As I See It: Guns, drugs and death in America – Pine and Lakes Echo Journal

For any law that prohibits or inhibits previously accepted or allowed behavior to be effective, it must be logical, proportional, enforceable and actually enforced.

If it meets those criteria, it has a good chance of being accepted by most of the populace. If it fails to meet one or more of those criteria, it will prove to be ineffective.

But the political forces behind the ineffective laws will congratulate themselves and eventually try again without learning the lessons of past failures. The history of gun control laws in the United States pretty much demonstrates that fact.

The only certain way to eliminate these crimes is to totally prohibit private ownership of guns and we know that is unachievable in our country.

If much stricter gun control laws would drastically reduce the tragedy of individual and mass shootings in the United States, I would most certainly support them.

But they will not, because the real problems that result in death resulting from firearms are deeply rooted in our culture.

While were looking for all things like systemic racism, we might want to notice the systemic anger and hatred permeating our fellow men and women.

Pour into this all the recent societal disruption of abortion, national elections, COVID-19, woke, gender versus sexual identity and others, and some measure of chaos is unavoidable.

The following statistics are from different years, but they are close enough for effective comparison. In 2020, gun deaths totaled 45,222; 54% were suicides and 47% were murders. The remaining 3% were the result of law enforcement actions or undetermined.

The real headline getter is now mass shootings. Im not saying they shouldnt be reported, but they shouldnt be goryfied or glorified to the point that another disturbed individual decides he, she, him or her wants their name in lights with a higher body count.

Drugs play their own part in gun deaths.

We seek to convince ourselves that illegal drugs are victimless crimes that should not be prosecuted; besides, those laws are difficult to enforce.

Deaths from drug overdoses are now close to 100,000 per year an estimated 1 million have died from drug overdoses since 1999.

It doesnt seem to matter to us that much of the illegal drug trade involves child labor, coercion of native populations, political and law enforcement corruption that puts Al Capone to shame, turf wars that kill more Blacks than any other races and perhaps as many innocent bystanders as guilty drug runners and dealers.

Meanwhile, from the fentanyl labs in China, to the poppy fields of Afghanistan, and on to the coca plantations of South America, and within our own harmless marijuana fields and farms the producers produce and peddle their mind-altering wares, adding other dangerous substances to get you higher and higher before you spin, crash and burn in an ash heap of another wasted human life!

Is this the freedom you aspire to live?

The grand prize for death will always go to abortion! In the United States alone in 2019, 630,000 children were aborted. They are not something less than human, they are real human beings.

I will never stop writing and speaking about the evils of abortion simply because it is truly evil.

After Satan enticed Eve to take a bite of the apple and she convinced Adam to do the same, radical feminist philosophers have moved way beyond that to convince others that their body matters more than any other on the face of the planet even more than the child growing within her that will leave a part of himself or herself inside her until death.

What is it inside of us that convinces most of us that we are somehow better, more righteous, more worthy, more deserving, more anything than any other person on the planet?

These feelings of superiority lead to discrimination, racism, anger, hatred, envy and other forms of pure evil.

Show me the politicians, political parties or anyone in power who is actually working to change the culture to eliminate these evils.

Seems like the few who are trying to help are drowned out in the cacophony of resistance from all those who profit from evil.

Thats the way I see it.

Echo Journal Columnist / Pete Abler

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As I See It: Guns, drugs and death in America - Pine and Lakes Echo Journal

Glamourizing fraudsters hurts victims of fraud, and society – tripwire.com

We seem to be fascinated by fraudsters, and recent documentaries prove this. The documentary landscape is populated with many fraud-centered stories, such as The Tinder Swindler, Fyre, The Con, Fake Heiress, The Inventor, and many others. Some have even been made into series, such as the story of Elisabeth Holmes in The Dropout, and the story of Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna. We just cant get enough of it, and who can blame us? These stories are fascinating, entertaining, and engaging. We want to know how these fraudsters achieved their deceptive goals, and how they managed to fool so many people. And whilst part of this fascination may be down to consuming knowledge and wanting to know what to avoid, should such situations happen to us, there are parts that are deeply worrying. Some fraudsters have started to get our admiration and sympathy, while their victims received the blame for the victimization.

I recently watched Inventing Anna, a Netflix series about the frauds committed by Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, who stole large sums of money from various people and establishments. Whilst it is debatable to what degree Netflix followed and depicted the actual events, what alarmed me was their depiction of one of Annas victims, who is currently suing Netflix for this very reason. The series glamourized Annas fraudulent endeavors and depicted her as clever, interesting, and mysterious; someone who we wanted to figure out and understand. At the same time, one of the victims was painted as greedy, and blamed for selling their story and profiting from the experience.

Victims of fraud already suffer unfair treatment by the society and the authorities. They are often seen as gullible, stupid, and greedy. This paints fraud, which is a terrible and often cunning crime, as a victimless crime. Since there are no visible injuries, people assume that the victim emerges unscathed, but this is wrong. Fraud victims experience a lot of pain and anguish, often suffering long-term consequences as well. Apart from the financial loss, which can cause terrible financial troubles for the victim, e.g., financial hardship, homelessness, bad credit etc., there are unseen, psychological consequences caused by deception. These include self-blame, long-lasting anger, disappointment, and loss of trust in society and fellow humans. Deception erodes innocence and trust and lowers ones empathy towards people. Once you are scammed, you will never see the world the same way. Victims suffer from hypervigilance, cynicism, and mistrust, avoiding certain activities they associate with victimization and closing themselves off as a way of protection. And on top of that, they have to deal with being seen as gullible or greedy by society. Whilst victims of other crimes have our sympathy, this is a luxury many fraud victims dont get. Therefore, many fraud victims keep the victimization a secret.

What people dont understand is that deception fraudsters use is extremely harmful. Anna created a persona to prime her victims for fraud. This was also the Tinder Swindlers modus operandi. Money taken from people is used to create a wealthy and generous persona, so that the con can continue, and victims dont suspect anything when they are asked for money. Essentially, this is akin to a pyramid scheme, only the money is invested in building a persona.

Generosity extended to potential victims during fraud is not generosity or friendship, it is a type of grooming. And moreover, it is grooming with money gained by defrauding other people. In this grooming stage, fraudsters do favors for their victims or buy them elaborate gifts. But make no mistake, rather than being generous, they are using a specific persuasion technique to gain power over the victim. This not only builds trust, but also establishes expectations.

The false generosity and unsolicited gifts are how fraudsters slowly groom the intended victim to feel obliged to return the favor at some point. This is why we often feel uncomfortable when someone gives us something for free. Reciprocity is a social norm which is ingrained in us. Subconsciously we know that we need to reciprocate favors, because this is what decent people do. Those that dont are seen as selfish and self-centered, and most people will reciprocate even when they dont want to, in order to avoid cognitive dissonance, e.g., being seen as selfish.

Scammers know this and use this persuasive psychological technique all the time, with much success. Typically, the longer they groom the victim and more money they invest in grooming and creating a persona, e.g., expensive clothes, expensive vehicles, expensive things etc., the bigger the payout is. But many people dont understand that this is not true generosity, it is an elaborate scamming technique.

Thus, blaming the victim for accepting fraudsters generosity is wrong. The victim was sold a believable lie. That is their only weakness. The gifts, and the false generosity are a part of a grooming stage. People that defraud others are not friends, they are criminals who use psychological manipulation. We can be fascinated by their techniques, even learn to avoid them, but fraudsters should not get our sympathy at the expense of their victims.

Despite suffering psychological and financial consequences, fraud victims get little justice or attention after reporting the crime. Many are passed between agencies. Almost all crimes can be reported to police, but in most cases, fraud isnt one of them. Finding the right avenue to report specific fraud to can be frustrating and confusing. Often, reporting fraud is handled by specific reporting agencies, such as Action Fraud in the UK, and State Consumer Protection Office or the Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. After making the report, many fraud victims reach a dead end. There are usually no updates on the case, no information on whether any investigation will take place, no dedicated detective you can reach to find out how the case is going. Nothing but silence. This can be disheartening, especially as reporting is already low due to feelings of shame. Additionally, some of these agencies have received bad reputations for their unfair and cruel treatment of fraud victims.

