Archive
FTC Releases Top 10 Complaint Categories for 2012
FTC Releases Top 10 Complaint Categories for 2012
Source: Federal Trade Commission
Identity theft is once more the top complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission, which has released its 2012 annual report of complaints. 2012 marks the first year in which the FTC received more than 2 million complaints overall, and 369,132, or 18 percent, were related to identity theft. Of those, more than 43 percent related to tax- or wage-related fraud.
The report gives national data, as well as a state-by-state accounting of top complaint categories and a listing of the metropolitan areas that generated the most complaints. This includes the top 50 metropolitan areas for both fraud complaints and identity theft complaints.
The remainder of complaint categories making up the top 10 are:
Debt collection 199,721 10 percent
Banks and Lenders 132,340 6 percent
Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales 115,184 6 percent
Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries 98,479 5 percent
Impostor Scams 82,896 4 percent
Internet Services 81,438 4 percent
Auto-Related Complaints 78,062 4 percent
Telephone and Mobile Services 76,783 4 percent
Credit Cards 51,550 3 percent
CRS — Public Mass Shootings in the United States: Selected Implications for Federal Public Health and Safety Policy
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
This report focuses on mass shootings and selected implications they have for federal policy in the areas of public health and safety. While such crimes most directly impact particular citizens in very specific communities, addressing these violent episodes involves officials at all levels of government and professionals from numerous disciplines.
This report does not discuss gun control and does not systematically address the broader issue of gun violence. Also, it is not intended as an exhaustive review of federal programs addressing the issue of mass shootings.
Hearing — Oversight: Sexual Assaults in the Military
Oversight: Sexual Assaults in the Military
Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services
PANEL I AT 10:00 AM
Honorable Barbara L. Boxer
United States Senator
PANEL II (Immediately Following PANEL I)
Anu Bhagwati
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Service Women?s Action Network
BriGette McCoy
Former Specialist, United States Army
Rebekah Havrilla
Former Sergeant, United States Army
Brian K. Lewis
Former Petty Officer Third Class, United States Navy Advocacy Board Member, Protect Our Defenders
PANEL III AT 2:00 PM
Robert S. Taylor
Acting General Counsel of the Department of Defense
Lieutenant General Dana K. Chipman, JAGC, USA
Judge Advocate General of the United States Army
Vice Admiral Nanette M. DeRenzi, JAGC, USN
Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy
Lieutenant General Richard C. Harding, JAGC, USAF
Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force
Vaughn A. Vaughn A. Ary, USMC
Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Major General Gary S. Patton, USA
Director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office
Rear Admiral Frederick J. Kenney, Jr., USCG
Judge Advocate General of the United States Coast Guard
Characteristics of Lone-Wolf Violent Offenders: a Comparison of Assassins and School Attackers
Characteristics of Lone-Wolf Violent Offenders: a Comparison of Assassins and School Attackers
Source: Perspectives on Terrorism
This article is based on the idea that lone-wolf terrorists may have characteristics in common with two other types of lone-actor violent offenders: assassins and school attackers. We used data from U.S. Government-sponsored reports to compare the characteristics of these two groups. Despite obvious demographic differences, results indicate four characteristics common for both school attackers and assassins: perceived grievance, depression, a personal crisis (‘unfreezing’),and history of weapons use outside the military. These characteristics may be useful in distinguishing lone-wolfs from group-based terrorists.
Substance Use and Violence: Influence of Alcohol, Illicit Drugs and Anabolic Androgenic Steroids on Violent Crime and Self-directed Violence
Source: Uppsala University
Interpersonal violence and suicide are major health concerns, leading to premature death, extensive human suffering and staggering monetary costs. Although violent behaviour has multiple causes, it is well known that acute substance intake and abuse increase the risks of both interpersonal and self-directed violence. This association is quite well established for alcohol, while a more ambiguous literature exists for other common drugs of abuse. For example, anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), synthetic analogues to the “male” sex hormone testosterone are suggested to elicit violent and aggressive behaviour. Two studies (I and III) in the present thesis addressed the association between AAS use and being suspected or convicted of a violent crime among remand prisoners and in a general population sample, respectively. Further, using the case-crossover design to control for confounders stable within individuals, I also investigated the triggering (short-term risk) effect of alcohol and drugs such as benzodiazepines and AAS, on violent crime (Study II). Finally, a fourth study (IV) based on a large national forensic sample of suicide completers (n=18,894) examined the risk of using a violent, more lethal, suicide method, when under acute influence of alcohol, central stimulants or cannabis.
