Posts tagged "crime"

Retailers fortify selves against crime rings’ evolving tactics

Retailers fortify selves against crime rings’ evolving tactics
Retailers counter threat of sophisticated crime rings
Read more on San Jose Mercury News

Some scenarios for Libya
Gaddafi’s opponents are trying to capture the capital, Tripoli, while Libya’s Army prevents any advancement towards his base, using more modern weaponry.
Read more on Press TV

Woman who took stranger’s children to N.C. back in Va.
NEWPORT NEWS A woman who drove to North Carolina with a stranger’s two sons was returned to Virginia today and was in custody at the Newport News City Jail. Sommer La-Ruesh Pannell, 26, of Greensboro, N.C., was charged with two counts of abduction and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, Newport News police said in a news release.
Read more on The Virginian-Pilot

CrossTalk on Corruption: World Cancer?

On this edition of Peter Lavelle’s CrossTalk, he asks his guests whether the term and concept “corruption” is being used inappropriately – after all, massive corruption exists under different names in the rich West, particularly in the US.

Duration : 0:24:25

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JUSTIN BIEBER ON XBOX!

Lolz i thought it was funny
activism, advertising, alcohol, alternative-news, ancient-history, animals, animation, anime, architecture, arts, astronomy, atheist, bizarre, blogs, books, buddhism, business, cars, cartoons, cats, celebrities, christianity, classic-rock, clothing, comedy-movies, comics, computer-graphics, computer-hardware, computers, cooking, crafts, crime, cyberculture, dogs, drawing, drugs, ecommerce, environment, fashion, fine-arts,

Duration : 0:6:59

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Dog Bite Laws in California

In California the owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place, or lawfully in a private place. The owner of the dog is liable even if the dog bites on the owner’s property. It does not matter if the owner new the dog was vicious or not. A person is considered to be lawfully upon the private property when he is on the property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of the State of California or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, and also when the person on the private property on invitation from the property owner, the invitation could be expressed or implied.

Someone breaking into a private home and bitten by a dog would not have a cause of action. If your dog rushes out and bites someone knocking on your door and bites someone that is there for the purpose of converting you to their religion or to sell you a subscription to a nonexistent magazine, then they would have a cause of action, because of implied inviation. If you happen to have a fence that is locked or just closed and with a sign advising that no one is invited implied or expressly then you are unlikely to be liable, but exceptions to this rule also apply.

Under the California law if you are bitten where you have a right to be, you automatically win on liability, and it is only a matter of proving damages. If you are bitten after ignoring a sign that says noone no invitation is made to enter my property expressly or impliedly then a different standard applies. The standard is one of negligence, was the owner’s conduct reasonable. Training an attack dog to attack any human being upon entering the property is probably not reasonable. There is also the mail man exception, the mail man has to drop off the owner’s mail and if bitten would have a lawsuit against the dog owner, regardless of whether there is a sign or not.

The best way to avoid liability if you own a dog might be to put up a sign that says, one that says there is no implied invitation to this property, keep out, all others in consideration for entering this property you assume the risk of getting bitten by a dog. It would not eliminate the risk of liability for a dog biting a human being, especially if it is at night and there is no light on the sign, but otherwise if the sign can be read, it would help minimize or eliminate the liability.

If you happen to be the victim, it is unlikely that you had fair warning and that you were bitten while breaking into someone’s home. A dog bite or dog attack is a special kind of personal injury claim. It is a type of claim that is not evaluated by a computer. The type of damages that are pursued are often for pain, suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss or earnings, reasonable and necessary medical expenses, and future medical treatment. If the dog attack while the victim was doing something illegal, it is unlikely that a lawsuit can be maintained.

A person cannot bring a lawsuit when a bite occurs if the dog is a military dog or police dog and the person bitten was annoying, harassing, or provoking the dog and the dog was defending itself. A person cannot bring a lawsuit against a military dog or police dog if the dog was assisting an employee of the agency in apprehension or holding of a suspect where the employee has reasonable suspicion of the suspect’s involvement in criminal activity. There is no real clear line as to what reasonable suspicion means. No lawsuits are permitted when the military or dog is assisting an employee of the agency in investigation of a crime or possible crime, in the execution of a warrant, and in the defense of a peace officer or another person.

