Law Enforcement System

The next time you interact with a police officer, you might be staring at the eye of a video camera. About a third of U.S. police departments (and more internationally) have issued body cameras to their patrol officers. Here's what you need to know.

By Julia Layton

In Nov. 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington state voted to legalize marijuana, even though use of the drug is illegal under federal law. How will this be resolved and what's happened in previous cases with these kinds of contradictions?

By Becky Striepe

Riots may garner attention for people who feel frustrated and oppressed, but are they really effective? Here, we'll examine how riots work.

By Molly Edmonds

In the starkest terms, abuse and addiction cost money. It's expensive to treat and rehabilitate addicts, and it's costly to help the children affected. So, why have efforts to sterilize addicts come under fire?

By Josh Clark

Eyewitness testimony can play a big part in a criminal trial. The problem is that eyewitness accounts aren't always accurate. What makes them so faulty?

By Charles W. Bryant

The word "justice" appears in many of the United States' most important documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. But for a word that's used so often, its precise definition is still a topic of debate.

By Molly Edmonds

State troopers are associated with highway patrol, but their duties extend past the asphalt. They are involved in everything from highway enforcement to criminal investigations. What else are state troopers involved in?

By Cristen Conger

Even if you've heard the term, you may not know how important habeas corpus is to the U.S. Constitution. How can an ancient Latin phrase for "you have the body" be so relevant today?

By Josh Clark

Standard training at your neighborhood police academy: Spritz each recruit in the face with pepper spray. Think you can take it? Maybe you're cut out for the force.

By Cristen Conger

It's possible that an MRI lie detector could detect truthfulness more accurately than a polygraph machine. How would it work?

By Josh Clark

Sometimes a strange law gets on the record books and just never gets taken off. Learn about 20 silly and unusual U.S. laws that haven't gone away.

Interpol is an international police agency that tracks criminals across national borders. Lean about Interpol and find out how Interpol is organized.

By Ed Grabianowski

A SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team is an elite unit within a police force, used for exceptional situations that require increased firepower or specialized tactics. Find out how SWAT team members train, what gear they use and how they conduct raids.

By Ed Grabianowski

Profiling can be an effective method that is used to capture criminals at large. Learn about the different types of profiling, see how police officers and criminal investigators create and use profiles and explore the controversy surrounding the practice.

By Ed Grabianowski

Getting someone to confess to a crime is not a simple task. Find out how skilled interrogators can get even the most hardened criminal to 'fess up.

By Julia Layton

Police chases may seem glamorous on TV, but in real-life they are actually highly regulated by law enforcement codes of conduct. Find out how officers decide whether to commit to a chase, who is liable if a bystander is injured and what else they do.

By Ed Grabianowski

A hostage situation places innocent civilians directly in harm's way, and armed intervention places the hostages at even greater risk. Learn how a skilled negotiator uses psychology, instinct and deception to achieve a peaceful end.

By Ed Grabianowski

Bounty hunting is a legitimate business and an integral part of the American justice system. Find out how bounty hunting works and follow bounty hunter Bob Burton on the search for a fugitive.

By Stephanie Watson

The best form of riot control is prevention: Often, a passive but strong police presence can keep a "gathering" from turning into a "riot." But sometimes, a spark ignites a flame. Learn how police and military forces handle a riot.

By Ed Grabianowski

K-9 cops can sniff out drugs, bombs and suspects that would leave human cops ransacking entire cities. Plus, a good teeth-baring snarl can stop a suspect in his tracks. Learn all about the K-9 police force.

By Ed Grabianowski

Think you're a good liar? A polygraph might disagree. By monitoring a few physiological signs, these machines know if you're being deceptive, even if you don't have a "tell."

By Kevin Bonsor