The results of this thesis suggested that AAS use in itself is not a proximal risk factor for violent crime; the observed risk is probably due to the co-occurrence of abuse of other substances. Alcohol is a strong triggering risk factor for violent crime, constant across males and females as well as individuals with or without behavioral and psychiatric vulnerability. Intake of high doses of benzodiazepines is associated with an increased risk for violent crime. Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of using the lethal suicide method of jumping from a height. I conclude that mapping substance abuse patterns may inform violence risk assessment and treatment planning.
Physical and Psychological Health Following Military Sexual Assault
Physical and Psychological Health Following Military Sexual Assault
Source: RAND Corporation
Awareness of military sexual assault — sexual assault of a servicemember — has been increasing within the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD is striving to improve this situation, but unique conditions of life in the military may make response to these events more difficult than within the civilian sector. This paper reviews the prevalence of sexual assault among servicemembers, victim responses in the immediate aftermath of a sexual assault, barriers to disclosure, victim needs, and DoD efforts to provide necessary resources to victims. The authors review civilian guidelines for the care of physical injuries, response to STI/HIV and pregnancy risk, forensic services, advocacy and support services, and formal mental health care. They then review DoD directives, forms, and guidelines for sexual assault victim care, revealing that these generally are consistent with civilian guidelines. However, little is known about the fidelity with which these DoD recommendations are implemented. The authors close with recommendations for future research to support the DoD’s commitment to a culture free of sexual assault, including a comprehensive, longitudinal epidemiological study of military sexual assault, a needs assessment of disclosed and undisclosed military victims, an evaluation of the training enterprise, and an evaluation to document the extent to which DoD directives requiring immediate, evidence-based care for military victims are being implemented with fidelity.
CRS — Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity
Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
Industrial hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa and is of the same plant species as marijuana. However, hemp is genetically different and distinguished by its use and chemical makeup. Hemp has long been cultivated for non-drug use in the production of industrial and other goods. Some estimate that the global market for hemp consists of more than 25,000 products. It can be grown as a fiber, seed, or other dual-purpose crop. Hemp fibers are used in a wide range of products, including fabrics and textiles, yarns and raw or processed spun fibers, paper, carpeting, home furnishings, construction and insulation materials, auto parts, and composites. The interior stalk (hurd) is used in various applications such as animal bedding, raw material inputs, low-quality papers, and composites. Hemp seed and oilcake are used in a range of foods and beverages, and can be an alternative food protein source. Oil from the crushed hemp seed is an ingredient in a range of body-care products and also nutritional supplements. Hemp seed is also used for industrial oils, cosmetics and personal care, and pharmaceuticals, among other composites.
Precise data are not available on the size of the U.S. market for hemp-based products. Current industry estimates report that U.S. retail sales of all hemp-based products may exceed $300 million per year. Because there is no commercial industrial hemp production in the United States, the U.S. market is largely dependent on imports, both as finished hemp-containing products and as ingredients for use in further processing. Under the current U.S. drug policy, all cannabis varieties, including hemp, are considered Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA, 21 U.S.C. §§801 et seq.; Title 21 CFR Part 1308.11). As such, while there are legitimate industrial uses, these are controlled and regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Strictly speaking, the CSA does not make growing hemp illegal; rather, it places strict controls on its production and enforces standards governing the security conditions under which the crop must be grown, making it illegal to grow without a DEA permit. Currently, cannabis varieties may be legitimately grown for research purposes only. Among the concerns over changing current policies is how to allow for hemp production without undermining the agency’s drug enforcement efforts and regulation of the production and distribution of marijuana.
In the early 1990s a sustained resurgence of interest in allowing commercial cultivation of industrial hemp began in the United States. Several states have conducted economic or market studies, and have initiated or passed legislation to expand state-level resources and production. To date, nine states have legalized the cultivation and research of industrial hemp, including Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia.