If the person bitten by a military or police dog is not a party to, nor a participant in, nor suspected to be a party to or a participant in, the act or acts that prompted the use of the dog in the military or police work, is allowed to bring a lawsuit. It is not unusual for passerbys or bystanders to get bitten by a poorly trained dog.

For the police and military dog exception to apply the agency must also have adopted a written policy on the necessary and appropriate use of a dog for the type of work the dog is to do.

If a dog bites a human being, the owner of the dog is required to take steps to remove the danger of a bite from the same dog on another person.

If the dog has bitten twice, any person, the DA, or city attorney can bring an action in court t6 determine if the confinement and treatment of the dog is sufficient to keep it out of danger to other persons. The court has the power, after hearing, to order that remove the dog fro the are where it is confined, or to destroy it if necessary.

A different standard applies when the dog has been trained to fight. If the dog has been trained to fight only one bite is required for any person, the district attorney, or city attorney to bring an action in court to determine if the dog’s confinement is sufficient to keep the dog from biting another human being. The court after hearing, has the power to prevent the reoccurence of a bite, by removal of the dog from the area or destruction if necessary.

In California there are no free bites. If the dog bites a human being, there is liability for personal injury, unless there some sort of exception such as a police dog or military dog exception.

Arnold Hernandez
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-bite-laws-in-california-101437.html

Cosmetic Surgery – a World Obsessed With Youth

Aging is a thing we try to avoid in this day and age and the process is almost seen as a crime against our person. Unwillingness to age is nothing new of course, even back in 1500BC it is thought that those wanting to stay youthful would ingest the testicles of tigers, bizarre but no worse than some of the concoctions we take now in an effort to slow down the hands of time.

Many are now turning to surgery, hormone injections and detailed and exacting dietary and fitness regimes in order to stay looking youthful. Injections can include the human growth hormone; the production of which decreases as we get older and for men possibly injections of testosterone which again lessens in production as we age.

It seems people will turn to many solutions to avoid being labelled as “old” or “past it” and this becomes more of an urgency the older we get and as society becomes ever more centred on this area.

From research that was carried out to understand what helps people live to 100 years of age it seems the key is a healthy diet and plenty of exercise both physically and interestingly mentally. This would also suggest that some of the treatments we are undergoing may be doing little to help our quest. Some medication and hormone injections can of course have adverse effects and they can never be a substitute for healthy diet and lifestyle.

Some of the key cosmetic surgery procedures being used to reverse the signs of aging are; facelift surgery, lower eye bag removal and breast augmentation. For many the quest to remain youthful doesn’t start until we begin to see the signs of aging so some reversal procedures may be necessary. It is important to remember that you should compliment any surgical procedure with a healthy lifestyle to keep the results looking good for the long term.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK such as breast augmentation you should seek an accredited surgeon who is registered with BAPRAS or BAAPS to ensure this plastic surgery runs smoothly.

james wilkinson
http://www.articlesbase.com/plastic-surgeries-articles/cosmetic-surgery-a-world-obsessed-with-youth-681713.html

Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Crime

1. How are sex offenses punished?

Punishment for a sex offense can vary dramatically depending on the category of crime. A misdemeanor sex crime conviction (such as indecent exposure) might receive less than a year of jail time, a fine, community service, counseling, or even probation. A felony, on the other hand, might be punished by a long prison term (up to a life sentence). Released sex felons must register as sex offenders. Multiple convictions typically lead to increasingly greater punishments.

2. Is consent a defense?

Consent, if it can be proved, is a defense to many sex crimes. However, some people are not considered able to consent to sex under the law. For those individuals, even if they explicitly agree, their agreement is not legally valid. For example, minors, the mentally disabled, and unconscious or intoxicated people (even if they willingly became intoxicated) typically cannot provide valid consent. Statutory rape or date rape charges may result.