Fraud is also rarely prosecuted. Only about 3% of all U.S. federal prosecutions are for white collar crimes. And when it is prosecuted, fraudsters typically get paltry sentences. For example, Anna Delvey was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison but was released after two years. This must be especially hurtful to the victims and businesses she defrauded, because she showed little remorse or guilt for her actions. In fact, Anna even stated that she doesnt see anything wrong with what she has done; she doesnt see it as a crime. Similarly, Tinder Swindlers 15 month sentence was already lenient, but he ended up serving only 5 months for allegedly defrauding many women, totaling as much as $10 million.

Fraud can be difficult and complex to prosecute. It often crosses borders, so jurisdiction can be difficult to establish. For example, fraudsters commit fraud in several countries or from another country, which adds to the complexity of the crime. But low prosecution rates are also down to the fact that as a society, we see fraud as a victimless crime, especially when it happens to private individuals. But it is not. Many research studies, mine included (Dove 2018, Button, Lewis, and Tapley, 2014, Button, and Cross, 2017), outlined harmful effects of fraud, some of which included suicide, financial ruin, and severe psychological consequences, including impact to self-esteem. These consequences can be harder to recover from, than physical injuries, especially when victims are made to feel shame and are criticized when they speak up.

Speaking about fraud victimization is vital. It helps to warn people of fraudulent schemes and manipulations and gives fraud victims that speak up about their experience a voice, and a little bit of their power back. But how we speak about fraud victimization matters. Glamourizing clever fraudsters normalizes fraud and makes it appear somewhat acceptable; criticizing victims does too. Fraud is a crime. But despite being found guilty of a serious crime, Annas lawyer said she is seen as a role model by many people, and he is probably right. But should we praise and look up to people who deceive and defraud others, and falsify documents to procure loans and overdrafts. After all, this hurts us all in the end. As a result, procedures become more arduous and complicated, people become more cynical and bitter, affecting how we trust and cooperate with each other. This may affect and limit future opportunities and growth.

When we sympathize with fraudsters, we are saying that some types of crimes are acceptable as long as the criminal is charismatic, well dressed, or smart. When we criticize fraud victims for falling for a scam or for speaking out, we are saying that some people deserve to be defrauded and that they should accept their fate. But ask yourself why do you feel this way? If a charming and mysterious fraudster stole your parents life savings, would you still feel they deserved it for not being more vigilant or more careful? What about if the same fraudster befriended them, gave them gifts, took them out for dinners and then stole their pension? Would that make it OK? Would you blame your parents for accepting gifts and friendship or would you see them as victims of a conman that was good at deception and manipulation? Sometimes, fraud needs to strike close to home for us to realize that it is a dirty game, full of tricks and psychological manipulations.

The way we think about fraud and the way we punish fraud matters. An insensitive society, and paltry prison sentences ensures that fraud is seen as relatively risk-free and less morally wrong than other types of crimes, helping it flourish. Fraud is not a victimless crime. Its also not a crime that affects only direct victims. We all pay for fraud through higher interest and insurance rates, or higher prices for goods and services. Therefore, instead of blaming victims of fraud and focusing on their behavior, we should be shaming fraudsters.

Editors Note:The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire, Inc.

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House Republicans Target Bragg, NYC ‘Crime Wave’ in Field Trip to … – The New York Sun

House Republicans holding a field hearing Monday in downtown Manhattan on crime in New York City are expected to wade into the debate over bail and criminal justice reform measures at the state level that some in law enforcement say are making the job of policing the city harder instead of easier.

After President Trump was indicted last month by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, the House Judiciary Committee announced that it would hold the hearing to examine Mr. Braggs track record in keeping criminals off the streets as he targets Mr. Trump. The committee is headed by an Ohio Republican, James Comer, who is one of Mr. Trumps most vociferous supporters on Capitol Hill.

In an appearance on MSNBCs The Sunday Show, the New York police commissioner, Keechant Sewell, said that violent crime is actually down in the city, but the perception remains that it is less safe now than it was only a couple years ago. He said bail reform measures that make it harder to keep people incarcerated championed by Democrats in New Yorks capital, Albany, are complicating the job of policing the city.

There are a limited number of people in this city that continue to commit a disproportionate number of crimes, Ms. Sewell said. I have said over and over again that judges should have the ability to determine whether someone is a public safety threat, when they determine whether they should remand, set bail, or release.

I think those [bail] reforms were well-meaning, but there are people taking advantage of those reforms, and its causing detriment to our city, the commissioner added.

Ms. Sewells comments come the same day that the New York Times reported that a substantial number of shoplifting arrests in the city in 2022 involved a small number of repeat offenders. A study by the police department found that only 327 people were responsible for nearly a third of all shoplifting arrests last year. Collectively, those 327 people were arrested more than 6,000 times during the year and released to reoffend almost immediately.

Despite the decline in violent crime, petty theft rates in New York have been skyrocketing in recent years. Complaints have nearly doubled over the past five years, peaking at 64,000 last year. Only about 34 percent resulted in arrests, about half of the rate of arrests only five years ago. Under New York law, shoplifting less than $1,000 of merchandise is considered a misdemeanor.

Criminal justice reform advocates argue that shoplifting is a victimless crime borne out of necessity by people either struggling financially or trying to feed an addiction. Police, though, say the crime increasingly is being carried out by organized criminal gangs and repeat offenders, most of whom escape jail time under new bail laws in the state.

The Times reported that these smash and grab gangs that often break windows and grab expensive items in display windows disproportionately targeted specific stores last year. Seven chain pharmacies and 18 department stores accounted for about 20 percent of all shoplifting complaints.

Small retailers in the city are also scared, the Times reports, and are often powerless to stop the shoplifting. One of the witnesses expected to testify at Mondays judiciary committee hearing is bodega owner Jose Alba, who was charged by Mr. Bragg with murder after he stabbed an assailant who assaulted him in his store last year.

Mr. Alba spend several days at New Yorks infamous Rikers Island jail when he was unable to come up with the $250,000 bail demanded by Mr. Braggs office. Following public pressure in the case, the charges were dropped.

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House Republicans Target Bragg, NYC 'Crime Wave' in Field Trip to ... - The New York Sun

Stolen Irish Identities On Sale For 25 On The Dark Web – Extra.ie

Irish identities are being stolen and sold online for 25, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.

Major data breaches have resulted in a significant number of Irish customers bank login details, passwords, PPS numbers and addresses being packaged together and the information sold on the dark web.

The package, which is referred to as a fullz in criminal slang, contains a persons real name, address, and form of ID. Credit card numbers, copies of passports and drivers licences are also on sale.

Niamh Davenport, from the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI), said: You can buy credit card details on there for something like 10 pounds or euro. Now, that card might not work but some people think its worth the risk. Theres a cost-of-living crisis. Someone might be using that card for relatively small amounts, maybe something like going to going to Tesco and putting food on the table.

People think this is a victimless crime and that the person whose money you are taking will get it back from the bank but that is not always the case.

The availability of data on the dark web is really brazen. Weve seen all sorts but people dont really know who theyre giving that money to.

Ms Davenport also explained that the use of money mules people who allow their accounts to be used to move illegally obtained money between bank accounts has also become a huge problem.

She said: Younger people especially dont really see the problem with it. They think its a few bob in their pockets. But they can be helping drug dealers or even human traffickers.

Sources told the Irish Daily Mail that officers attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) are aware of the trade in identities and are actively investigating.

However, probes into these crimes can prove difficult. Often many people do not make an official statement to garda if they have been scammed following their data being used and others dont even know they had been targeted.

Those advertising the details for sale are charging relatively small sums of money for the information. However, this is due to risk and rewards factors associated with the illegal sale of documents and details such as credit cards.

A security source with knowledge of the investigative practices explained why people place these details online instead of using them for their own personal gain.

He said: Most people posting credit card details online are not just taking one persons details and putting them online.

The vast majority of people have a massive amount of information that has been scraped from data breaches. So, while you can put something up for 25, this seller will be advertising hundreds if not thousands of these. They also minimise the risk of not being caught as they deal solely in cryptocurrency which is notoriously difficult to track.

