Criminal Justice Degree
www.criminaljusticedegree.com
Chris Jacobson, a police officer with 11 years service up their sleeve - and a little spare time - has gone to the trouble to create a resource for anyone considering undertaking a criminal justice career. They have trawled the web for every possible link to courses and institutions, categorizing them nicely into the various specializations.
Sample: "Everything from homeland security and law enforcement to behind-the-scenes work like forensics and computer security can be considered as a part of the criminal justice industry. More important, the roles you are able to fill greatly depend on what level degree you obtain."
Verdict: CSI junkies apply within... - SS
NetWorth: *****
Internet Crime Archives
www.mayhem.net/Crime/serial.html
From the mayhem vaults comes this multimedia art-fest of sadistic killers. Whether they approve or not, the creators are surely celebrating the phenomenon of mass killing. A Shockwave and animated gif world of mug shots, tales of woe and miserable excuses for humans. Among the flashy graphics is some good research and fact-gathering to give the site's "archive" status some credibility.
Sample: "The FBI and other law enforcement agencies estimate that there are between 35 to 50 serial killers on the lose in the U.S. at any one given time. Other estimates put the number of killers close to 500."
Verdict: Death for Art's sake. - SS
NetWorth: ****
Lawlink NSW - Crime Prevention Division
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/cpd.nsf/pages/index
As we hurtle towards the arbitrarily determined new millennium, everything seems to be tuning up an octave or two, including our fears, our psychosis, and our politicians desire to prove that they are going to make it all better. Enter the CPD, a well funded, well-meaning centre of information, education, schemes, plans and initiatives all geared towards reducing "crime" and making us all feel safe again. It is a relatively broad and informed approach to some pretty deep-rooted societal problems. It's a game of cat and mouse where the mouse scores a point every election. Fortunately, the mouse has very educated advisers, so some progress is actually being made.
Sample: "Developing a whole-of-Government approach to the prevention of crime in NSW will be a major priority for the Crime Prevention Division over the next twelve months.."
Verdict: Building a safer community - for all of us. - SS
NetWorth: ****
Crime Statistics/Rates Link Guide and Tutorial
www.crime.org
One woman's reaction to a crime ridden society and her own role within it is this domain of abominable statistics from all around the globe, but mostly in America. Links and stats on the site present a shocking account of human suffering and indignation at the hands of people who don't know how to be nice to each other. The purpose of the site is to reveal the extent of badness occurring, but without some kind of analysis, it is hard to even begin to guess what is really behind all these numbers. The only thing I found was that with the Uni statistics, education seems to foster less violence, and more drug-crazed joy-rides.
Sample: "Thanks for your interest. Enjoy my site"
Verdict: Not much here to enjoy, but plenty to contemplate. - SS
Net Worth: ****
The Militia Watchdog
www.militia-watchdog.org
Dedicated to exposing out of control right-wing extremism in the US, this site is a thoughtful and at times quite humorous look at the incredibly diverse ways that humans view themselves and the world they live in. It is only through information and education that we have a hope of helping these poor souls. With lengthy tales of redneck escapades, investigations, facts and figures, the Internet allows a glimpse into the backwoods of our collective consciousness. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll stock your shed with supplies and ammunition. The watchdog sniffs, digs and bites at ignorance and fear.
Sample: "The Militia Watchdog is not "objective," at least in so far as it believes the militia and sovereign citizen movements represent a clear danger and it attempts to warn people about them. In this sense, its purpose is advocacy. However, every attempt is made within these pages to present news and information as accurately and judiciously as possible."
Verdict: FBI, CIA, HTML - working for your protection. - SS
NetWorth: *****
Terrorism Research Centre
www.terrorism.com
A completely independent organisation, attempting to study all manner of subversive activity, ranging from bombings to hackers, loose affiliations and tight command units who are fighting the powers that be for whatever particular reason. Profiles, in-depth academic essays, references and forums make for an extensive supply of information about an intriguing subject. Terror is everywhere, and now with cyber warfare - who knows what will happen? You can be sure the TRC is doing it's best to find out.
Sample: "Part of God...receives substantial amounts of financial, training, weapons, explosives, political, diplomatic, and organizational aid from Iran and Syria"
Verdict: Terrorism or freedom fighting? It depends who's paying the bills. - SS
NetWorth: *****
Crime Stoppers On-Line
www.crimestoppers.net.au
The front line of crime fighting, where citizen meets law enforcement officer, meets bad guy, meets web surfer. Through direct involvement of you, the community member, help find missing persons, solve crimes and put more and more people behind bars. It's not our fault there is a revolving-door prison system, and rehabilitation services are stretched to bursting. Crime Stoppers, as the name suggests, is trying to reduce the number of incidents by catching the crook in, before, and after the act. There are safety tips, projects, education packages, most wanted lists and a real desire to get you, the innocent bystander to do your bit.