3. What is entrapment?

Police operations often try to capture sex offenders by posing as prostitutes, underage individuals, or other parties in an attempt to catch them while committing (or preparing to commit) a sex crime. Some sex offense defendants argue that police actions, such as the offer of sexual services, are entrapment. Entrapment means that the police induced the defendant to commit a crime he or she did not intend to commit before it was suggested by the police. However, entrapment is not a valid defense if the defendant intended to commit the crime and the police simply provided a means to do so. In prostitution cases, for instance, the offer of sexual services by a police officer is almost never held to be entrapment because the defendant is generally found to have been intending to purchase sexual services prior to interacting with the decoy officer. The elements of an entrapment defense are complicated and very sensitive to the facts of your situation. Contact an attorney immediately if you believe you were entrapped.

4. Is it statutory rape if someone lies about his or her age?

A mistake about age is not a defense to statutory rape charges, even if the underage person lied and gave consent. It is a “strict liability” offense, which makes the perpetrator responsible regardless of the surrounding circumstances.

5. What is the difference between rape and sexual assault?

Many state laws no longer use the term “rape,” replacing it with sexual abuse or sexual assault to describe prohibited acts. Traditional rape is covered by these statutes and may be designated sexual abuse in the first degree. However, most sexual assault statutes cover more types of sexual acts and apply to victims of either sex. Also, husbands can generally be charged with sexual assault of their wives, and lesser offenses, such as unwanted touching, may be included.

6. What is probable cause?

“Probable cause” is a term that refers to the belief that a person has committed a crime by legal standards. A finding of probably cause can lead to an arrest or conviction. There is not a bright-line rule establishing precisely what is probable cause. However, a finding of probable cause requires objective facts indicating a likelihood of criminal activity. A hunch or an unfounded complaint alone do not satisfy the requirement.

7. Who must register as a sex offender?

Generally, any adult or juvenile who has been convicted of certain sex offenses, which vary from state to state, who is on active supervision for a sex offense, or who has been committed as a sexually violent predator must register with the state law enforcement agency as a sex offender. The duration of the offender’s duty to register varies, based on the original offense and the risk of re-offense. In some states, sexual predators or sexually violent offenders must register for life.

The information you obtain from this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

Joseph Hawthorne
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/frequently-asked-questions-about-sexual-crime-680655.html

It’s All About People, Process, and Technology. Technology is Dead Last in the Order of Importance When it Comes to Security

The recent and explosive growth of the Internet and technology has brought many good things such as e-commerce, collaborative computing, online markets and new avenues of sharing and distributing information. But each side has its counterpart, and with the technological advances came hackers. With this dark side and the many security breaches that are associated with it, companies, governments and individuals are afraid of hackers breaking into their servers or networks, stealing valuable data, collecting passwords and intercepting financial and credit card information.

And many times this can become reality. Recently, there has been a flurry of security breaches among large organizations such as Western Union, that reported a security breach on their Web site that let loose the credit-and debit-card information for 15,700 customers. Another recent hacker case is a 16-year-old youth, who admitted hacking into military and NASA computer networks. His activities caused a three-week shutdown of NASA’s systems and a security breach of a military computer network which protects against conventional, biological, chemical and nuclear-weapon attacks. That’s just a small sampling of actual hacks. Most industry watchers agree that only a handful of security breaches are ever reported.

For a long time, most computer network crackers hacked a system for the same reason: “Because it’s there.” But that’s no longer the only reason or even the dominant one. More hackers now do it because “It’s where the money is.” In the past decade, hackers have changed from script kiddies who hacked websites and spread worms to professionals sponsored by foreign governments and organized crime. Modern hackers want more than infamy. They exploit new technologies to crack systems or hack into computer systems and hold data for ransom. Hackers today commit real crimes, sometimes for significant financial gain.

To safeguard themselves from the modern hackers, most companies and government agencies that want to uncover network and system security vulnerabilities have two choices: they can hire a team of penetration experts to scan and probe their systems and uncover their vulnerabilities, or they can wait for a malicious hacker to come by and exploit them. Unfortunately, many times it is the latter. A security analysis or penetration test, performed by a security consultant, would produce a report or security posture assessment, detailing all vulnerabilities found and the actions needed to remedy them and minimize the risk of being the victim of a successful hack attack.