However, because federal law still prohibits cultivation, a grower still must get permission from the DEA in order to grow hemp, or face the possibility of federal charges or property confiscation, despite having a state-issued permit. Over the past few Congresses, Representative Ron Paul has introduced legislation that would open the way for commercial cultivation of industrial hemp in the United States (H.R. 1831, 112th Congress; H.R. 1866, 111th Congress; H.R. 1009, 110th Congress; H.R. 3037, 109th Congress). In the 112th Congress, Senator Ron Wyden similarly introduced S. 3501 in the Senate. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act would amend Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(16)) to specify that the term “marijuana” does not include industrial hemp, which the bill would define based on its content of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s primary psychoactive chemical. Such a change could remove low-THC hemp from being covered by the CSA as a controlled substance and subject to DEA regulation, thus allowing for industrial hemp to be grown and processed under some state laws.
Ham Sandwich Nation: Due Process When Everything is a Crime
Ham Sandwich Nation: Due Process When Everything is a Crime
Source: Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
Though extensive due process protections apply to the investigation of crimes, and to criminal trials, perhaps the most important part of the criminal process — the decision whether to charge a defendant, and with what — is almost entirely discretionary. Given the plethora of criminal laws and regulations in today’s society, this due process gap allows prosecutors to charge almost anyone they take a deep interest in. This Essay discusses the problem in the context of recent prosecutorial controversies involving the cases of Aaron Swartz and David Gregory, and offers some suggested remedies, along with a call for further discussion.
Mandiant Exposes APT1 – One of China’s Cyber Espionage Units & Releases 3,000 Indicators
Mandiant Exposes APT1 – One of China’s Cyber Espionage Units & Releases 3,000 Indicators
Source: Mandiant
Today, The Mandiant® Intelligence Center™ released an unprecedented report exposing APT1′s multi-year, enterprise-scale computer espionage campaign. APT1 is one of dozens of threat groups Mandiant tracks around the world and we consider it to be one of the most prolific in terms of the sheer quantity of information it has stolen.
Highlights of the report include:
- Evidence linking APT1 to China’s 2nd Bureau of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Staff Department’s (GSD) 3rd Department (Military Cover Designator 61398).
- A timeline of APT1 economic espionage conducted since 2006 against 141 victims across multiple industries.
- APT1′s modus operandi (tools, tactics, procedures) including a compilation of videos showing actual APT1 activity.
- The timeline and details of over 40 APT1 malware families.
- The timeline and details of APT1′s extensive attack infrastructure.
Mandiant is also releasing a digital appendix with more than 3,000 indicators to bolster defenses against APT1 operations.
Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announce record-breaking recoveries resulting from joint efforts to combat health care fraud
Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announce record-breaking recoveries resulting from joint efforts to combat health care fraud
Source: U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
ttorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report showing that for every dollar spent on health care-related fraud and abuse investigations in the last three years, the government recovered $7.90. This is the highest three-year average return on investment in the 16-year history of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse (HCFAC) Program.
The government’s health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered a record $4.2 billion in taxpayer dollars in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, up from nearly $4.1 billion in FY 2011, from individuals and companies who attempted to defraud federal health programs serving seniors and taxpayers or who sought payments to which they were not entitled. Over the last four years, the administration’s enforcement efforts have recovered $14.9 billion, up from $6.7 billion over the prior four-year period. Since 1997, the HCFAC Program has returned more than $23 billion to the Medicare Trust Funds.
These findings, released today in the annual HCFAC Program report, are a result of President Obama making the elimination of fraud, waste and abuse, particularly in health care, a top priority for the administration.
The success of this joint Department of Justice and HHS effort was made possible by the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), created in 2009 to prevent fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and to crack down on individuals and entities that are abusing the system and costing American taxpayers billions of dollars. These efforts to reduce fraud will continue to improve with new tools and resources provided by the Affordable Care Act.
Complaint: United States of America, Plaintiff v. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC
Complaint: United States of America, Plaintiff v. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (PDF, via Courthouse News Service)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
From the beginning of his tenure, the Attorney General established twin commitments to the American people: that the Department of Justice will devote significant resources to combating financial fraud, and that we will be as aggressive and creative as we can be in holding accountable those who, in violating the law, contributed to the financial crisis.
This case demonstrates the full force of those commitments.