The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) liaises with the GNECB and regularly sends bulletins regarding people who they suspect are involved in some form of fraud.

Many of the scammers are also hard to nail down as they use cryptocurrency for their transactions. The more organised crime gangs also hire money mules to move their illicit cash.

In recent weeks, large volumes of information were posted following a data breach at the Munster Technical University. It is believed that the breach allowed the fraudsters to access financial details and medical records.

It is not known if personal data from that breach is among that being sold on the dark web. Other ways in which information gets stolen is through traditional phishing emails and smishing (fraudulent text messages).

A huge Facebook hack in 2021 resulted in more than 500 million people having their details stolen and placed online for sale.

A source with knowledge of the investigation into these scammers told the Irish Daily Mail: Its the case that data from any hack in the last few years will end up online. Someone has a site on the dark web where you can search the data via name, address and phone number.

There is also a lot of data harvested via phishing and smishing. It costs around 50 to send 10,000 text messages.

If you get 100 people to bite, the original scammer might use 10 full sets of personal information and sell the rest.

A BOI spokesman said: Monitoring of the dark web is a standard fraud detection and prevention measure undertaken by the bank.

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Stolen Irish Identities On Sale For 25 On The Dark Web - Extra.ie

Designer clothing fraudster bought historic Hampstead house – This is Local London

Arif Patel and 23 members of his criminal empirehave been convicted of fraud worth some 150 million.

Patel, 55, used the proceeds to buy property across Preston and London including a five-storey terrace on Pilgrims Lane in Hampstead.

The property once belonged to Edwardian painter Sir William Nicholson and has a blue plaque signifying that he lived therebetween 1904 and 1906.

The neighbourhood is one of the most exclusive in the entire country, with Harry Styles and Benedict Cumberbatch living nearby.

Former residents of Pilgrims Lane also include ex-Labour leader Michael Foot and cellist Jaqueline du Pr.

Patel and his gang tried to steal 97 million through VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones.

They also imported and sold fake designer clothes that would have been worth at least 50 million if they were genuine.

On April 11 Patel was found guilty of false accounting, conspiracy to cheat the public revenue, the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering.

He was convicted in his absence as he remained in Dubai throughout his trial, after he travelled there in July 2011 and never returned.

Mohamed Jaffar Ali, 58, from Dubai, was also found guilty of conspiracy to cheat the Revenue and money laundering.

HMRC has recovered more than 78 million of the gangs UK assets and signalled their intention to recover more proceeds of their crimes.

Richard Las, director of the Fraud Investigation Service atHMRC, said: These guilty verdicts close a significant chapter in one of the biggest tax fraud cases ever investigated by HMRC.

For more than a decade HMRC and our partners have worked tirelessly and together to bring this gang to justice.

Arif Patel lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the law-abiding majority. Tax crime is not victimless and fraudsters like this pair steal the money that funds the NHS and other vital public services we all rely on.

Our work doesnt stop here. We have more than 78 million of the gangs UK assets restrained and have begun the process to recover all those proceeds of crime.

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Designer clothing fraudster bought historic Hampstead house - This is Local London

Releasing prisoners to honour Ramadan – The Malaysian Insight

DURING Ramadan the gates of heaven are opened and that of hell closed, with the devils chained for added measure, goes an ahadith. That reflects Allahs generosity. It is also a soothing balm for believers who have lost their loved ones during this holy month. To me however, that prophetic wisdom encapsulates the essence of Ramadan a season for charity, forgiveness, and generosity.

It is no surprise that many Muslim countries grant clemency to their prisoners during Ramadan. Iran, as in past years, pardoned thousands, a magnanimity worthy of an Islamic state. The late Shah Pahlavi imprisoned and tortured many, especially his opponents during Ramadan, mocking its sanctity. The Saudis, already with the highest per capita execution rates, also have a similar forgiveness programme during Ramadan. That aside, they created an uproar recently when in an unprecedented action executed a prisoner during this holy month.

Self-professed Islamic Malaysia has yet to demonstrate such magnanimity. The best she could muster was in 2009, when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong deferred the caning of one Kartika Shukarno till after Ramadan. Her crime? Drinking beer in public!

Caning is cruel, inhuman, and degrading, an affront to human dignity. Kartika was sentenced in a shariah court, not a criminal hence very Islamic, as Malaysia defines it. The outcry (locally and abroad) was not that she was to be caned (thousands of Malaysians have endured that) rather that she was a young mother, and it was to be done publicly during Ramadan.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has a splendid opportunity to imprint an Islamic face to Malaysia this Ramadan, his first as a prime minister. Institutionalise this spirit of generosity and forgiveness by initiating a formal clemency tradition. Commute the sentences of at least 99 prisoners, hence opening their gates to heaven (restoring their cherished freedom) and closing their hellish past. That number has special significance for Muslims, as with the 99 names of Allah. I cannot think of any other gesture worthy of Islam Madani, and what a legacy that would be for Anwar!

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi went through five Ramadans as prime minister, yet this proponent of Islam Hadhari did not see fit to grant a single pardon, not on Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Merdeka Day. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed with undisguised contempt by the Islamists, released a few political prisoners during Ramadan, most notably Kassim Ahmad and Syed Hussin Ali. Never mind that Dr Mahathir had jailed them without trial in the first place, a very un-Islamic practice.

A Ramadan pardon would have a tremendous positive impact on the prisoners, prison system, and society. It gives them hope, a sparse and precious commodity in a prison. Even the slimmest hope would motivate them to behave, easing the wardens job. At another level, those prisoners would now have another reason to look forward to Ramadan.

Canada, a secular society, goes further. Apart from the governor-generals pardon powers, those convicted could, after they have served their sentence, apply to have their criminal record expunged after a specified period of being law abiding, thus giving them a fresh slate. That is a powerful incentive for them to remain on the straight path, as our Quran puts it. Indeed the recidivism rates of those pardoned is only 4%, compared to the historical 20. An important provision with Canadas programme is that victims of those criminals would have a major voice at the pardon hearing. For those who committed victimless crimes, their approval would be statutorily routine.

Former prime miniister Najib Razak was jailed for corruption pilfering public funds. That is not a victimless crime. Millions, especially the poor, suffer as a consequence. As such his pardon should not be decided by the Agong alone. Najibs victims should and must have a major say.

I am reminded of the story of Caliph Omar on one of his famous late night anonymous walkabout management. He spotted an amorous unmarried couple and barged in, pronouncing them guilty of adultery, punishable by stoning to death, at least for the lady. Unperturbed, her male companion wagged his finger at the Caliph. Yes Sir, I have sinned against Allah, but you have wronged us by breaching our privacy. A Merciful Allah may forgive you, but we will not! At which point the Caliph, the great leader that he was, apologised and withdrew. Caliph Omar implicitly acknowledged that certain inherent and inalienable rights of citizens (in this case to privacy) trumped over their sins against Allah, or the Caliphs presumed knowledge of His dictates.

Canadas pardon programme reflects generosity and forgiveness, as well as the trust leaders have in their followers, even those who have initially stumbled. Those are also the values cherished in our Quran. April 13, 2023.

* M. Bakri Musa reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.

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Releasing prisoners to honour Ramadan - The Malaysian Insight

ARE VICTIMLESS CRIMES ACTUALLY HARMFUL? – Office of Justice Programs

Abstract

A "victimless" crime is traditionally defined as "an illegal act that is consensual and lacks a complaining participant." This study examined whether or not a sample of the public views drug trafficking, drug abuse, pornography, and prostitution (traditional "victimless" crimes) as sufficiently harmful to be criminalized. Study subjects were 178 college students enrolled in introductory social science courses at a medium-sized Midwestern university, as well as 766 high school students, yielding a total sample of 944 subjects. The subjects were selected as reflective of future voters who might significantly impact criminal justice policy decisions. Generally, the study indicates that the majority of the respondents view the four traditional "victimless" crimes as harmful, such that they should not be decriminalized. Ratings of harm varied from a low of 1.15 (between "very little" and "little") for gambling, to a high of 3.68 (between "much" and "very much") for drugs. In terms of the percentage of respondents opposed to decriminalization, the results varied from a low of 36 percent for gambling to a high of 96 percent for pornography. Implications of these findings for theory and policy are discussed. 7 tables and 18 references

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ARE VICTIMLESS CRIMES ACTUALLY HARMFUL? - Office of Justice Programs

Victimless Crimes – Examples, List & Explanation – Study.com

Victimless Crime Examples

Remember, victimless crimes in the United States are classified as such if they do not harm other individuals or property and involve only consenting adults. Regardless, these acts are still considered to be crimes because they involve acts that many consider unethical or immoral, such as drug use, illegal gambling, and prostitution.