Sample: "Research indicates a large number of victims had locks and other security devices installed at the point where the burglar entered the home. Unfortunately, they did not have them in use at the time of the burglary."
Verdict: The immediate, short term solutions. - SS
NetWorth: ****
Terrorist Group Profiles
web.nps.navy.mil/~library/tgp/tgpmain.htm
This site is linked from terrorism.com, but is well worth singling out as an interesting read. All known terrorist groups are featured, with run-downs on their membership, leaders, supporters, ideology, military strength, crimes committed, and geographical coverage. Patterns of global terrorism are given as well as a chronology of significant incidents from 1993-1997. Attacks on the whole seem very sporadic, which naturally adds to the "terror" factor - you never know if you are going to be next. Now if only the governments would stop funding these people…
Sample: "Do's and Don'ts about this page - DO NOT inquire about e-mail addresses for the various terrorist groups."
Verdict: Try not to read this just before your next backpacking trek through the Middle East - SS
NetWorth: ****
When Love Hurts - A Guide for Girls on Love, Respect and Abuse in Relationships
www.vicnet.net.au/~girlsown
Violence in relationships has always been a tough issue to deal with, both from societal attitudes and trying to communicate to those at the receiving end, to help them break free. This site does a tremendous job in helping a victim or potential victim understand the situation they could be in and what real steps can be taken to get help. With personal accounts, clear explanations, legal avenues and step by step support, anyone caught in an abusive situation would certainly feel comforted, and may just see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Sample: "When someone loves you, you feel valued, respected and free to be yourself. You should not be made to feel intimidated or controlled."
Verdict: Crime sometimes begins at home. Do something about it. - SS
NetWorth: *****
SerialHomicide.com
www.serialhomicide.com
Most of us cannot comprehend the notion of actually taking someone's life, so when we hear about those who have no trouble doing it over and over again, we can't help but wonder how. Go behind-the-scenes, with police interviews, video footage, psychoanalysis, and no doubt lots of scary music and gruesome pictures on a snazzy little compact disc that delves into the killer's mind. After a little multimedia demo, you'll be dying to see more. Many people profit from serial killers - tabloids, TV news, undertakers - lets hope the outcome of this little venture is a reduction of the body count through education and awareness. Sadly I think it's just another morbid money-spinner.
Sample: "Look here every weekday for a new Case of the Day, and on Tuesdays and Fridays for a Case of the Day with a picture."
Verdict: Surf on, there's plenty more out there. - SS
NetWorth: *
Australian Legal Information Institute
www.austlii.edu.au
You can't have criminals without laws for them to break. The ALII provides a complete guide to law related links, so surfers can access information and services relevant to their needs. It seems odd that laws would differ from state to state, let alone country to country, so that one can be a good citizen in one place and a criminal in another, for doing the exact same thing. Punishment varies too. It's a tangled web, just like this site, but if you are prepared to spend some time here, you will walk away just that little bit less or more confused, depending on where you are from, who you are, and how much money you have. If you are a law professional - this is an essential bookmark.
Sample: "AustLII is one of the largest sources of legal materials on the net, with over six gigabytes of raw text materials and over a million searchable documents. "
Verdict: This is a biggie! - SS
NetWorth: ****
Australian Institute of Criminology
www.conspire.com
The hard core facts that have the power to change government policy are delved into deeply at the AIC. Thoroughly researched papers, documents and statistics on everything from prison violence to corruption give anyone interested an incredibly clear glimpse into human nature and the way it interacts with our politicians' decisions. I was totally astounded to read that the post-Bryant gun buy-back scheme had led to a four-fold increase in legal gun sales that year! We all chipped in for shiny new guns for the illegal gun owners! Good move!
Sample: "The Institute is the national focus for the study of crime and criminal justice in Australia and for the dissemination of criminal justice information. The Institute draws on information supplied to it by a wide variety of sources and its policy advice is objective and independent."
Verdict: A huge site dealing with the huge issues. - SS
NetWorth: *****
Casebook: Jack the Ripper
ripper.wildnet.co.uk
The first ever media-hyped madman has been on the run since 1888. He must be old now! The case still fascinates and facts are still surfacing, as new documents are uncovered, and criminal science advances. This site is very comprehensive, and through it's sensible rather than sensational approach, promises to bring us closer and closer to the truth. The crimes themselves, horrible as they were, are a mere drop in the ocean of human depravity, but the Loch Ness Monster-like myth-mongering keeps Jack, and this web site, alive.