First, today’s action culminates a massive, multi-year investigation by a team of nearly two dozen lawyers from the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, and the Federal Programs and Consumer Protection branches of the Civil Division. Our lawyers and staff served hundreds of civil subpoenas, spent thousands of hours reviewing and analyzing millions of pages of documents, and contacted and interviewed over 150 witnesses, including dozens of former S&P analysts and executives. This enormous task would not have been possible without the combined expertise and tireless efforts of this team. I thank them for their commitment to this historic investigation and congratulate them on reaching this important milestone.
Second, the lawsuit being announced today demonstrates the Department’s commitment to using every available legal tool to bring to justice those who bear responsibility for the financial crisis. Our complaint asserts claims under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, or FIRREA. This statute was enacted in the wake of the Savings and Loan crisis in the late 1980s but has not been used very often in recent years. One of Congress’s stated purposes for FIRREA was to provide “enhanced enforcement powers and increase criminal and civil money penalties for crimes of fraud against financial institutions.” Under this law, the Department of Justice can seek civil penalties for the violation of certain underlying criminal statutes, including mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, which the Department alleges as part of this lawsuit. But, unlike a criminal case that requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the FIRREA provisions underlying today’s lawsuit require only proof by a preponderance of the evidence. In addition, FIRREA authorizes the Department to seek civil penalties up to the amount of the loss suffered by a financial institution as a result of the violation.
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS)
The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS)
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, based on a survey conducted in 2010. Over the course of a year, that equals more than 12 million women and men. Those numbers only tell part of the story—more than 1 million women are raped in a year and over 6 million women and men are victims of stalking in a year. These findings emphasize that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are important and widespread public health problems in the United States.
CRS — Organized Retail Crime
Organized Retail Crime (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
Organized retail crime (ORC) involves the large-scale theft of everyday consumer items and potentially has much broader implications. Organized groups of professional shoplifters, or “boosters,” steal or fraudulently obtain merchandise that is then sold, or “fenced,” to individuals and retailers through a variety of venues. In an increasingly globalized society, more and more transactions take place online rather than face-to-face. As such, in addition to relying on physical resale markets, organized retail thieves have turned to online marketplaces as means to fence their ill-gotten goods.
ORC exposes the United States to costs and harms in the economic, public health, and domestic security arenas. The exact loss from ORC to the retail industry is unknown, but estimates have ranged from $15 billion to $37 billion annually. The economic impact, however, extends beyond the manufacturing and retail industry and includes costs incurred by consumers and taxes lost by the states. The theft and resale of stolen consumable or health and beauty products such as infant formula (that may have been repackaged, relabeled, and subjected to altered expiration dates) poses potential safety concerns for individuals purchasing such goods from ORC fences. In addition, some industry experts and policy makers have expressed concern about the possibility that proceeds from ORC may be used to fund terrorist activities.
Current efforts to combat ORC largely come from retailers, online marketplaces, and law enforcement alike. Retailers responding to the 2010 National Retail Security Survey spent an average of 0.46% of their annual sales on loss prevention measures. These loss prevention costs are ultimately borne by consumers in the form of higher prices on goods. Also, online marketplaces report taking various measures to combat the sale of stolen and fraudulently obtained goods on their websites, including educating sellers and consumers, monitoring suspicious activity, and partnering with retailers and law enforcement. Combating retail theft has traditionally been handled by state law enforcement under state criminal laws. Some, however, have begun to question whether state laws—which vary in the quantity of monetary losses that constitute major theft—are adequate to combat ORC.
While many agree that ORC is a national problem, there is debate over the federal government’s role in deterring ORC and sanctioning various actors that may be involved in committing or aiding these crimes. One policy issue facing Congress is whether criminalizing organized retail crime in the U.S. Code would allow for more effective investigation and prosecution of these criminals. Congress may also wish to consider whether regulating resale marketplaces (online markets, in particular), to require such entities to increase information sharing with retailers and law enforcement, would strengthen investigations and prosecutions of ORC as well as decrease the prevalence of retail thieves relying on legitimate online marketplaces to fence stolen goods.