Trespassing that does not harm the property or other individuals is considered a victimless crime.

A more complete list of crimes that are perceived as victimless include:

Because prostitution typically occurs between two consenting adults, many say that it is a victimless crime. However, others argue that prostitution exploits sex workers, who are often forced to engage in sex work against their will. They also argue that because it often involves sex acts which are considered by many to be degrading, it is harmful to all women because it perpetuates their continued objectification. Sex worker advocates say because they often lack resources, those who are employed in prostitution are also victimized by the criminal justice system.

When most people think of victimless crimes, drug use is usually among the first to come to mind. Drug use is often done in private and involves only consenting individuals (spiking someone's drink or somehow drugging them without their consent is not a victimless crime). However, drug use and drug trafficking, in particular, often have indirect victims. As mentioned above, children of drug users are often considered victims, as are other family members. Some say the entire community is harmed because those who abuse drugs are often unable to be productive members of society. Public drug users can leave behind needles which can harm others.

Drug trafficking can be a highly lucrative activity. Sometimes competition and a desire to evade law enforcement leads those involved to commit additional crimes which do have victims. Additionally, drug users themselves, particularly when under the influence, often become victims of other crimes, including robbery or sexual assault.

Some have also argued that the "War on Drugs" and other efforts to stop drug use have been used to justify racist policing policies that have victimized communities of color. Studies have shown that when compared to white men, black men have been disproportionately arrested, convicted, and incarcerated for drug-related offenses. The "broken windows" theory of policing asserts that relatively minor crimes, including many victimless crimes, lead to more serious crimes. That theory led the New York City Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to take a "stop and frisk" approach, allowing officers to stop individuals in hopes of finding drugs or other evidence of illegal activity. Because Black and brown males have been stopped at much higher rates, stop and frisk policies have been ruled unconstitutional because they violate the rights of brown and black residents, who were unfairly victimized.

Possession and use of marijuana, once considered a crime, has been legalized in several states.

When a large percentage of a jurisdiction's citizens no longer opposes victimless crimes, the crimes often become legal or decriminalized. In the U.S., the possession and use of marijuana has been decriminalized in several states, including Massachusetts, Colorado, California, and others. Assisted suicide is now legal in several states. Prostitution has been legal for decades in some parts of Nevada. Outside the United States, other countries view victimless crime from vastly different perspectives, with some handing down harsh punishment for the actions, while other countries deem the same action to be legal.

Victimless crimes are illegal acts that occur between one or more consenting adults and do not harm property or other people. In the United States, some examples of victimless crimes include:

Some experts say that all crimes harm society and there is no such thing as a victimless crime. Drug use and prostitution both happen between consenting adults, however, it can be argued that they harm others and, therefore, are not victimless crimes. When a society's view of victimless crimes changes, those acts are often legalized. Assisted suicide and marijuana use are two examples of acts that were once criminalized that are now legal in many parts of the United States.

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Victimless Crimes - Examples, List & Explanation - Study.com

VICTIMLESS CRIMES | Office of Justice Programs

Abstract

Two of the articles report on empirical analyses of victimless crime issues. One study examined college and high school students' perspectives regarding the extent of harm caused by victimless crimes (drug usage, gambling, pornography, and prostitution). The majority of the subjects viewed these activities as being sufficiently harmful to warrant their continued criminalization. Another study analyzed the opinions of a sample of sheriffs throughout the country regarding the enforcement of victimless-crime laws and the impact of this enforcement on the criminal justice system. Although the sheriffs recognized that the enforcement of victimless-crime laws, particularly drug laws, has contributed to an overburdened criminal justice system, they do not favor decriminalization. Another article analyzes victimless crimes (abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, gambling, and drug abuse) as social issues that impact the religious, political, and economic forces at work in the United States in the 1990's. Two articles analyze the legal, programmatic, and ethical issues associated with the use of drug courier profiles to establish the "reasonable suspicion" required for an investigative stop and search. The two authors disagree about the U.S. Supreme Court's acceptance of this practice as a constitutional investigative technique. For individual articles, see NCJ 143897-143901. Article references and data

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VICTIMLESS CRIMES | Office of Justice Programs

Examples of Victimless Crimes | LawInfo

Last updated May 12, 2021

Is there such a thing as a victimless crime? Yes. Criminal justice laws are created by the government to restrict unwanted behavior and actions. Many of these criminal laws are meant to protect others, such as laws against assault or abuse. However, a number of laws criminalize consensual behavior or actions where there are no victims. This may include laws against recreational drug use or prostitution.

Unfortunately, the courts and judges do not always take into account whether a crime is victimless when enforcing laws. However, your criminal defense attorney may be able to negotiate a reduced sentence or lesser penalties by showing the court that there was no identifiable victim. Talk to an experienced criminal defense lawyer for legal advice in your case.

A victimless crime is generally an illegal criminal act that does not have an identifiable victim. This generally includes actions that only involve the perpetrator or something voluntary between consenting adults. Victimless crimes are also known as crimes against the state that do not harm society.

The police may claim that there is no such thing as a victimless crime, but is that really true? There are laws in other countries that prohibit criticism of the government, which criminalizes free speech. Other countries criminalize consensual behavior like same-sex relationships or drinking alcohol. Many of the laws that criminalize harmless behavior are based on opinions about morality.

There is no set definition of a victimless crime, and each person may have a different opinion about whether a criminal offense is actually victimless. Some of the common examples of actions that may be called victimless crimes include:

There is often a fine line between what is considered a crime or not. For example, going to Las Vegas and playing poker for money is legal. However, playing a poker game for money in another state may be illegal gambling. Smoking recreational marijuana is legal in states like California andOregon, but doing the same thing in Alabama could get you thrown in jail. State criminal laws and regional attitudes can make a big difference in whether victimless activities are against the law or permissible.

Prostitution is legal in many countries. It's even legal in parts of Nevada. However, in the rest of the U.S.,solicitationof sexual acts in exchange for money is against the law. Criminalizing sex work does not eliminate the act but drives it underground. When treated as a crime, sex workers may be less willing to come forward to report more serious offenses, like violence or sexual assault.

There are many terminal diseases or debilitating conditions that leave patients suffering needlessly. For many of these people, suicide may be the best way to die with dignity. In states with assisted suicide laws, these people can make the decision to die on their own terms instead of continuing to suffer. However, in most states, suicide and assisted suicide is against the law. Prohibition of end-of-life care decisions can end up victimizing the person the laws are meant to protect.

The attitudes toward drug use are changing in the U.S. Not long ago, drugs like marijuana were illegal in all forms in all states. Now, a majority of states havemedical marijuanalaws, and a number of states are also legalizing marijuana for recreational use. More states are beginning to decriminalize drug possession, treating drug offenses as a substance abuse problem rather than a crime. Categorizing drugs as medically useful or harmful is not always based on science. However, in some states, the victimless crime of marijuana possession can still lead to a prison sentence.

Gambling is one of the most common criminal activities that people do not consider a crime. Betting on a March Madness bracket or Super Bowl pool at work may technically be against the law. A poker game between friends seems harmless, but it may violate state anti-gambling laws. However, state-sanctioned gambling may be totally legal, including the buying of lottery tickets. Many states have exceptions for charitable gaming or tribal casinos.

Homelessness is a major concern in many states. The simple response for many states is to criminalize the actions associated with homelessness instead of addressing the underlying issues. This includes laws against:

Homelessness may be the result of substance abuse, mental health conditions, domestic violence, or even an unexpected medical emergency. Criminalizing homelessness is a temporary measure that does not do anything to help those in need.

