There are probably hundreds of police blogs out there. Too much chaff and not enough wheat. The only police blog I actually read is Pepper Spray Me. Each post is interesting and it’s all very well written and professionally presented. I hope and assume a book is on the way. Remember the equation: police book = movie-rights staring Denzel Washington…
Month: June 2009
C.I. vs. Criminal Bribery: Ethics
In answer to the comment section on the ethics of not helping law enforcement, my friend writes: 1. We expect that a customer has the same right to privacy that he enjoys in his home. It’s that simple. Plus, heck from a transaction perspective… it is the same as renting an apt or an office. 2. We actually do screen…
Testifying Crime Lab Techs
In the Supreme Court round up, I’m happy that 13-year-olds can’t be forced to strip for suspicion of carrying ibuprofen. Clarence Thomas once again comes out as the dufus court jester in the 8-1 decision: “Preservation of order, discipline and safety in public schools is simply not the domain of the Constitution.” No, Sir. But strip searches are. What is…
Right-Wing Talk Radio
I want to listen to right-wing radio more. To hear what you guys are saying. But it’s hard. Public radio isbetter. And doesn’t have all those damn commercials. I don’t mind listening to people I disagree with. Actually I love it. It’s boring to preach to the choir. Give me a William Buckley or a Milt Rosenberg or an Andrew…
C.I. Payments vs. Criminal Bribery [continued]
I’ve still very curious about all this and your comments make it all the more interesting. Here’s the law again: BRIBERY NOT INVOLVING PUBLIC SERVANTS S 180.00 Commercial bribing in the second degree. A person is guilty of commercial bribing in the second degree when he confers, or offers or agrees to confer, any benefit upon any employee, agent or…
Not so fine a line after all
Looks like the line between paying a C.I. and criminal bribery isn’t so fine after all. Thanks to Marc S. for commenting on this post and informing me that what the DEA agent did is in fact a crime. It’s called commercial bribing in the second degree and in New York State it’s a class A misdemeanor. Had the $1,000…
God’s Middle Finger
One of the nice thing about school being out and traveling a bit is it gives me more time to read books for fun. My favorite genre is probably the travelogue. Mark Twain, P.J. O’Rourke, Paul Theroux? I love them all. And I’ll even define travelogue broadly to include historical fiction, like my favorite books by Louis de Bernières. Even…
The fine line between confidential informant and bribe
A friend of mine, who only wants to be broadly identified as being in a form of “real estate business” in New York City, routinely complains to me about police trying, without a search warrant, to bully and threaten his employees in order to gain access to clients’ private property or information on someone or something. My friend is more…
The state of sociology
I’m sure that just like me, you all are browsing the latest issue of Sociological Forum, the quarterly publication of the Eastern Sociological Society. Hmmm, here’s an article called “Anomie Among European Adolescents: Conceptual and Empirical Clarification of a Multilevel Sociological Concept.” The “results lend strong support to the theoretical construct of anomie as exteriority and constraint.” O-kay… I’ll think…
Police Corruption
Maurice Punch has written another excellent book on policing: Police Corruption: deviance, accountability and reform in policing. More than anybody else, Maurice Punch inspired my policing career (well, maybe Punch and John Van Maanen share top prize). Punch’s wonderful and classic study of the Amsterdam Police, Policing the Inner City inspired me into the whole police business, especially my research…