Criminology & Criminal Justice

Experts and people on the job share firsthand information about what their work is like. Some of the occupations discussed include local and state police officers, detectives, correctional officers, bodyguards, FBI agents, probation and parole officers, private investigators, and special government agents. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Meridian Production.

It covers such topics as criminal justice in India, China, Japan, and the Middle East; English debtors’ prisons; punishments for colonial witchcraft; the development of criminology; and modern criminal justice systems.

From freshly returning individuals struggling to rebuild their lives, to community leaders working to end the ongoing cycle of crime and violence, the stories unveiled in Returning Citizens offer proof that change is possible when the right opportunities are presented.

environmental and sociological factors that can lead to crime; and such psychological considerations as maladjustment, developmental trauma, and psychosis. It also explores patterns of victimization.

It outlines the four classic functions of incarceration (incapacitation, deterrence, retribution, and rehabilitation).

He shares the remarkable results of their work -- including more than 4,000 years of "time saved" from incarceration -- and shows how this new model could shift the landscape of power in the courts.

But over the past year, the state has been trying to shed that reputation with new reforms that decrease the prison population and save money. William Brangham went to find how it's playing out for former prisoners, in a story produced by Frank Carlson in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.

Tests and coursework involve ballistics experiments used to solve a shotgun shooting case; an introduction to blood splatter analysis at the school’s mock crime scene facility; and an ordeal that every first-year forensics school scholar, regardless of his or her personal goals and sensitivities, is required to undergo—the Death and Decomposition lecture. Viewer discretion is advised.

This program follows the progress of students in the respected Forensic Science department at the University of Central Lancashire. As part of the Forensic Anthropology course, a third-year student has to put himself in the mind-set of a murderer as he learns how to dispose of human remains. Meanwhile, first-year students knuckle down at the school’s mock crime scene facility for a practical test in fingerprinting and crime scene documentation within various simulated scenarios. Viewer discretion is advised.

This program follows crime scene studies undertaken in the renowned Forensic Science department at the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K. Viewers accompany first-year Police and Criminal Investigation students as they gather evidence from within and outside mock automobiles; attempt to solve an armed robbery of wealthy partygoers through lab analysis of blood, fabric, and glass shards; and confront several other realistic and often gory crime scenarios. Viewer discretion is advised.

This program studies the usefulness of canines and the often confusing influence of scavengers as it documents coursework at the University of Central Lancashire’s Forensic Science department. In addition to portraying the police skills of man’s best friend and the difficulty of locating victims’ remains in a forest environment, the program also looks at preparations for a mock trial. Students in the Forensic Law module must organize and present findings as if they are expert witnesses delivering scientific testimony for the prosecution. Viewer discretion is advised.

This program represents the culmination of three challenging years in the Forensic Science department at the University of Central Lancashire. But first, viewers follow a first-year student as she prepares for a genetic profiling exam and a second-year as she studies human infrastructure for an impending bone quiz. After two third-years face a final test in locating clandestine burial sites, it’s on to the commencement party—where departing students reflect on their experiences, discuss career plans, and contemplate life after Forensics School. Viewer discretion is advised.

Can a student’s locker be searched without permission? When is evidence found without a warrant admissible in court? Should a suspect—even one who is innocent—“plead the Fifth” if arrested? A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences/MotionMasters Coproduction.

The work of various forensic specialists is described, and the Hollywood version of crime scene investigation is compared to what really happens at a site and in the lab. The video also looks at a few drawbacks of digital evidence and at how fingerprinting stacks up against DNA samples—the new gold standard in crime detection. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences/MotionMasters Coproduction.

This program provides a solid grounding in the processes and players involved in the court system and takes viewers step by step through a trial and sentencing. Legal experts explain probable cause, plea bargaining, the types of witness testimony that might be challenged, and other key elements, including how juvenile offenders are dealt with. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences/MotionMasters Coproduction. Part of the series Due Process.