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Examples of Victimless Crimes | LawInfo

Man forced his way into newsagents and stole cash from till – Liverpool Echo

A man forced his way into a newsagents and stole cash from the till.

Merseyside Police rushed to Bonneys newsagents on Jubits Lane in Sutton, St Helens, after the shop was burgled on Friday, July 15. It was reported a man forced entry to the shop at around 12.50am and stole a quantity of cash from the till.

Detectives are now investigating the burglary and have released CCTV images of a man that they wish to speak to in connection with their enquiries.

READ MORE: Arriva slammed for 'pitiful' offer as bus strike talks break down again

Detective Inspector Barbara Hebden said: Business burglaries such as this are not a victimless crimes they have a huge impact on the hardworking people who are just trying to earn a living in the heart of our communities. If you are the man pictured, or recognise him then please come forward.

Similarly if you were in the Jubits Lane area in the early hours of the morning on Friday 15 July and saw anything or anyone suspicious then do let us know. All information you hold could be vital to our enquiries to bring the person responsible to justice.

Anyone who recognises the man pictured or with any information can contact us by DM via our social media desk on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police Contact Centre with reference 22000503427.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

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Man forced his way into newsagents and stole cash from till - Liverpool Echo

OC District Attorneys Office launches diversion program for cases that may involve mental health, substance abuse – OCRegister

Orange County has launched a program to connect eligible people arrested for low-level crimes with mental health and substance abuse services before criminal charges are filed in an effort to curb reoffending, the District Attorneys Office announced Wednesday.

The FIRST (Focused Intervention Route to Services and Treatment) Point Diversion Program plans to target specific people with possible behavioral issues, including mental health challenges or substance abuse, who have committed victimless misdemeanor crimes or misdemeanor crimes where the victim is cooperative.

It will be headed by the OC District Attorneys Office in partnership with participating police departments around Orange County, including the Orange County Sheriffs Department, Irvine Police Department and Seal Beach Police Department.

A law enforcement officer from one of the participating agencies will send the crime report to a designated prosecutor. If the prosecutor believes there is enough evidence to file charges, but the person qualifies for the program, the case is referred to an intake counselor at the countys Health Care Agency to assess and develop a treatment plan. This could include services such as substance abuse counseling and mental illness assistance.

The persons progress and success in the program is monitored by their counselor. If successful, the charges are not filed, but if the program is not completed within 10 months, prosecutors will still have the ability to file criminal charges before the one-year statute of limitations expires.

Participants in the program will also be able to consult with the Countys Social Services Agency to see if they are eligible for food stamps or Medi-Cal services. Access to social services and any benefits they may receive will continue regardless of whether the program participant successfully completes the program, the OC District Attorneys Office said in a news release.

Law enforcement agencies hope addressing underlying issues in exchange for not filing criminal charges will prevent a criminal record that may impede their employment or housing opportunities and reduce the number of repeat offenders.

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OC District Attorneys Office launches diversion program for cases that may involve mental health, substance abuse - OCRegister

War has never been a reason not to replace a UK Prime Minister – The National

IT is striking to note the spurious argument that because there is war in Ukraine this means that the Prime Minister should remain in office and not be replaced.

This is a man who has broken the law, the first Prime Minister in office to do this, as well as lying to parliament. History highlights that on numerous occasions we have replaced the Prime Minister in wars we have been directly involved in.

For instance, in May 1940 Neville Chamberlain resigned after the failure of British efforts to liberate Norway. In December 1916, at the height of the First World War, Lloyd George replaced Herbert Asquith. More recently, Mrs Thatcher resigned in November 1990, with Iraq invading Kuwait in August of that year, which led to the Gulf War.

READ MORE:Nicola Sturgeon: Douglas Ross using Ukraine to defend Johnson is 'lowest of the low'

Add to this changes to Prime Ministers during the war in Afghanistan, the Second Boer War, the Second Opium War and the Crimean War. Changing a Prime Minister in a time of conflict is clearly not unprecedented.

Those who make the law cannot be seen to be breaking the law and it is scarcely credible that Mr Johnson, who has now lost the final fragments of any moral authority he did have, can carry the confidence of the country and remain in office.

Alex OrrEdinburgh

I HAVE squirmed repeatedly as Unionists defend Boris Johnson on the grounds that an illegal party is trivial compared with the bloody war in Ukraine.

Firstly, the whole mechanism of government will be available to deal with the ramifications of the war, and the PMs part is comparatively minor, in fact given Johnsons legendary laziness and lack of preparation its probably negligible. But secondly, and far more importantly, the Tory drinks parties were not victimless crimes as has been implied.

READ MORE:Douglas Ross denies 'cynically using Ukraine' to defend law-breaking Boris Johnson

An ordinary member of the public, breaking the rules, risks harming and maybe causing the deaths of a few acquaintances. A senior politician breaking the rules risks much more: a public loss of belief, replaced by nihilism, and ultimately a large amount of avoidable mortality and morbidity. Its a crime of reckless endangerment of millions of people.

Derek BallBearsden

WHAT a dreadful shambles that is Westminster. The odious Boris Johnson supported by his dumb and dumber Scottish rep Douglas Dross.

Johnson has lied, misled parliament, broken the ministerial code, the first PM in office to break the law, he is at the root of the cronyism and PPE scandal that has lined the pockets of his millionaire buddies.

READ MORE:Douglas Ross 'destroys credibility' with car crash BBC Scotland interview

The cost-of-living crisis is in the large part due to him and his business vultures who put themselves and their wealth first and enforced Brexit on Scotland.

Johnsons MPs are standing by him but that does not mean that our SNP MPs need to join the eejits they should stand up for Scotland and refuse to work with him. Come home and lets start the campaign for our self-determination our independence. Scotland deserves better than being dominated by a bunch of self-serving numpties.

Jan FerrieAyrshire

WHY are individuals and the the media overlooking the fact that Johnson lied to parliament which, when exposed, calls for an automatic resignation of the perpetrator? Shouldnt the Speaker be taking action to implement parliamentary standards?

Douglas Ross claiming that Johnsons presence is essential while the war is raging in the Ukraine is nonsense. Surely a party with an 80-seat majority could find a better replacement, even one who doesnt tell porkies. Johnsons handling of the run-up to the war did nothing to enhance his attempt at statesmanship.

Mike UnderwoodLinlithgow

SO here we have D Ross, who on the basis of what were then merely allegations publicly called for Johnson to resign or be sacked. Now with actual guilt being found and confirmed by Johnson, D Ross says Johnson must stay because of Ukraine. At first the logic of this was beyond me, then I saw his logic!

Clearly when dealing with a pathological lying populist in the Kremlin, the UK needs a lying populist (or two) in Downing Street!

The criminal and Unionist party are a disgrace lets throw them out here in Scotland and lets get Scotland out of the UK, which is run by pathological liars and now criminals!

Rab Doigvia email

THE widespread use of the name BOZO almost sounds like a term of endearment these days. Following Tuesdays confirmation of party fines, may I suggest the name is henceforth changed to BOOZO? At least, being more apt, it cant easily be misconstrued.

Bruce MogliaBridge of Weir

DOUGLAS Ross suggesting this is not the time to remove a Prime Minister who has been found out only serves to promote Mr Rosss cowardliness. It is not only the party that is over political careers are hanging by a thread. Voters only have a short time to wait for the opportunity to give their verdict: the local elections are looming on May 5 and a clear message should be forthcoming.

Catriona C ClarkFalkirk

IF the lying Prime Minister will not resign, surely one of the Queens final acts should be to summon him to Buckingham Palace and insist that he resign to uphold longstanding protocols. Does this also mean that Ian Blackford can call him a liar in the House of Commons without fear of contradiction?

Steve CunninghamAberdeen

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War has never been a reason not to replace a UK Prime Minister - The National

Trafficking conviction results in 2-14-year sentence | Serving Minden-Gardnerville and Carson Valley – The Record-Courier

A longtime Johnson Lane resident was sentenced to 2-14 years in prison on Monday after being convicted by a jury of multiple drug felonies.

