Crime & Crime Prevention

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, left America and much of the world wondering who could have been responsible for the devastating attacks. Who exactly hijacked and flew the planes, and how did they get involved with the plot?

By Jane McGrath

If Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in the United States, why is so much money still being made to sell others into bondage? Here, we'll examine how human trafficking works.

By Molly Edmonds

Police sketches may be a routine part of law enforcement investigations, but they've been key to solving some extraordinary cases. How do forensic artists create these renderings, and how reliable are they, really? Find out in How Police Sketches Work.

By Cristen Conger

In murder-mystery TV shows, detectives look for clues to find the killer. Part of that involves getting into the murderer's mind-set. What factors make it easier for one person to take the life of another?

By Jonathan Strickland

Terrorists work very hard to remain undetected. After all, if we knew where they were, we could stop them from attacking. But they usually work in small groups, or even alone. How do law enforcement officials track them down?

By Jonathan Strickland

The media saturates us with stories of violence, but most people leave them on the page or screen. So what made these copycat killers act out?

By Josh Clark & Laurie L. Dove

The police knock on your door, and a knot forms in your stomach when you're told the reason for the handcuffs: You're being arrested for a crime you haven't committed -- yet.

By Shanna Freeman

Does the mere mention of a criminal record invoke thoughts of something sinister to you? As it turns out, having a criminal record in the United States isn't as uncommon as it once was.

By Brette Sember

What if your pen pal was a prison inmate? That's the idea behind a prison project designed to connect middle school students with prisoners. What influence did these pen pals have on kids?

By Jane McGrath

Prisons spy on inmates' telephone conversations to make sure the crooks aren't trafficking drugs or organizing gang riots from behind bars. But does this monitoring infringe on their rights?

By Jane McGrath

The most high-tech prison of its day, built on an island of rock and fortified by concrete and steel, Alcatraz was created to house the worst of the worst.

By Ed Grabianowski

With modern security, how can thieves walk out of a museum with millions of dollars worth of art? It usually just takes force and a little bravado.

By Julia Layton

A diamond heist is no mere robbery. It's a feat of patience and engineering that yields enormous payouts. So what are the 10 largest heists?

By Julia Layton & Nathan Chandler

There's a growing band of lawbreakers in town tarnishing recycling's squeaky green reputation. Who are these criminals, and why are they desperate for copper?

By Jennifer Horton

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but thieves like them too. Find out how they orchestrate multimillion-dollar heists and how jewelers switch the real thing for fakes.

By Julia Layton & Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Follow the trail of your prized Swiss Army knife as it leaves your pockets at airport security and goes on to achieve eBay glory.

By Jennifer Horton

Maybe you're an escaped criminal or an undercover spy. You're someone who needs to stay under the radar. What you need is a safe house.

By John Fuller

Every once in a while, we read about an amazing heist that required skill, cunning and thought. But for every one of those, there are those that fail horribly.

By Josh Clark

What makes a person not only murder, but murder multiple people over days, weeks and even years? There's a special name for these types of murderers: serial killers.

By Shanna Freeman

Such famous artworks as 'Mona Lisa' and 'The Scream' have been stolen and returned; some have never been found. Art burglars either keep the artwork for themselves, or try to ransom it back to the original owner. Learn about 7 notorious art thefts.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

It seems impossible to lose something so valuable, but it has been done -- more than once. See our list of the world's greatest missing treasures, including The Amber Room and Pharaohs' Missing Treasure.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Today, some police forces are using virtual reality technology to capture and recreate crime scenes digitally. They've discovered that, if used properly, virtual environments help the investigation process from its earliest stages all the way to a verdict.

By Jonathan Strickland

In their own vision of themselves, Yakuza descend from Robin-Hood-like characters who defended villages from bandits. Today, they operate as a collection of criminal gangs.

By Ed Grabianowski

The United States is renowned for having one of the most sophisticated judicial systems in the world. Every day thousands of people take part in this system, hoping to settle disputes and work for justice. Learn how the U.S. judicial system works.

By Jacob Silverman

As an abstract term, prison is quite simple, but for anyone who has ever done time, it's incredibly complex. Learn what life is like inside prisons in the United States.

By Ed Grabianowski