The security consultant or penetration expert can be a “white hacker”, someone who uses ethical hacking to discover vulnerabilities within a network or a reformed “black hacker”, who once was an active part of the dark side and used to exploit the identified security holes. The subject of whether it is ethical to use former hackers to evaluate a network’s security is a topic that is often hotly debated – and for many reasons.

Ethical hackers or security consultants typically have very strong programming and computer networking skills and have been in the computer and networking business for several years. Their base knowledge and expertise is augmented with detailed knowledge of the hardware and software, project management skills and methodology which are necessary for the actual vulnerability testing, as well as when reporting after the test was performed. In addition to that, ethical hacking seminars, courses and certifications are being offered to IT professional to broaden their horizon and skills in these fields. But many times these hacking courses and seminars only provide a very limited insight, outdated hacking or only basic hacking techniques. Their main purpose is to educate professionals but not to create a new generation of hackers. The goal is to fill security holes, not exploit them.

A disadvantage that white hackers or security consultants have over hackers is the real world experience and the insight knowledge. There are many things that cannot be taught in a seminar or learned from a book. The most obvious advantage former hackers have, is the real world hacking experience. As each network system differs based on various network defenses and configurations, the hack approach will be unique and only someone with plenty of real world hacking experience can efficiently go from using one technique to another as required by the present situation.

Another positive aspect of hiring reformed hackers as security consultants is that staying up on the latest security exploits, vulnerabilities and countermeasures is part of their job. A good hacker has a level of security knowledge that goes far beyond that of most other IT professionals. Keeping up with the latest exploits and countermeasures is a full time job and although the IT professional has an acceptable level of security knowledge, they must focus most of their attention on the day to day responsibilities of keeping the network up and running. To make up these “deficiencies” many white hackers and security consultants rely on automated and commercial vulnerability and penetration software, that can provide needed security reports, but their functions are limited. The huge differences can be seen when comparing the results from an automated scan and a hacker assessment or professional penetration test.

But before a company makes the decision to hire a reformed hacker, one needs to evaluate the negative sides. Certainly there are several types of hackers that can be found. One kind oft them are the “gray hats” – the unpaid tinkerers who find flaws to improve security for everyone. They are the best hackers, because their passion for tinkering drives their excellence and they do not break the laws. The black hat hackers – the criminals – break the law and feel justified doing it. They are the kind of hackers who seek to increase their fame in the hacker community, while others want to prove at any cost that their targets’ security is vulnerable. Black hats wreak havoc not only by their own actions but also by drawing attention to weaknesses that they and cybercriminals can exploit. The last and worst kinds of hackers are the cybercriminals, who perpetrate the worst crimes. They are paid to use existing tools and techniques to steal confidential personal, government or industry information, and particularly financial data. Cybercriminals usually work for foreign governments, organized crime or independently.

The probably biggest negative in the decision making process is trust. Which hacker will you hire and how much can you trust them? The main premise of security is deciding who you trust and then locking out everyone else. When hiring a hacker as a security consultant, because of network’s security concerns, paradoxically the trust goes to the criminal. Not only is it the trust factor that plays a major role in the decision making process but also the impact the decision might have on customers and shareholder. How will the customers react, if they knew a former criminal was hired to test the security of a system or database that contains all personal and financial information? Someone with a questionable morale and judgment, is not someone who should have control of a corporate network with sensitive data. In most cases hackers, and that is what makes them hackers, do not appreciate or respect standard business processes and structures. A disgruntled hacker with inside knowledge of a company’s networks could create a nightmare scenario.

Hackers are like adventurers, motivated by intellectual curiosity. “The more secure you make your systems, the more you attract them. The hacker mind-set is like exploring space, except they’re exploring the network. If that essential curiosity on finding out how things work, which is what causes people to be hackers, goes away, then you don’t necessarily want that person as a hacker or security consultant. However, just because a hacker has the desire and capabilities to explore a network, does not necessarily make them prepared to build a secure network and fix identified vulnerabilities. Breaking into things, does not always mean knowing how to fix them. These are two different skill sets. Once security threats have been identified, these need to be communicated including the potential business processes affected by the vulnerability, along with a list of impact assessments and countermeasures. Besides technical knowledge, the hacker will need to have experience in business processes and management, to relay his findings to the company.