Sample: "The future may or may not reveal the Ripper's name."
Verdict: Getting away with multiple murder. - SS
NetWorth: *****
Genesis of a Serial Killer
www.jurai.net/~patowic/genesis.html
The net is great for posting all your old writings, and this guy has put up his old senior paper "Fantasy's Role in Creating a Monster". This one page has been hit more than some people's entire sites. His clear style and straight-shooting description of the way a killer evolves makes for a great read. Concluding that serial killing is just another addiction, the piece begs for a renewed approach to the phenomenon. His arguments seem to point the way for easy early detection of potential trouble-makers, and perhaps give us a chance to modify their behaviour before it gets out of hand.
Sample: "The serial killer, much like the chronic gambler and problem drinker, is addicted to the use of fantasy. So strong is this compulsion that the serial killer murders to preserve the addiction, in essence preserving his only remaining coping mechanism."
Verdict: Hey bartender, give me another victim! - SS
NetWorth: ***
NSW Police Service On-Line
www.police.nsw.gov.au
As if the police didn't have enough to do, they now have to maintain this great big web site! There aren't many job descriptions as wide as a policeman's and there certainly aren't too many vocations with such levels of stress to endure, handling everything from lost wallets to domestic violence, breath tests to murders, car crashes to public relations. Take the time to study this site and see what the cops are doing, and you may just join them yourself, or at least give a helping hand around the community, and be a little more respectful of their overly demanding occupation.
Sample: "The Internet gives us a chance to serve you in a new way. Thank you for stopping by."
Verdict: Giving Robo-Cop a whole new meaning. - SS
NetWorth: *****
National Centre for Victims of Crime
www.nvc.org
At last the victims actually get some air time. It seems perpetrators of violent crimes scare us so much, we become curiously fascinated to the point that their victims just become names and numbers in a terrible tale of depravity that we struggle to understand. Time to tip the scales the other way - how about we try and understand the victim? NVC is working hard to support victims, educate potential victims about safety and study crime's effects on innocent people. Justice is also sought whilst helping to rebuild shattered lives.
Sample: "Rarely do crime victims emerge unscathed by their experience. Not all end up in the hospital, permanently disabled or dead, although many do. Not all suffer continuing trauma, flashbacks to the criminal event, and damaged personal lives, although many do. But all crime victims need to regain their sense of safety and control."
Verdict: Focussing on those that deserve the attention. - SS
NetWorth ****
Neville's Forensic Art Homepage
hometown.aol.com/wenev/index.html
Here's a fascinating little foray into the world of crime from the police artist perspective. See how he ages a wanted criminal or missing person a few decades, constructs an image of a face from badly decomposed remains, and generally helps the police in solving mysteries that without the sketch or computer drawing, would be devoid of clues. It's not a huge site, but it has a few good crime and police links, and may just pique your interest in the field enough to do a course and start whipping out a few sketches of your own.
Sample: "Age-progressions can be hand drawn or completed by means of computer. As with any area of forensic art that deals with the face, the artist must have knowledge of the muscles of the face, and how the natural aging process affects those muscles and the surrounding tissue."
Verdict: Professional Pictionary - SS
NetWorth: ****
Sartore Township - Workplace Violence
www.svn.net/mikekell/index.html
We all know about the crazy postal workers who like to kill their workmates, but just how common do you think workplace violence is? It is a huge problem that has spawned books, reports, studies and theories aplenty - and they are all here. It seems stress is getting the better of a whole lot of people, and the beast within rears its ugly head and lashes out at whoever is standing next to them at the time. There is a lot to wade through here, but it's certainly worth the time to understand a little more about this tragic trend.
Sample: "Over 1,000,000 employees will be victims of workplace violence this year according to the Department of Justice. Over 1,000 will be murdered at work - and this number may be conservative!"
Verdict: A good argument for working from home. - SS
NetWorth: *****
Serial Killers - an On-Line Guide to Serial Murder
members.home.net/supersatan
Sometimes a subject matter is so strong, all you have to do is present the facts in plain black and red and your readers are hooked. The tales of depravity, A-Z listing, biographies and a few historical photos are available in this slightly "under construction" site. The grizzly reality of twisted behaviour, coupled with our inability to see it coming until it's too late, make for a riveting read. Cannibal Killers, Spree Killers, Mass Murderers and Necrophiliacs are all planned to feature here soon, so bookmark and return to the scene.
Sample: Albert Fish was a sadistic, masochistic, necrophilic, cannibalistic, child molesting murderer. Fish was like a textbook of severe sexual deviation and perversion. In reference to the deeds that Albert Fish performed, his psychiatrist, Dr. Fredric Wertham said: "There was no known perversion that he did not practice and practice frequently."