CRS — The Controlled Substances Act: Regulatory Requirements
The Controlled Substances Act: Regulatory Requirements (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
This report highlights certain non-criminal regulatory requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The CSA and its implementing regulations establish a framework through which the federal government regulates the use of controlled substances for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial purposes, and prevents these substances from being diverted for illegal purposes. The CSA assigns various plants, drugs, and chemicals (such as narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids) to one of five schedules based on the substance’s medical use, potential for abuse, and safety or dependence liability. Schedule I contains substances that have no currently accepted medical use and cannot safely be made available to the public under a prescription, while Schedules II, III, IV, and V include substances that have recognized medical uses and may be manufactured, distributed, and used in accordance with the CSA. The order of the schedules reflects substances that are progressively less dangerous and addictive. To restrict access to chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of certain controlled substances, the CSA also regulates 40 “listed chemicals.” Furthermore, the CSA regulates controlled substance “analogues,” which are substances that are not controlled but are structurally or pharmacologically similar to substances found in Schedule I or II and have no accepted medical use.
Unless specifically exempted by the CSA, any person who handles controlled substances or listed chemicals (such as drug manufacturers, wholesale distributors, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and scientific researchers) must register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the U.S. Department of Justice, which administers and enforces the CSA. Registrants must keep accurate and complete records of all transactions involving controlled substances, maintain detailed inventories of the substances in their possession, and periodically file reports with the DEA, as well as ensure that controlled substances are securely stored and safeguarded in accordance with DEA
Between 10%-11% of all drug prescriptions written in the United States are for pharmaceutical controlled substances. Only licensed medical practitioners (who are registered with the DEA) are authorized to prescribe controlled substances listed in Schedules II-V to patients; such prescriptions may only be issued by a practitioner who is “acting in the usual course of his professional practice,” and for a “legitimate medical purpose.” The CSA authorizes the DEA Administrator to suspend or revoke a physician’s prescription privileges upon a finding that he has “committed such acts as would render his registration … inconsistent with the public interest.”
While the CSA provides criminal sanctions for illicit possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances, the statute also contains a few noteworthy penalty provisions that are specifically applicable to persons who are authorized by the DEA to handle controlled substances lawfully. The CSA sets forth certain offenses involving listed chemicals and DEA registration and other prohibited acts relating to registrants who manufacture, distribute, and dispense controlled substances.
Internet Dating and Romance Scams
Internet Dating and Romance Scams
Source: U.S. Department of State
United States citizens should be alert to attempts at fraud by persons claiming to live outside of the U.S., professing friendship, romantic interest, and /or marriage intentions over the Internet.
Typically, once a connection is made, the correspondent asks the U.S. citizen to send money or credit card information for living expenses, travel expenses, or "visa costs". Sometimes, the correspondent notifies the American citizen that a close family member, usually the mother, is in desperate need of surgery and begins to request monetary assistance. Scams have even advanced to the point where the U.S. citizen is informed of a serious or fatal accident to the correspondent and the “family” asks for money to cover hospital or funeral costs. Several citizens report losing thousands of dollars through such scams.
The anonymity of the Internet means that the U.S. citizen cannot be sure of the real name, age, marital status, nationality, or even gender of the correspondent. In every case reported to the embassy, the correspondent turned out to be a fictitious persona created only to lure the U.S. citizen into sending money.
These scammers have created male as well as female characters and entice same sex correspondents as well as those of the opposite sex. A disturbing recent twist are scammers who have connected to U.S. citizens through chat rooms for HIV positive individuals, posed as HIV positive individuals themselves, and asked for money for treatment or travel to the United States.
Correspondents who quickly move to professions of romantic interest or discussion of intimate matters are likely inventions of scammers. A request for funds almost always marks a fraudulent correspondent. U.S. citizens are cautioned against sending any money to persons they have not actually met.
CRS — Gangs in Central America
Gangs in Central America (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via U.S. State Department Foreign Press Center)
Congress has maintained an interest in the effects of gang violence in Central America, and on the expanding activities of transnational gangs with ties to that region operating in the United States. Since FY2008, Congress has appropriated significant amounts of funding for anti-gang efforts in Central America, as well as domestic anti-gang programs. Two recent developments may affect congressional interest in Central American gangs: a truce between rival gangs has dramatically lowered violence in El Salvador and the U.S. Treasury Department has designated the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as a significant transnational criminal organization (TCO).