Another hey factor to consider before making a decision who to hire as a security consultant, is to know that no computer system is ever completely secure, especially when considering the human factor. Spending astronomical amounts of money pursuing total security, by hiring security consultants and eventually becoming dependent on them, is not going to help. Some corporations in some industries must guard against intrusions from tech-hungry foreign governments – in particular China, France, Israel, Japan, Germany and Russia – that converted their cold-war spy machinery into “economic espionage” units, but that does not apply to all businesses. A realistic set of goals of what to expect from a security consultant need to be set first.

But no matter what the decision is and if the company hires a professional security consultant or a reformed hacker, the real threat will be still there. Any hacker, who wants to exploit a system will always try to use the path of least resistance. This path of least resistance is often through the front door. The front to door can be “identified” as the area over which businesses may have the least control: people. People are the weakest but first link when it comes to security. With good social engineering skills and not very well trained employees, disgruntled workers and ex-employees, a hacker can get enough information to access a system, insert malicious codes that contain keystroke and network sniffers and other means to collect information. The hacker just “exchanged” his keyboard with social engineering. And this is a part of security where a highly educated security consultant or a reformed hacker will not be able to help you.

Dasha Deckwerth
http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/its-all-about-people-process-and-technology-technology-is-dead-last-in-the-order-of-importance-when-it-comes-to-security-703665.html

Travel to Indonesia – A Country of Thousands of Beautiful and Exotic Islands

Indonesia, a Country of thousands of beautiful and exotic Islands, that spark off your imagination with thoughts of fine sandy beaches, huge temple complexes, great diving and the giant dragons of Komodo. The islands of Indonesia are spread over a vast expanse of ocean and technically speaking is divided by two Continents.

Some parts of the Country can be as different from each other as black is from white. The hustle and bustle of the modern capital Jakarta is like another planet when compared to the traditional Papuan tribes of the Baliem Valley. Jakarta – Not only is it the largest City in the Country, Jakarta is also the heartbeat. Indonesian’s from all over the archipelago come to the City to try and find their fortune or just to survive. The face of the City is constantly changing due to the construction of new skyscrapers, shopping malls and hotels.

Jakarta is mainly a business and political City and not really a tourist destination, but the older colonial parts of the City are very interesting and the museums have a lot of fascinating exhibits.

Jakarta, like you would expect, is the most expensive place in Indonesia, as well as the most polluted and most congested. It can be very hard to cope with all of the hustle, dirt, crime and cost, but if you can you will find an exciting City with plenty to offer.

Kota – This is the old Town of Batavia, which was the capital of the Dutch East Indies and the best example of the colonial era in Indonesia. Though much of the old town has been destroyed or demolished over the years, some of the old Colonial buildings are still in active use, and the area has a definite Dutch feel to it.

The centre of the old Town is the pebble stone square known as Taman Fatahillah and this is the key to being able to orientate yourself around the sights of the old Town. The canal of Kali Besar is one block to the west of the square and runs alongside the Ciliwung River.

This was a very prosperous area and on the west bank are some of the high class homes that date from the eighteenth Century.

The Chicken market bridge is the last remaining drawbridge from the Dutch era, it is at the north end of the Kali Besar. Buses always come by on their routes and the city train also has a stop here.

Jakarta History Museum – This museum is housed in the old town hall of Batavia, which is on the south side of Taman Fatahillah. It is a well built building, which was originally constructed in 1627 and added to in the early 1700s. It was from here that the Dutch administered their colony, and the cities law courts were also here as well as their main prison compound.

It contains plenty of heavy, carved furniture from the colonial, as well as other memorabilia from the Dutch period. Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 1,000Rp Wayang Museum – This museum is also on the Taman Fatahillah, and has a great assortment of Wayang puppets. It also has examples of puppets from other Countries like Cambodia, China and India.

