Legal System
The Legal System Channel features information related to how society deals with crime, criminals and law enforcement. Learn more about how governments operate their legal systems.
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?
The struggle to define which crimes are considered terrorism — and which are not — isn't easy.
Ending federal pot prohibition could mean big changes and big bucks for states.
Hotel Security Experts Warn About Learning the Wrong Lessons in Wake of Las Vegas Shooting
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?
A lawsuit in federal court in Colorado seeks to establish that the Colorado River ecosystem has legal rights similar to those of a person.
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.
Likelihood Kids Will Be Injured by Guns Depends on Where They Live
Three new studies highlight the regional differences in gun injuries and deaths among young children and teens.
The Somerton Beach man mystery has baffled authorities and mystery buffs for decades. Will we ever know who he was or how he died?
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?
To hunt serial killers you have to understand them, and that's not always an easy task for investigators.
Look Alive, Cell Phone Zombies — Honolulu to Ban Texting While Crossing a Street
If the risk of being hit by a moving vehicle isn't enough to get your eyes off your phone, the threat of a fine may do the trick.
The Scopes Monkey Trial Was a Historic Debate Over Evolution … And a Publicity Ploy
The controversial case in the tiny Tennessee town of Dayton drew national media attention — and live apes. But all that spectacle wasn't for naught.
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?
Loving v. Virginia: The Landmark Case That Legalized Interracial Marriage in the US
Richard and Mildred Loving's interracial marriage was against the law. But it led to the Supreme Court's historic decision in 1967 to ban anti-miscegenation laws across the country.
Women Have Been Vanishing for Decades on Canada's Highway of Tears
Who has been kidnapping and killing the indigenous women along Highway 16 in British Columbia?
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?
Study Pinpoints Best Strategy to Address Past Crimes in a Job Interview
A new study examines how former offenders should — and should not — speak about a history of incarceration.
Research shows that nicotine residue lingering in furniture and carpets may be hazardous to kids. Could that mean legal action for unsuspecting homeowners and tenants?
Can the Government Access Data on Electronic Devices in Checked Luggage?
The TSA can open your checked bags at an airport. But how deep can they dig into electronic devices they find inside?
The divisive serial comma finally got its day in court—it was glorious.
Antarctica belongs to no one nation. So what happens in the event of a crime?
While the press often gets a beating from the public and politicians, journalists have brought to national attention lots of issues that would otherwise remain hidden.
The U.S. has thousands of prisoners in solitary confinement. But experts are now saying it does more harm than good.
Guy walks into a bar looking for a fight. When is it legal and illegal to clock him?
Companies are actually hoping you won't read these 8,000-word documents before you click "agree." But why?