Robert Vieth Wilson, 65, has indicated on several occasions that its his intention to appeal his conviction for charges of trafficking, sales and possession of methamphetamine, 4.4 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms and concentrated marijuana.

I know the truth will come out, he said as his friends and family watched from the gallery.

Wilson was given credit for 833 days time served since his first arrest on Oct. 16, 2019.

Attorney Christopher Day recommended Wilson be sentenced to 19-48 months in prison with credit for time served on the 11 counts the jury voted to convict him on.

Day said that psilocybin mushrooms are being legalized in other states and appear to be following the same path as cannabis.

The defense attorney cited the death of Wilsons wife in 2015 as the cause of his spiral into drug use. Prior to that he had a clean criminal record. Day argued that Wilsons crimes were essentially victimless.

He is not a drug trafficker, Day said. He is a harmless and hapless individual. He is not a criminal master mind. He wont hurt the community.

Prosecutor A.J. Hames told District Judge Tom Gregory that Wilson had significant amounts of drugs in his home.

This was a big operation, he said.

Hames said that Wilson had been arrested in 2017 for concentrating marijuana in his home and that hed entered a no contest plea to misdemeanor introduction of a drug not allowed in interstate commerce in 2018 and placed on two years probation.

His arrest in 2019 violated that probation and he was ordered to serve that sentence.

Hames recommended an aggregate sentence of 20-53 years in prison, which Day argued would amount to a death sentence.

Wilson benefitted in the reduction in sentences approved by the 2021 Legislature, which took effect July 1, 2022. Had he been sentenced under the old scheme, he would have faced multiple life terms.

One of the issues at trial was the information provided by a confidential informant resulted in up to five different buys, something Gregory said resulted in an unusual stacking of charges.

The informant refused to testify at Wilsons trial after he violated the probation hed won by participating in the buys and was sent to prison. The Record-Courier reported on the informants case, including his eventual sentencing.

Gregory sentenced Wilson to 1-10 years on the first count of trafficking and 19-48 months for the following five counts related to Wilsons sale of drugs to an informant.

Wilson received a consecutive 1-4-year sentence for drugs found during a search of his home and ran three felonies and a gross misdemeanor concurrent.

Wilson has 21 days from Monday to file an appeal of his conviction.

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Trafficking conviction results in 2-14-year sentence | Serving Minden-Gardnerville and Carson Valley - The Record-Courier

Two expected to plead guilty in cryptocurrency case – Concord Monitor

As Keene resident and libertarian activist Ian Freeman awaits trial on federal charges related to his bitcoin-exchange business, two of his alleged co-conspirators have signaled they will enter guilty pleas.

Renee and Andrew Spinella, both of Derry, are scheduled for change-of-plea hearings Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Concord. Their shift from not-guilty pleas to pleading guilty would mark the first time any of the six alleged co-conspirators have admitted wrongdoing.

Freeman, Colleen Fordham of Alstead, Aria DiMezzo of Keene and a Keene man who legally changed his name from Richard Paul to Nobody have all pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors claim Freeman and his alleged co-conspirators violated federal law by running an unlicensed virtual currency-exchange business that handled more than $10 million in transactions over several years.

According to the government, Freeman and other co-defendants used personal bank accounts and accounts in the names of purported religious entities like the Shire Free Church, the Crypto Church of NH, the Church of the Invisible Hand and the Reformed Satanic Church to conceal the nature of their business while directing customers to falsely report that they were donating to churches or buying rare coins, not purchasing cryptocurrency.

The government arrested the six in March 2021. The FBI conducted several searches in Keene one day that month, including at 73-75 Leverett St. and at two properties on Route 101.

Those properties are linked to the libertarian activist group known locally as Free Keene, which has ties to some of the defendants. The Route 101 searches were at 661 Marlboro Road, at a business called Bitcoin Embassy N.H., and 659 Marlboro Road, which is owned by Shire Free Church Holdings LLC. The FBI also conducted an operation at a local convenience store, with an employee at the time telling The Sentinel agents removed a Bitcoin ATM.

Court records indicate the defendants trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 1.

All six alleged co-conspirators were charged with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business, and all but DiMezzo also face a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Renee Spinella additionally faces two charges of wire fraud and Andrew Spinella faces a single additional charge of wire fraud. Court documents do not indicate what charge or charges they are expected to plead guilty to.

Freeman also faces charges of operation of an unlicensed money-transmitting business, continuing financial-crimes enterprise, money laundering and six counts of wire fraud. The continuing financial-crimes enterprise charge carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Unfortunately the way the federal government works is they do their best to intimidate people by stacking on as many charges as possible, Freeman said Saturday.

Freeman said he has not been allowed to talk to his co-defendants, but has heard that the prosecution threatened the Spinellas with additional charges to force them into a plea deal. The Sentinel has not been able to confirm this. Court documents do not indicate any additional charges. Renee Spinella was not immediately reachable by phone. Neither Andrew Spinella nor his attorney were immediately reachable Saturday for a request for comment.

Freeman said he does not expect that the Spinellas will cooperate with the government, despite the scheduled guilty plea.

Nobody here did anything wrong. These are victimless so-called crimes, he said. I expect they will not be cooperating with the state because we all believe the state is evil.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. MacDonald has previously alleged that hordes of cybercriminals bought virtual currency from Freeman in an effort to avoid detection by banks and government regulators.

The government also claims in court documents Freeman allowed an undercover agent to exchange around $20,000 in cash for bitcoin after the agent told him he was dealing drugs. Freemans lawyer, Mark Sisti, has previously told The Sentinel he doesnt know where the governments claim about an undercover agent is coming from. He said he has seen evidence of Freeman refusing to deal with criminals.

DiMezzo, also reached by phone Saturday, said the Spinellas have to do what is best for themselves even if that means entering a plea deal with the government.

In the libertarian philosophy as long as they are making the decision that is best for them the world is best served, DiMezzo said.

While she said she believes a jury will find no evidence of the alleged crimes, certainly, if they agree to be star witnesses to the prosecutors, that certainly will have an effect on other peoples cases.

But a guilty plea is not evidence of guilt, DiMezzo argued, claiming, as Freeman did, that the federal government stacks charges against defendants to bully them into pleas.

Its hard to accept a guilty plea as an actual confession of guilt in the modern court system, she said. Whether theyre guilty or not, [defendants] accept the deal to make the bigger threat go away.

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Two expected to plead guilty in cryptocurrency case - Concord Monitor

Industry Perspectives Op-Ed: When contractors engage in tax fraud they are stealing from the rest of us – constructconnect.com – Daily Commercial News

Every year, Canadians contribute to their communities by paying taxes.

Public tax dollars pay for critical investments in our schools and hospitals and for a host of other benefits for both the elderly and our children.

The money we pay builds the neighbourhoods we live in and takes care of the people around us. However, every year many construction contractors and builders selfishly and criminally refuse to pay their fair share. Does that seem right to you?

According to the Ontario Construction Secretariat, our governments lose up to $3.1 billion in revenue due to construction contractors not paying their fair share of taxes. They lose an estimated $1.1 billion in general taxes, $656 million in CPP contributions, $18 million in Employer Health Tax, $119 million in employment insurance, $340 million in WSIB payments and $832 million in HST revenues.

For governments at every level, finding the required financial resources is key to our ongoing ability to deliver much-needed health care, education and infrastructure investments. Stamping out tax fraud in construction is a crucial tool in enabling us to collect such financial resources. Just think of the services and investments which could be paid for with the extra $3.1 billion that would be available each and every year if everyone paid their fair share.

Tax fraud within the construction industry takes many forms.

It can be as simple as people paying cash for home renovations or, as is extremely common now, the misclassification of workers as independent contractors.

These practices lower the general contractors income and payroll tax responsibilities and allows them to avoid tax and CPP/EI/WSIB contributions. This goes on with every trade across the entire industry, including floor covering installers, tile setters, painters and decorators and carpenters. Unfortunately, the underground economy is growing.