This building was formerly the museum of old Batavia and was built in 1912 on the site of the former Dutch church which was demolished in 1808 as the
Dutchman “Daendels” plan to rid the City of its unhealthy areas. In the downstairs courtyard, there are memorials to previous governors who were buried on site. Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 1,000Rp

Fine Arts Museum – Built in the 1860s, the palace of Justice building is now the Fine arts museum. It has a nice collection of contemporary paintings from prominent artists. They also have some ceramics on show from Chinese items to Majapahit offerings. Open, 9am till 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 1,000Rp

Gereja Sion – This church was built in 1695, and is the oldest Church in Jakarta. It is on Jl Pangeran Jayakarta near the Kota train station. The exterior of the Church is actually pretty plain but inside copper chandeliers, the original organ and the baroque pulpit makes it very appealing. Though thousands of people have been buried here there are very few tombs left remaining.

Sunda Kelapa – Just a 10 minute walk from the Taman Fatahillah, the old City port of Sunda Kelapa is full of wonderful Macassar schooners and the brightly coloured sails of these boats make for great viewing. The ships are still a vital means of transporting goods to outlying Islands.

Guides hang around the docks and for a few thousand rupiah will show you around and tell you some insightful stories. You can also take a ride out to the offshore fish market for around 5,000Rp. Admission, 250Rp to the dock area.

Maritime Museum – This is an old VOC warehouse that was built in 1645 and is by the entrance to the Sunda Kelapa. It has examples of Indonesian crafts from around the ages and has photos of the voyages from Europe to Jakarta. The building itself is well worth the visit and the lookout posts are part of the old City wall.

Just before the entrance to the museum proper, is the old watchtower that was built in 1839, it has brilliant views over the harbour. Opening hours are hit and miss, so try to find the caretaker.

National Museum – This museum, constructed in 1862, is considered the paramount museum in Indonesia, and one of the finest in South East Asia. It has a huge ethnic and relief maps of Indonesia on which you can track your travels. The museum has a variety of different cultural displays that show a diverse collection of clothing, instruments, model houses and religious items. In addition the museum has a fine collection of Chinese ceramics that even date back to the Han dynasty of the third Century.

The museum is sometimes known as the Elephant house due to the giant bronze elephant that was a gift from the King of Thailand, and that now stands outside. Open, 8.30am till 2.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission: 750Rp. Guides are around who can conduct tours in various different languages.

National Monument – This 130 metres high monument stands over Merdeka square and is Jakartas chief landmark. The construction was started in 1961 but was not finished until 1975, when it was officially opened by President Soeharto. At the base is the National History Museum which tells the story of the Indonesian struggle for independence. On national holidays and at the weekends the queues can be long. Open, 9am till 5pm, daily. Admission: 600Rp or 3,100Rp which includes a ride to the top.

Lapangan Banteng – Just east of Merdeka square is this nineteenth century colonial square. It has some of the best examples of Dutch colonial architecture in the whole of Jakarta. The Catholic Cathedral was built at the turn of the twentieth Century, and is opposite the principal place of worship for Jakartas Muslim community, the Istiqlal Mosque. To the east of the square is the Supreme Court that was built, along with the Ministry of finance, in 1809 by that man “Daendel” to replace those buildings torn down.

Martin Kleis
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/travel-to-indonesia-a-country-of-thousands-of-beautiful-and-exotic-islands-72013.html

Police Search And Seizure – How Does It Help The Society?

Search and Seizure procedure is a well known phenomenon in the police department. This procedure is absolutely legal and it allows any official from the law enforcement department to conduct a search on one’s individual property in suspicions of any kind of criminal activity or for any crime committed by an individual. There are several rules to be followed when carrying out a search and seizure procedure. Unauthorized search and seizure cannot be carried out by any police official, and it is condemned. Everyone has his right to claim his privacy and can question when it is invaded. Anyone whose property is going to be checked can actually claim a warrant, in which case, a warrant must be submitted before the raid is conducted.

