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Physics Ties Gunshot Residue to Cartridges

New technology pins criminals to gun crimes.> It is getting more difficult for criminals to get away with breaking the law. If a gun is used it is now possible to match the gunshot residue to specific bullet cartridges. A criminal will probably keep some unused cartridges at his/her home. The shooter will have residue on this body and the gun anyway. Each batch of bullets has a different chemical makeup. Differing amounts of glass fragments is the main difference. Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) provide extremely detailed analysis of gunshot residue. When a gun is fired, residue to splattered everywhere, on the shooter, the victim and in the wound itself. There is no way of destroying the evidence. Residue can be matched with bullets at a certainty of 99 per cent. It is possible that some innocent people jailed for crimes will be shown to be not guilty with the used of the new techn

People do Not Change

There is a fundamental truth about human beings that many people ignore and will not accept - people do not change and cannot be changed. Yes, they can alter their behavior for a while like when prisoners are trying to be released from jail early, but as soon as they get out they commit similar crimes again. Time off for good behavior is a ruse used by prisoners and they all know it. Indeed, those making release decisions also know this. While being refused freedom criminals dream of being free so they can live their lives as they did before they were incarcerated. Many are making plans for when they get out that involve theft and revenge. Like pedophiles who show no remorse and offend again and again. They cannot help themselves. There extreme behavior seems normal to them. They even justify it by continually lying and claiming innocence. Publicly funded psychological treatment is a waste. Years ago criminals were locked up to get them out of the way and off

Queensland Anti-Bikie Laws are Challenged

The Premier of Queensland, Campbell Newman, is carrying out a "pet" policy that appears to be solely his own. Remember, John Howard and Kevin Rudd were shown the door by voters for pushing out pet policies, ignoring advice from cabinet. Campbell Newman thinks voters will thank him at the next state poll for clamping down on the freedom of bikies. Under the new rules police are hounding bikes out of the state. This is forcing police in those states to take action as well. It is certainly contagious. Freedom of association has clearly been limited and the laws don't make any sense. If each of two brothers belong to two different bikie clubs they cannot associate socially. This is a restriction of human rights. The government is interfering in the freedom of the judicial system. Judges have criticized the new laws. Severe language is used in the legislation. An Offence are named "Vicious Lawless Association". Furthermore, a "defendant"

Changes to Treatment of Young Offenders

The Queensland state government is making drastic changes to the way young people who commit crimes are treated. Young offenders are to be named and shamed. Those punished by being sent to institutions will be transferred to adult prisons when they reach the age of eighteen. Many of the "young criminals" are victims of crime themselves. Difficult home life has pushed them into crime. Naming them would make their lives intolerable. The government decision has been made on just one survey. It seems the decision was made before the survey began. Young people are not mature adults. They are growing and learning. Judging them at such a stage in their lives is marking them as bad citizens for life. Other changes include making fixed penalties for some crimes committed by adults. Judges will not have the discretion to modify the sentences according to prevailing circumstances. A change that just about everyone agrees on is courts knowing the case histories of adult defen

What Are We to Do With Psychopaths If It Is Genetic?

Not all psychopaths are locked up in prison for committing crimes. Many are still out there in the community. Often one comes across a person who seems strange and does not respond to normal social cues. Psychopaths have no empathy with others, so one does nothing and can do nothing until a crime is committed. The "disease" is now thought to be genetic. Psychopaths will soon be able to be identified by a DNA test. It is possible that in the future all criminals will be tested. What to do with them after they are identified will be a major problem for society. Are they to be locked up for a longer time, or will they go to an institution where they will be given medication and psychiatric treatment? It could be some time before medical knowledge reaches the point where the "bad" genes can be silenced or eliminated. Furthermore, having some psychopaths in society may be an evolutionary imperative. Most of these people do not know if another person is angry o