It is sometimes assumed that practices like paying cash or misclassifying workers are victimless crimes but workers vanishing into the grey economy has led, in the worst cases, to human trafficking and serious disregard for the basic health and safety of workers, resulting in deaths in some cases.

We have seen examples of all of these phenomena in recent years and, in fact, one of the biggest human trafficking cases in Canadian history, the Domotor Case, was a result of these practices right here in Ontario.

We at the Carpenters Union are determined to do something about this.

Construction companies engaging in tax fraud, such as by not classifying their workers properly to avoid their tax obligations, result in two severe consequences, economic inequity and worker vulnerability.

Economic inequity results from the unfair advantage gained by employers who do not play by the rules by improperly avoiding taxes. This hurts industry competitors but it also hurts the general public as well.

Now, when governments collect taxes to pay for infrastructure or social security, the average citizen has to contribute more to make-up for the amounts not contributed by the construction companies.

This means that as spending increases with our economy bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic, honest and hardworking taxpayers are hurt the most.

Additionally, by committing tax fraud, contractors are putting the lives of their workers at risk. Paying construction workers off the books or as independent contractors makes employers less accountable and jeopardizes basic safety standards on jobsites.

Workers can often be cheated out of their pay and forced to work long hours, under horrendous conditions, at jobsites that simply are not safe.

This can include, not being paid overtime or other required premiums or not even being paid at all in the worst cases. These are just a few examples of what is going on in Ontario right now.

This underground economy is large in size and broad in scope.

However, whether someone is being paid under the table to paint the inside of a house or human trafficking is taking place, both are crimes and should not be tolerated in Ontarios construction industry. Quite simply, all forms of tax fraud are theft and when contractors engage in tax fraud they are stealing from the rest of us.

While tax fraud is not an issue that can be resolved overnight, there are tangible steps that can be taken to begin eliminating these toxic practices on our jobsites.

The implementation and enforcement of a fair wage policy by both the Ontario and the federal government needs to happen now and these policies need to be applied universally to all builders.

This is a solution that the City of Toronto adopted over 100 years ago to ensure their workers were not discriminated against by contractors failing to pay fair hourly wages, vacation and holiday pay, along with certain basic benefits.

Torontos Fair Wage Policy ensures the ethical treatment of workers and holds employers accountable through oversight and enforcement by the citys fair wage office.

If the federal and provincial governments adopted these practices it would greatly reduce the employment vulnerability that many workers face and help eliminate unfair competition between contractors. We need to take a stand against tax fraud and show our support for those who build our province.

The Carpenters District Council of Ontario is leading the way against tax fraud in the construction industry and will be promoting Tax Fraud Days of Action from April 11 to 16, as seen on our website http://www.notaxfraud.com.

With a long economic recovery and large levels of uncertainty ahead, it is important that contractors pay their fair share, to ensure critical infrastructure can continue to be built and our economy makes a strong comeback.

For more information also see http://www.stoptaxfraud.net.

Mike Yorke is president of the Carpenters District Council of Ontario. Send Industry Perspectives comments and column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.

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Industry Perspectives Op-Ed: When contractors engage in tax fraud they are stealing from the rest of us - constructconnect.com - Daily Commercial News

Victimless Crimes Examples, List & Explanation | What is a …

Victimless Crime Examples

Remember, victimless crimes in the United States are classified as such if they do not harm other individuals or property and involve only consenting adults. Regardless, these acts are still considered to be crimes because they involve acts that many consider unethical or immoral, such as drug use, illegal gambling, and prostitution.

Trespassing that does not harm the property or other individuals is considered a victimless crime.

A more complete list of crimes that are perceived as victimless include:

Because prostitution typically occurs between two consenting adults, many say that it is a victimless crime. However, others argue that prostitution exploits sex workers, who are often forced to engage in sex work against their will. They also argue that because it often involves sex acts which are considered by many to be degrading, it is harmful to all women because it perpetuates their continued objectification. Sex worker advocates say because they often lack resources, those who are employed in prostitution are also victimized by the criminal justice system.

When most people think of victimless crimes, drug use is usually among the first to come to mind. Drug use is often done in private and involves only consenting individuals (spiking someone's drink or somehow drugging them without their consent is not a victimless crime). However, drug use and drug trafficking, in particular, often have indirect victims. As mentioned above, children of drug users are often considered victims, as are other family members. Some say the entire community is harmed because those who abuse drugs are often unable to be productive members of society. Public drug users can leave behind needles which can harm others.

Drug trafficking can be a highly lucrative activity. Sometimes competition and a desire to evade law enforcement leads those involved to commit additional crimes which do have victims. Additionally, drug users themselves, particularly when under the influence, often become victims of other crimes, including robbery or sexual assault.

Some have also argued that the "War on Drugs" and other efforts to stop drug use have been used to justify racist policing policies that have victimized communities of color. Studies have shown that when compared to white men, black men have been disproportionately arrested, convicted, and incarcerated for drug-related offenses. The "broken windows" theory of policing asserts that relatively minor crimes, including many victimless crimes, lead to more serious crimes. That theory led the New York City Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to take a "stop and frisk" approach, allowing officers to stop individuals in hopes of finding drugs or other evidence of illegal activity. Because Black and brown males have been stopped at much higher rates, stop and frisk policies have been ruled unconstitutional because they violate the rights of brown and black residents, who were unfairly victimized.

Possession and use of marijuana, once considered a crime, has been legalized in several states.

When a large percentage of a jurisdiction's citizens no longer opposes victimless crimes, the crimes often become legal or decriminalized. In the U.S., the possession and use of marijuana has been decriminalized in several states, including Massachusetts, Colorado, California, and others. Assisted suicide is now legal in several states. Prostitution has been legal for decades in some parts of Nevada. Outside the United States, other countries view victimless crime from vastly different perspectives, with some handing down harsh punishment for the actions, while other countries deem the same action to be legal.

Victimless crimes are illegal acts that occur between one or more consenting adults and do not harm property or other people. In the United States, some examples of victimless crimes include:

Some experts say that all crimes harm society and there is no such thing as a victimless crime. Drug use and prostitution both happen between consenting adults, however, it can be argued that they harm others and, therefore, are not victimless crimes. When a society's view of victimless crimes changes, those acts are often legalized. Assisted suicide and marijuana use are two examples of acts that were once criminalized that are now legal in many parts of the United States.

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Victimless Crimes Examples, List & Explanation | What is a ...

Woman Charged in Alleged Theft of over $300K in Items from …

A woman has been charged with several felonies for taking items worth over $328,000 from Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx shops in Orange County, California.

Thirty-eight-year-oldEkaterina Zharkova of Costa Mesa was charged with four counts of grand theft, one count of receiving stolen property, and seven misdemeanor counts of petty theft, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office, KTLA reported Friday.

She had additional open felony grand theft cases in Orange and Los Angeles counties and is wanted on a $320,000 warrant after failing to appear in another case recently.

During the period between October 7 and November 23, Zharkova allegedly went to TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack stores located in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, and Tustin, filling empty bags with expensive merchandise and leaving without paying the bill.

The KTLA report continued:

She was arrested on Nov. 23 by the California Highway Patrols Organized Retail Theft task force after an investigator witnessed her stealing more than $3,500 in merchandise from a Nordstrom Rack in Costa Mesa.Investigators followed Zharkova to the store, where they watched her fill a shopping cart with designer items, covering them with a coat before using a device to remove the security sensors, officials said. She then allegedly left the store without paying for the merchandise.

She was taken into custody outside the South Coast shopping center and a few days later, posted $20,000 bond and was reportedly let go.

A search warrant was served at the womans residence, which was packed wall to wall in every room with stolen merchandise worth more than $328,000, according to CHP. The items still had their store tags and disabled security sensors in place, the outlet said.

Authorities said they believe she was trying to resell the merchandise via a luxury online consignment shop.

Shoplifting and other retail theft is out of control across California as a result of reckless laws that have made the risk far less than the potential reward, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a social media post.