The United States Constitution has put the search and seizure procedure in the fourth amendment act. The violation of the fourth amendment act is pretty common in the society. This act gives the assurance that the any citizen can claim security against the whole idea of seizure. There must be a very valid reason for the search warrant to be issued by the judge in the court. The warrants are not always issued when there is a lack of evidence in the case. Fourth amendment is a weird rule with certain requirements that have to be brought in when the court deals with the search and seizure procedure.

If a search warrant was issued, and if there is a valid reason behind it, there are certain things that can question the fidelity of the warrant. And it’s the duty to assure the individual that a proper procedure has been carried over to get the consent of the concerned authorities to carry the search out. In case there is no warrant, a search can be conducted with the consent of the person whose place is being raided. There are no points to state that a search is voluntary. The court decides if the case given is valid or not after lookin into the situation. The law enforcement people don’t have the necessity to inform the concerned person about the search. In case there is another party involved, who is the owner of the property, then, they have all the right to give a permission to search the house without the present tenant’s permission. The search and seizure procedure was institued in such a way that the government has the maximum hold over the rule, anyone who is suspected can be searched without prior information, all that is required is a proper notice to the concerned authorities as to why the procedure is going to be carried out on that particular individual.

The whole idea behind this search and seizure procedure is to ensure that the community is protected from all sorts of wrong happenings. It is true that ones privacy needs to be respected, and nobody wants to go home with a feeling that his rights have been overstepped, but, this is seen in a more wider perspective as a society, and not as an individual. This is the reason for which the fourth amendment was coined. It is always wise for you to keep yourself aware about all the rights that you have and what can be done to protect it. The best idea to protect yourself from all these hassles is to be a citizen who abides by the law, so that you will stay out of trouble.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-security-articles/police-search-and-seizure-how-does-it-help-the-society-753970.html

When Taking the Police Test Why Do Some Police Candidates Have an Unfair Advantage?

Copyright (c) 2008 Don Cirillo

Why do friends and relatives of police officers do well on police judgment/situation questions and have an unfair advantage? Although it’s a federal mandate that you’re not required to know police procedures when taking law enforcement entrance exams, many test makers conclude that police procedures are just common sense. They’re usually included in the test in some form. The reason: they measure two very important traits needed for police work: JUDGMENT and COMMON SENSE.

But here’s THE DILEMMA: to really do well on these judgment questions you need more than just common sense. The reason police friends and relatives do well, is that they’re familiar with police language and police thinking. This gives them a DECISIVE EDGE when they choose answers to these questions.

Ideally, you shouldn’t need to know police procedures and policies or the law; you should just be able to interpret them. Realistically, if you know the basic philosophies of police procedures before taking the test, answering the questions becomes much easier.

To Answer Police Situational Questions You Must Think Like a Police Officer

If you had a friend or relative who was on the police force they could help you THINK LIKE a police officer and give YOU an edge when answering police situational questions.

In this article I will give you some important tips and strategies on how to handle difficult police situation questions. The goal is to help you THINK LIKE a police officer. It will not only give you an edge for the written test, but also will help you with the ORAL INTERVIEW.

On the test you’ll be given police procedures and asked to apply them to situations. You’ll be tested on your ability to remember information, analyze data and apply it using common sense, good judgment and the ability to solve problems.

Most police procedure questions ask: What would YOU do if Assume you’re a police officer. How would you respond? The questions are based on ACTUAL POLICE SITUATIONS.

For instance: What would you do if you saw a man walking down the street dressed only in a baseball hat, (naked) carrying a baseball bat? Arrest him? On what charge? What would you do?

The first thing you should do is to ask questions and try to determine what happened. He may be a victim of a crime. Don’t jump to conclusions.

TIP: Do the most important things first! It’s IMPORTANT TO PRIORITIZE your response to the situation. It’s also important to familiarize yourself with the role of a police officer in the particular police department you hope to join. Each department has a definite set of priorities that govern a cop’s decision-making process.

Here are some important factors you should know when answering police judgment questions.

