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.
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How SWAT Teams Work
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.
How the Judicial System Works
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.
How Prisons Work
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.
What is contagious shooting?
Police fired 50 shots at three apparently unarmed men in a car leaving a bachelor party in New York this weekend, and investigators still aren't sure why.
How Street Gangs Work
According to a 2005 report by the Department of Justice, there are at least 21,500 gangs and more than 731,000 active gang members in the United States. Learn how and why street gangs form.
How Profiling Works
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.
Why would a person make a false confession to a crime?
In August 2006, John Mark Karr confessed to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. But some wondered whether the confession was accurate. Learn why people might confess to a crime that they didn't do.
Breaking Out: A Dozen Great Escapes
The TV show "Prison Break" is the story of a structural engineer named Michael Scofield who gets himself locked up so that he can help his brother escape death row. Learn about some amazing real-life escapes.
How Pirates Work
Aye, matey! Hold on to your peg leg as we look at how pirates work, whether they're robbing and plundering in the 17th century or the 21st. We'll look at past and present definitions of piracy and the laws that deal with modern pirates.
How Police Interrogation Works
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.
How Police Chases Work
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.
How Hostage Negotiation Works
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.
How Witness Protection Works
The Federal Witness Security Program protects crucial witnesses. How do you erase one identity and create a whole new one? Find out how the Witness Security Program "relocates" witnesses and their families.
How Bounty Hunting Works
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.
How the Mafia Works
Learn all about how the Mafia is structured, how it operates, how it formed, how it has evolved and which law-enforcement methods have been effective against this type of organized crime.
How Riot Control Works
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.
How Police Dogs Work
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.
Crime and Punishment
With each new crime that pops up, another method of detection is developed; and with each new crime that pops up, another means of protecting yourself comes to light. Learn about various crimes and the available means of detection, protection, and punishment.
How Lawsuits Work
You probably hear about lawsuits a lot -- neighbors suing neighbors over an overgrown tree, customers suing grocery stores over spilt milk, employees suing employers over unlawful termination. What�s involved in taking someone to court? Find out all about lawsuits and see how a civil case unfolds.
How Terrorism Works
Long before Sept. 11, governments, guerrillas, freedom fighters and insurgents were hijacking planes, plotting to blow up the British parliament and generally sowing fear to achieve an objective. So why is defining terrorism so hard?
How Lie Detectors Work
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."
How Lethal Injection Works
Since 1982, more than 1,000 U.S. prisoners have been executed by lethal injection, according to Amnesty International. What happens during those last hours?
'Attica University': Should U.S. Prisoners Get a Free College Education?
If law-abiding students have to pay, what's the case for inmates to get it for nothing?
'Made in the USA' Behind Bars: Is Prison Labor Really 'Slave Labor'?
We explore the economics and ethics of prison-made goods.
What does not guilty by reason of insanity mean?
In our legal system, a person can be found not guilty if they are declared legally insane. How does this system work? Learn about the insanity plea in this article.
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