Verdict: Don't visit just before bed - if you want to get any sleep. - SS
NetWorth: ****
The Serial Killer Information Site - No Sensationalism, No Gore
www.serialkillers.net
At last a site that addresses the issue of mass murderers with no intention other than to put an end to the whole phenomenon. An independent study/forum/resource providing profiles, "victimology" info, interviews (with good guys), book reviews, message board and chat, mailing list, even a monthly poll question makes this an interesting, interactive and intriguing Internet inquest into insanity.
Sample: "I am not naive and know that there is not a magic cure for serial offenders, but also know that through victimology and other resources available, an offender can be stopped earlier than in the past."
Verdict: One woman stands up against the horror. - SS
NetWorth: ****
The Ultimate Forensic Psychology Database
http://forensics.thedatabase.org/
4th Year Honours Student Michael Decaire is a bit of a workoholic (something his classmates might want to look into) and has decided to do everything all at once, before heading off into jobland. A complete guide to who, what, where and how, with a dose of why, makes this a bookmark to cherish if you are either in the field, or just curious about the detection, understanding and cure of the criminal mind.
Sample: "Dozens of psychological studies have provided evidence for the influence of the defendants, jurors, attorneys, and judges characteristics. The majority of these studies imply that the unbiased nature of the jury system is a charade, and that the jury system is failing at its primary goal, to provide a fair trial."
Verdict: A lot of virtual evidence to wade through here. - SS
NetWorth: ****
Robert K Ressler
www.robertkressler.com
The land of presidents and movie stars finds it appealing to place a patriarchal figure at the top of any field, call them head honcho, and believe that they are the all-seeing, all knowing experts in that area. Kressler is the Guru of Gore, being given the job to sit down and chat with all the big names in the killing business. There's no doubting this man's credentials, but when you look at all the pics of him wielding guns and chewing the fat with Jeffrey Dahmer, you might start to think that perhaps it's all part of the same big picture. And that picture is coming to a screen near you.
Sample: When I released my autobiography in 1992, the KIRKUS REVIEW was quite favorable, but indicated that "As deeply as Ressler gets into killers' heads, though, he refused to reveal much of his own here, offering no explanation ... for why he's devoted his life to a calling so dire and soul-wearing, etc." This then is the reason for this Web Site. Verdict: Understanding the man who understands the madmen. - SS
NetWorth: ***
The Special Operations Web
www.specialoperations.com
The Van Dammes, Stallones and Segals of this world owe their entire careers to these real-life action "heroes", doing all the dirty work for the government they work for, catching bad guys, wiping out evil and making our streets safe at night. A very comprehensive site, considering how much of their world is "classified", you can explore the weapons, tactics, operations, history and even humour(?) about these deadly serious dudes and dudettes.
Sample: "Many feel we are simply pawns with little value until we are needed. Promises are made, and quickly broken based on political climate. Unneeded programs are pushed and money not used to take care of the force. Pork Barrel politics are evident. Do we need what we did 20 years ago? Probably not. But we do need good, high quality soldiers and individuals with the desire to serve and make a career out of defending our nation and our interest."
Verdict: Very special people.- SS
NetWorth: ****
Glenn Norstrem's Home Page
www.freenet.msp.mn.us/people/norstrem
Glenn is a police officer, and this is his home page. It is amateurish, since no doubt it is done as a hobby. It does, however, allow any casual surfer to get to know an actual police officer personally, and learn a few things about the law from the lawman's perspective. One interesting page is his answers to all those cliché comments we probably have all made at some time or other - especially when pulled over for traffic violations. "Why don't you chase some real crims?", "Do you have a quota for issuing fines?", "why don't you just shoot people in the leg when they are threatening to kill you?". Also there is a link to stupid criminals, which is a bit of a laugh.
Sample: "A man went into a drug store, pulled a gun, announced a robbery, and pulled a Hefty-bag face mask over his head -- and realised that he'd forgotten to cut eye holes in the mask."
Verdict: - SS
NetWorth: *****
Anarchist Cookbook, Terrorist Handbook
members.tripod.com/~tlbs/index.html
In an act of protest, this site presents those two much-hyped texts in hypertext form. As the webmaster points out, the books are for sale on the net, so why not post them here for free? Most of the info is pretty lousy anyway - you could learn more by watching a few Hollywood movies, and you don't hear too many people trying to shut Hollywood down. If anything, non-criminals need to be informed about the kind of things that others might attempt. Go on - make a few bombs, and blow your own head off practicing!
Sample: "It's not about what information you have, but what you do with it!"
Verdict: Check it out, while it lasts. - SS
NetWorth: ***
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