1. Protect the welfare of citizens, victims, and fellow officers. ALWAYS tend to and assist anyone who is in danger, injured, wounded or in the line of fire, etc. Help anyone in danger. Repeat, your most important job is to always assist and protect endangered people FIRST. This includes victims of crimes, injured persons, physically endangered persons and potential victims.

2. Secure public order. Keep the peace against acts of aggression, riots, armed suspects and destruction of property.

3. Uphold the laws. Arrest those who violate the laws, protect crime scenes and preserve evidence. Enforce laws, investigate violations of law and make arrests when necessary.

4. Help those needing assistance. This duty focuses on people not in immediate danger, such as non-injured victims of crimes, the mentally ill, the homeless, neglected children and lost or stranded persons.

5. Maintain order on your beat. Check your beat for suspects and suspicious activity. Investigate suspicious persons, potential hazards, etc. Know your beat by becoming familiar with the physical structure, the streets, the buildings and the people, especially the criminal element.

6. Maintain proper flow of traffic. Make sure damaged traffic signs and lights are repaired. Make sure proper direction of traffic is conducted with the use of traffic cones and traffic officers until repairs are made.

Based on using the police priority factor, what do you do in the following situation?

You are a police officer is working a security guard detail at the state fair. Which of the following situations do you handle first?

1. There is a crowd forming around two unarmed teenagers arguing.
2. A dumpster sitting next to the main tent pavilion is on fire.
3. The Ferris wheel is stuck in midair with people still on it.
4. A man, who is obviously drunk, has passed out and is lying by the ticket booth.

The correct answer is 2: The dumpster on fire should be dealt with first. It is sitting next to the main tent pavilion and is possibly a danger to many people.

The Value of Police Hierarchy The police officer’s job is extremely hard at times. He/she is expected to make quick decisions in situations involving conflicting values.

For instance:

It may be necessary to choose between allowing dangerous criminals escape or risking serious injury to a hostage.

Some departments set clear parameters for many of these types of situations. But, because of all the unforeseen situations officers face on a daily basis, these parameters cannot cover every possible type of situation.

That is why law enforcement agencies test your practical judgment and common sense so intensely. It’s also why it is SO IMPORTANT you know the priority list used by police agencies before you take your test. YOU MUST KNOW what they consider the order of importance to successfully answer police situational questions. The Police Hierarchy List You’ll notice Police Hierarchy is similar to the Police Priority list but they’re not the same.

While Police Priority is concerned with order of importance, Police Hierarchy deals with rank and authority. LEARN THEM BOTH if you want to do well on police situation questions. Plus, it will go a long way in helping you make good decisions when you become a law enforcement officer. Here is the most commonly used Police Hierarchy:

1. PROTECTING LIFE AND LIMB IS #1. Always take action first on those things that pose a threat to someone’s safety and tend to injured people: performing first aid, calling for an ambulance, etc.

2. Obeying orders in emergency situations is the #2 priority.

Obeying orders should be done at all times. The only exception is when the order interferes with the protection of life and limb or violates the law.

3. Protecting property.

4. Obeying orders in non-emergency situations.

5. Maintaining your assigned duties.

6. Being efficient in getting the job done.

7. Avoiding the blame i.e. earning praise and respect.

Using Police Hierarchy and Common-Sense

Situation: You are assigned to a particular area during an emergency situation and ordered by your supervisor to stay at this location. But, by leaving this location, you can help a severely injured person and possibly save that person’s life.

What do you do? You are justified in choosing to leave your assigned area to help the injured person, even though you are disobeying the supervisors order — provided that leaving your assigned area will not result in other lives being put in danger or lost.

Always remember protection of life is the #1 priority.

By thinking about the Police Hierarchy and Police Priorities it will help you “Think Like a Police Officer” and make answering police situational questions much easier.

Summary

When answering Police Judgment Questions read carefully but don’t read anything into the situation. Think like a COP. Think about the police priority list. Keep in mind things like “safety first” and using the least amount of force to get the job done. And always USE COMMON SENSE.

Don Cirillo
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/when-taking-the-police-test-why-do-some-police-candidates-have-an-unfair-advantage-688939.html