Southport attacks: what we know about knife crime in the UK and how to solve it: The knife attack on a dance class of children in Southport has left the country horrified. We do not yet know much about what happened, but a male aged 17 has been charged with the murder of three girls …
We’re finally starting to understand the active role women play in organised crime groups: I met Caroline, a shy and pretty teenager who should be full of life and yet is not, in the course of my research. She explains to me how, as a 14-year-old, she became trapped in a cycle of violence when …
South Africa’s police are losing the war on crime – here’s how they need to rethink their approach: South Africa’s crime statistics for the third quarter of 2023 show that people continue to face a serious problem of violent crime, especially murder and attempted murder. The country’s per capita murder rate for 2022/23 was the …
Palestine protest arrests: why even police are confused about hate crime law: Though it’s happening thousands of miles away, the Israel-Gaza conflict has aggravated tensions in the UK. In London, authorities have recorded a 1,353% increase in antisemitic offences and a 140% increase in anti-Muslim offences during October compared to last year. In this emotionally …
Holly by Stephen King: a timely work of crime fiction about not judging a book but its cover: At the age of 76, with nearly 70 novels and short story collections behind him, American author Stephen King shows few signs of slowing down. His latest novel Holly, hefty in scale and elaborate in plotting, is …
Shop theft has been building for years – here’s how to tackle retail crime and keep workers safe: Retailers want police to respond more to shop theft reports. Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock Retail giants like Boots, Tesco and Primark are pushing for Home Office action after violent incidents and abuse against shop staff almost doubled since …
Albania: how one of the most corrupt countries in Europe is tackling crime at the highest level: Albania may be struggling with high levels of corruption at all levels of society, but the country is taking a new approach to tackling this crime with the introduction of a special anti-corruption body, known as Spak. Spak …
When mafia threatens democracy: research shows ordinary people are less honest in countries hit by organised crime: Organised crime casts a long shadow, driving violence and an illicit economy. But our research has uncovered some more subtle dimensions to its influence, too. We’ve found that organised crime can undermine the civic honesty of ordinary, law …
The melting Arctic is a crime scene. The microbes I study have long warned us of this catastrophe – but they are also driving it: The Arctic’s climate is warming at least four times faster than the global average, causing irrevocable changes to this vast landscape and precarious ecosystem – from the anticipated extinction of …
US gun crime: why tourists are being warned to avoid and beware: The year 2023 is on track to be the worst in recent history for mass shootings in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive database. Some commentators are questioning whether security fears surrounding gun violence and mass shootings could keep international fans …
Waste crime: how online advertising platforms are facilitating illegal dumping: Maksim Safaniuk The new BBC podcast, Buried, by investigative journalists Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, is a compelling look at how criminals are infiltrating the UK waste disposal system. It opens with a tape recording by a trucker, on his deathbed. He tells the story …
Link between crime and politics in South Africa raises concerns about criminal gangs taking over: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa receives reports of the of the state capture commission from Justice Raymond Zondo. The reports found exposed massive state corruption involving private individuals and companies. GCIS A report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised …
Levelling up: how UK freeports risk harbouring international crime: SciPhi.tv A significant element of the UK government’s levelling up plan to create thousands of jobs, regenerate more deprived areas and attract overseas investors is the introduction of freeports. These special low-tax trading zones allow all kinds of businesses to trade. Under the UK model, freeports …
Modern mafia: Italy’s organised crime machine has changed beyond recognition in 30 years: The arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, one of Sicily’s most infamous mafia bosses, has reminded many Italians of the extreme violence he was associated with when operating as a leading figure of Cosa Nostra. Denaro appears to belong to another time – …
Crime is lower when cities are greener: evidence from South Africa supports the link: Investment in public parks can help reduce crime. Peter Titmuss/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. South Africa’s population is urbanising at a rapid pace. The sheer rate of change poses challenges to planning for sustainable and liveable cities. Part of …
Crime, COVID and climate change – South African tourism faces many threats, but it’s resilient: A family of African elephants walk through the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. EPA-EFE/Jon Hrusa South Africa’s tourism industry has been rocked by the murder of a German visitor during an attempted robbery. The development …
COVID lockdowns in Nigeria brought the fear of crime closer to home. What communities did next: The 2020 COVID lockdown witnessed an upsurge in crime in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images The COVID pandemic changed people’s lives in many ways. For instance, lockdowns and curfews drove people from their cities’ streets and …
Liverpool shooting shows the devastating impact of gang violence and organised crime on communities: August 22 marked the 15th anniversary of the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in the Liverpool suburb of Croxteth. In the same week, the people of Liverpool again witnessed the merciless killing of an innocent child, gunned down in her own …