Criminal Justice
Pesky Evidence
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice on January 25th, 2010
I’ll admit to being one of the multitude of fans who have made shows like NCIS and CSI such hits. It isn’t that I don’t recognize how unrealistic they are—no publicly financed lab could afford such cutting-edge equipment even if someone invented it—but I love watching the search for hard evidence, and the characters’ willingness [...]
Continue reading...The Ethics of Private Police
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice, Local Government on October 28th, 2009
In my historic neighborhood, we are having a vigorous debate about the wisdom/propriety of paying monthly “dues” to hire off-duty police officers to conduct extra patrols. The concern is that the Indianapolis police force is stretched thin, and despite Mayor Ballard’s emphasis on public safety, not much has changed, and certainly not for the better.
I understand the problem; [...]
Duke and Prosecutorial Hazard
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice on May 3rd, 2007
The recent dismissals of all charges brought against the Duke lacrosse players—accompanied by condemnations of the prosecutor who originally brought the charges—reminded me of something said in 1940 by Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, who later presided over the
Nuremberg trials.
Jackson said “The prosecutor has more control over life, liberty and reputation than any [...]
Continue reading...It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice on April 3rd, 2007
Crime has become a high-decibel subject of conversation in
Indianapolis. From the persistent challenges posed by jail overcrowding, the recent sharp increase in homicides, and the hotly debated merger of the Indianapolis Police and Sheriff’s Departments, crime prevention has become the topic of the day. And it sometimes seems as if everyone has figured out [...]
The 4400
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice on September 10th, 2006
One of the few television shows I follow is a science-fiction thriller called “The 4400.” The premise is simple: over a period of fifty-plus years, people have inexplicably disappeared, one by one. Then—suddenly—they are all returned. They have no memory of where they have been, and most face a world that is vastly changed; new [...]
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