers have murdered more than 100 people. Who are the worst serial killers in the world, and why did they do it?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Inmates have been using cigarettes as currency for more than a century in U.S. prisons. So what's behind the switch to ramen cups at one prison?

By Robert Lamb

With more drug companies refusing to allow their drugs to be used in executions, states have turned to riskier pharmaceuticals.

By Dave Roos

From 2011 to 2013, California released 33,000 prisoners early. One study measures the impact non-violent prisoner "realignment" has had on crimes rates in the state.

By Chris Opfer

We explore the economics and ethics of prison-made goods.

By Dave Roos

Americans have a macabre fascination with serial killers. And it's particularly engrossing to speculate about the ones still at large. Here are the stories behind 10 serial killers who got away.

By Suzie Dundas & Nick Steinberg