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.
What Does it Mean When a Book, Movie or Song Enters the Public Domain?
FBI Files Provide Chilling Look Into the Mind of Jeffrey Dahmer
Why the U.S. Hasn't Always Supported the International Criminal Court
Fed Up With a Noisy Neighbor? Try Mediation, Not Litigation
Why Astroworld Was a Recipe for Deadly Crowd Crush
U.S. Capitol Police on High Alert to Protect Congress and Democracy
Supreme Court on the Brink of Ending Affirmative Action in College Admissions
Are Skittles 'Unfit for Human Consumption'? A Lawsuit Says Yes
What Triggers the 'Trigger Laws' That Could Ban Abortions?
Learn More / Page 8
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
If justice is blind, then why do some court decisions spark outrage and violence? Even with an impartial jury, court cases don't always go according to plan.
When an anthrax attack just after Sept. 11 killed five people and infected 18 more, U.S. residents were sent into a bioterrorism panic. Bioterrorism has actually been around for many centuries, but we keep finding new ways to combat it.
Advertisement
In the United States, the Federal Rules of Evidence determine whether a piece of evidence can be considered at trial. There are three main criteria for entering a statement or object as evidence at trial: relevance, materiality, and competence.
By John Fuller
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.
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.
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
Advertisement
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.
The police department is one of the most important civil services in just about every community. This collection of pictures showcases some of the most important aspects of police departments.
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
Advertisement
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?
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?
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.
Follow the trail of your prized Swiss Army knife as it leaves your pockets at airport security and goes on to achieve eBay glory.
Advertisement
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
Because of the murkiness of maritime law, it's hard to pursue crimes committed on cruise ships. What makes it so easy to get away with a crime on the high seas?
By Julia Layton
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?
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
Advertisement
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.
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
It's possible that an MRI lie detector could detect truthfulness more accurately than a polygraph machine. How would it work?
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.
Advertisement
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.
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.