Woman Charged with Stealing More than $328,000in Merchandise from Nordstrom Rack, TJ MaxxOrange County District Attorneys Office Assisting California Highway Patrols Organized Retail Theft Task Force, Sheriffs Department to Protect Orange County Businesses and ConsumersSANTA ANA, Calif. A woman has been charged with multiple felonies for stealing items worth more than $328,000 from Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx stores in Orange County and attempting to resell the stolen items through a luxury item online consignment store. She also has open felony grand theft cases in Orange County and Los Angeles.Ekaterina Zharkova, 38, of Costa Mesa, has been charged with four felony counts of grand theft, one felony count of receiving stolen property, and seven misdemeanor counts of petty theft. She faces a maximum sentence of nine years and two months if convicted on all counts in this caseShoplifting and other retail theft is out of control across California as a result of reckless laws that have made the risk far less than the potential reward, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. These are not victimless crimes and if you engage in these kinds of outrageous theft schemes were going to arrest you, were going to prosecute you, and were putting you behind bars. I have assigned some of my most experienced investigators to work with the California Highway Patrols organized retail theft taskforce and the Orange County Sheriffs Department to help protect Orange County businesses from being victimized and protect consumers from increased costs. Were not tolerating this in Orange County.Full Press Release: http://orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp?layout=15&Entry=6202

Posted by Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer on Friday, December 10, 2021

These are not victimless crimes and if you engage in these kinds of outrageous theft schemes were going to arrest you, were going to prosecute you, and were putting you behind bars, he added.

Meanwhile, prosecutors and retailers voiced disagreement on assertions from Californias governor and attorney general that they have the needed tools to combat retail theft in the aftermath of voter-approved easing of laws relating to the problem, the Associated Press (AP) reported December 3.

Zharkova will be arraigned on February 3 and faces a maximum sentence of nine years and two months if she is convicted on every count, the KTLA article read.

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Woman Charged in Alleged Theft of over $300K in Items from ...

Hate crimes at highest rate in more than a decade, per FBI – Midland Daily News

On Monday, the FBI released Hate Crime Statistics, 2020, the Uniform Crime Reporting Program's latest compilation of bias-motivated incidents throughout the nation. The 2020 data, submitted by 15,136 law enforcement agencies, provide information about the offenses, victims, offenders and locations of hate crimes.

Law enforcement agencies submitted incident reports involving 7,759 criminal incidents and 10,532 related offenses as being motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity. However, the UCR Program does not estimate offenses for the jurisdictions of agencies that did not submit reports.

The amount of hate crimes reported to the FBI increased by about 450 incidents over 2019, according to CNN. That increase coincided with a reduction in agencies reporting hate crimes than in previous years. The report shows 2020 had the highest tally of reported hate crimes since 2008, when 7,783 hate crimes were reported to the FBI.

Attacks targeting Black people rose to 2,755 from 1,930, and the number targeting Asians jumped to 274 from 161. Of the known offenders, more than half were White, according to the FBI.

"These statistics show a rise in hate crimes committed against Black and African-Americans, already the group most often victimized, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "Notably, they show a rise in hate crimes committed against members of the Asian-American Pacific Islander community. This also confirms what we have seen and heard through our work and from our partners."

There were 7,554 single-bias incidents involving 10,528 victims. The percent breakdown of victims (percents may not add up to 100% because of rounding) by bias type shows that 61.9% of victims were targeted because of the offenders race/ethnicity/ancestry bias, 20.5% were victimized because of the offenders sexual-orientation bias, 13.4% were targeted because of the offenders religious bias, 2.5% were targeted because of the offenders gender identity bias, 1% were victimized because of the offenders disability bias, and 0.7% were victimized because of the offenders gender bias.

There were 205 multiple-bias hate crime incidents that involved 333 victims.

The Justice Department and FBI are required by a 1990 federal law called the Hate Crime Statistics Act to publish an annual report on hate crime statistics. The annual report serves as the most comprehensive look at hate crime across the country.

Law enforcement agencies are not required to submit their data to the FBI for its annual crime report. There are more than 18,000 agencies in the United States and more than 3,000 did not submit their crime statistics in 2020, which may result in an undercount.

Of the 7,426 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against persons in 2020, 53.4% were for intimidation, 27.6% were for simple assault, and 18.1% were for aggravated assault. There were 22 murders and 19 rapes reported as hate crimes. The remaining 27 hate crime offenses were reported in the category of "other."

Of the 2,913 hate crime offenses classified as crimes against property, most (76.4%) were acts of destruction/damage/vandalism. Robbery, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, and other offenses accounted for the remaining 23.6% of crimes against property.

There were 193 additional offenses classified as crimes against society. This crime category represents societys prohibition against engaging in certain types of activity such as gambling, prostitution and drug violations. These are typically victimless crimes in which property is not the object.

In the UCR Program, the term "known offender" does not imply that the suspects identity is known; rather, the term indicates that some aspect of the suspect was identified, thus distinguishing the suspect from an unknown offender. Law enforcement agencies specify the number of offenders and, when possible, the race of the offender or offenders as a group. Beginning in 2013, law enforcement agencies began reporting whether suspects were juveniles or adults, as well as the suspects ethnicity when possible.

Of the 6,431 known offenders indicating some aspect of the suspect was identified, distinguishing the suspect from an unknown offender 55.2% were White and 20.2% were Black or African American. Other races accounted for the remaining known offenders although the race was unknown for 16.4% of offenders.

Of the 5,915 known offenders for whom ages were known, 89.1% were 18 years of age or older.

In Michigan, there were 161 reported cases of anti-Black or African American hate crimes and 30 cases of anti-gay male hate crimes. There were also 56 cases of anti-white hate crimes in the state last year. There was a total of 377 hate crimes in 2020 in the state.

Of the 453 offenses last year related to hate crimes, 189 involved intimidation, while 109 were simple assault and 52 were aggravated assault. Destruction/damage/vandalism of property accounted for another 45.

The offender's ethnicity was unknown in 289 of the 319 reports. Of the 319 reports, 206 offenders were reported as white while 66 were reported as black in Michigan in 2020. There were 136 incidents reported in a home and 56 occurred on a highway, alley, street or sidewalk.

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Hate crimes at highest rate in more than a decade, per FBI - Midland Daily News

Father and son who stole 1.7million worth of antiques from elderly widow jailed – ITV News

Watch a report by Matthew Hudson.

A father and son have been sentenced after they stole more than 1.5 million worth of oriental antique jade ornaments from an elderly widow in Bedfordshire.

Des Pickersgill and his son Gary Pikersgill took the collection of jade artefacts from the victim in Bedfordshire and then tricked an auction house into selling the items.

The pair were only caught when the woman's home was burgled sparking an insurance investigation.

Over a seven-year period, Des Pickersgill, who is 84, and his son Gary plundered a collection of valuable jade artifacts owned by a vulnerable Bedfordshire woman now in her mid-nineties.

They then brazenly sold them through the reputable London auction house Bonhams for a total of 1.7 million.

Gary Pickersgill's wife Sarah allowed her bank account to be used to launder money. Friends Kevin and Tracy Wigmore also profited from the thefts.

Items stolen included a green jade bowl which fetched a 1 million at auction and teapot which went for half a million pounds.

The five defendants were convicted of charges including theft and fraud following a six week trial at Luton Crown Court earlier this year.

The thefts came to light after the elderly woman was the victim of an unrelated burglary in which jade items were also stolen.

When the insurance company made enquiries with auction houses they discovered that some items which it had been assumed had been taken in the raid had already been sold over the previous years which suggest that they had already been stolen.

In fact Des and Gary Pickersgill had simply smuggled up to 50 artifacts out of the victim's house under their clothes between 2011 and 2018.

Fraud is often seen as a victimless crime but this case clearly shows that this is not the case and that there are victims involved.

The court heard that the victim was more concerned with the sentimental value of the items which had been collected by her late husband than their actual worth.

ITV News has decided to protect the identity of the victim of these crimes.

Today, Gary Pickersgill was handed an 8-year jail sentence, his father Des Pickersgill was sentenced for 6 years in prison and Kevin Wigmore was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Sarah Pickergill and Tracey Wigmore were given non-custodial sentences.

Read the rest here:

Father and son who stole 1.7million worth of antiques from elderly widow jailed - ITV News