MS-13 and its main rival, the “18 th Street” gang (also known as M-18) continue to threaten citizen security and challenge government authority in Central America. Gang-related violence has been particularly acute in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, which have among the highest homicide rates in the world. In recent years, some governments have moved away, at least on a rhetorical level, from repressive anti-gang strategies, with the government of El Salvador now facilitating a historic—and risky—truce involving the country’s largest gangs. The truce has resulted in a dramatic reduction in homicides since March 2012, but carries risks for the Salvadoran government such as what might happen if the gangs were to walk away from the truce and emerge stronger as a result of months of less-stringent prison conditions.
U.S. agencies have been engaged on both the law enforcement and preventive sides of dealing with Central American gangs; an inter-agency committee developed a U.S. Strategy to Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and Mexico that was first announced in July 2007. The strategy focuses on diplomacy, repatriation, law enforcement, capacity enhancement, and prevention. An April 2010 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that U.S. agencies consider strengthening the anti-gang strategy by developing better oversight and measurement tools to guide its implementation. U.S. law enforcement efforts may be bolstered by the Treasury Department’s October 2012 decision to designate and sanction MS-13 as a major TCO pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581.
In recent years, Congress has increased funding to support anti-gang efforts in Central America. Between FY2008 and FY2012, Congress appropriated roughly $35 million in global International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds for anti-gang efforts in Central America. Congress provided additional support in FY2008 and FY2009 for anti-gang efforts in the region through the Mérida Initiative, a counterdrug and anticrime program for Mexico and Central America, and, more recently, through the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Congressional oversight may focus on the efficacy of anti-gang efforts in Central America; the interaction between U.S. domestic and international anti-gang policies, and the impact of the Treasury Department’s TCO designation on law enforcement efforts against MS-13.
This report describes the gang problem in Central America, discusses country and regional approaches to deal with the gangs, and analyzes U.S. policy with respect to gangs in Central America. Also see: CRS Report R41731, Central America Regional Security Initiative: Background and Policy Issues for Congress, by Peter J. Meyer and Clare Ribando Seelke.
Crime Against Persons With Disabilities, 2009-2011 – Statistical Tables
Crime Against Persons With Disabilities, 2009-2011 – Statistical Tables
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
Presents estimates of nonfatal violent victimization (rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault) against persons age 12 or older with disabilities from 2009 to 2011. Findings are based on the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). The report compares the victimization of persons with and without disabilities, including distributions by age, race, sex, victims’ types of disabilities, and other victim characteristics. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2000 U.S. Standard Population were used to estimate age-adjusted victimization rates.
Highlights:
- Persons age 12 or older who had disabilities experienced about an annual average 923,000 nonfatal violent crimes during 2011.
- The rate of violence for males with disabilities was 42 per 1,000 in 2011, compared to 22 per 1,000 for males without disabilities. For females with disabilities, the rate of violence was 53 per 1,000 in 2011, compared to 17 per 1,000 for females without disabilities.
- No statistically significant difference was found in the average annual number of nonfatal violent victimizations against persons with disabilities from 2009 to 2011.
Early Adolescent Music Preferences and Minor Delinquency
Early Adolescent Music Preferences and Minor Delinquency (PDF)
Source: Pediatrics
OBJECTIVES:
To test Music Marker Theory (MMT) positing that early adolescents’ preferences for nonmainstream types of popular music indicate concurrent and later minor delinquency.
METHODS:
MMT was tested in a 4-year longitudinal study (n = 309).
RESULTS:
The results showed that early fans of different types of rock (eg, rock, heavy metal, gothic, punk), African American music (rhythm and blues, hip-hop), and electronic dance music (trance, techno/ hardhouse) showed elevated minor delinquency concurrently and longitudinally. Preferring conventional pop (chart pop) or highbrow music (classic music, jazz), in contrast, was not related to or was negatively related to minor delinquency.
CONCLUSIONS:
Early music preferences emerged as more powerful indicators of later delinquency rather than early delinquency, indicating that music choice is a strong marker of later problem behavior. The mechanisms through which music preferences are linked to minor delinquency are discussed within the framework of MMT. Pediatrics 2013;131:1–10
Early 2012 Crime Stats; Slight Uptick in Crime
Early 2012 Crime Stats; Slight Uptick in Crime
Source: FBI
According to statistics from our Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January-June 2012, the number of violent crimes reported by law enforcement for the first six months of 2012 increased 1.9 percent over figures from the same period in 2011. Property crimes also rose 1.5 percent overall.
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
A booklet that describes what parents can do to help children and adolescents cope with violence and disasters.
