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Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey variou… more
Date: September 8, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Crime and Forfeiture

Description: This report provides an overview of federal forfeiture law. It sketches the origins and general attributes of forfeiture, describes the distribution of the hundreds of millions of dollars it generates, and identifies some of the related constitutional issues.
Date: January 22, 2015
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001: Claims Against Saudi Defendants Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA)

Description: This report summarizes the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) and jurisdiction in cases against foreign defendants and analyzes the court of appeals decision. It also discusses legislative efforts to address these issues(S. 1535 and H.R. 3143).
Date: January 22, 2015
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief

Description: This report contains an overview of the Matching Grant Program for Law Enforcement Armor Vests (BPV program). It also provides a discussion of data on law enforcement agencies that require their officers to wear armor vests while on duty, research on why officers may choose to wear armor vests, research on the life cycle for armor vests, data on the use of body armor by law enforcement officers who were killed with a firearm, and research on the effectiveness of armor vests.
Date: January 13, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues

Description: This report first provides a brief federal legislative history of identity theft laws. It analyzes the current trends in identity theft, including prevalent identity theft-related crimes, the federal agencies involved in combating identity theft, and the trends in identity theft complaints and prosecutions. The report also discusses the relationship between data breaches and identity theft as well as possible effects of the FTC's Identity Theft Red Flags Rule, effective June 1, 2010.
Date: January 5, 2010
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The MS-13 and 18th Street Gangs: Emerging Transnational Gang Threats?

Description: This report provides an overview of the MS-13 and M-18 gangs,5 examines how MS-13 and M-18 gangs are different from other gangs and organized crime groups, and discusses what constitutes a transnational gang. The report also explores whether MS-13 and M-18 gangs are transnational gangs, and discusses the various federal responses to these gangs.
Date: January 22, 2010
Creator: Franco, Celinda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Terrorist Watch List Screening and Background Checks for Firearms

Description: This report examines potential policy issues that could arise under the Terror Gap proposal. For context, a basic overview of the U.S. government's post-9/11 terrorist watchlist procedures is provided, as well as an analysis of the Terror Gap proposal, which has been reintroduced in the 113th Congress.
Date: May 1, 2013
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Domestic Terrorism Appears to Be Reemerging as a Priority at the Department of Justice

Description: This document examines an apparent shift in priorities at the Department of Justice (DOJ) towards a renewed focus on domestic terrorism with the reestablishment of its Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee, which had been defunct for several years. The report considers why the shift in focus may be occurring and also briefly examines different types of domestic terror threats.
Date: August 15, 2014
Creator: Bjelopera, Jerome P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Prison Industries: Overview and Legislative History

Description: This report provides background on the Federal Prison Industries, Inc.'s (FPI's) operations and statutory authority; it does not address the related debates on inmate labor, criminal rehabilitation, or competitive versus noncompetitive federal government contracting.
Date: January 9, 2013
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues

Description: This report first provides a brief federal legislative history of identity theft laws. It analyzes selected trends in identity theft, including prevalent identity theft-related crimes, the federal agencies involved in combating identity theft, and the trends in identity theft complaints and prosecutions. The report also discusses the relationship between data breaches and identity theft as well as possible effects of the FTC's Identity Theft Red Flags Rule. It also examines possible issues for … more
Date: January 16, 2014
Creator: Finklea, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Obstruction of Justice: An Overview of Some of the Federal Statutes That Prohibit Interference with Judicial, Executive, or Legislative Activities

Description: This report discusses obstruction of justice, which is is a federal crime. It describes specific kinds of obstruction, organized by type, and references various relevant laws that have provisions against obstruction.
Date: April 17, 2014
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybercrime: Conceptual Issues for Congress and U.S. Law Enforcement

Description: This report discusses the concept of cybercrime and related cyber threats such as cyber espionage and cyber warfare, and questions whether--and under what circumstances--clear distinctions between the various threats should be delineated. It also outlines how current federal strategies may address cybercrime, including issues surrounding the measurement and tracking of cybercrime.
Date: January 15, 2015
Creator: Finklea, Kristin & Theohary, Catherine A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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When Can You Be Convicted of a Crime That Is Not a Crime?

Description: This report discusses the case United States v. Melgar-Cabrera. A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) recently upheld the murder conviction of the defendant who the court conceded had been "convicted of a crime that is not a crime."
Date: June 29, 2018
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Missing Adults: Background, Federal Programs, and Issues for Congress

Description: The first section of this report discusses demographics and record keeping of missing adults and unidentified remains, as well as some of the factors that may contribute to the disappearance of adults. This section also discusses federally funded databases that are used to track data on missing adults and unidentified individuals. The second section of the report describes the federal programs and initiatives to assist in locating missing adults, including funding data where applicable. Finally… more
Date: May 7, 2013
Creator: Fernandes-Alcantara, Adrienne L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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President Obama Announces Executive Actions to "Reduce Gun Violence"

Description: This report briefly discusses executive actions aimed at, among other things, "keep[ing] guns out of the wrong hands through background checks" and "mak[ing] our communities safer from gun violence." These actions include, for example, directing specified executive agencies to conduct or sponsor research into gun safety technology and finalizing a rule requiring firearms shippers to notify law enforcement of any firearms lost or stolen in transit.
Date: January 8, 2016
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of FY2016 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

Description: This report tracks and describes actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2016 appropriations for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2015 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as part of the annual appropriation for CJS.
Date: February 23, 2015
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief

Description: This report contains an overview of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative (BPV program). It also provides a discussion of data on law enforcement agencies that require their officers to wear armor vests while on duty, research on why officers may choose to wear armor vests, research on the life cycle for armor vests, data on the use of body armor by law enforcement officers who were killed with a firearm, and research on the effectiveness of armor vests.
Date: January 28, 2016
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues

Description: In 2010, about 8.1 million Americans were reportedly victims of identity fraud, and the average identity fraud victim incurred a mean of $631 in costs as a result of the fraud—the highest level since 2007. Identity theft is often committed to facilitate other crimes such as credit card fraud, document fraud, or employment fraud, which in turn can affect not only the nation's economy but its security. Consequently, in securing the nation and its economic health, policy makers are also tasked wit… more
Date: February 15, 2012
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Terrorist Watch List Screening and Brady Background Checks for Firearms

Description: The November 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, TX, renewed interest in terrorist watchlist screening and Brady background checks for firearms through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). In the 110th Congress, Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Peter King introduced a bill based on a legislative proposal developed by DOJ that would have authorized the Attorney General to deny the transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms (and explosives) licenses/permits to "d… more
Date: February 1, 2012
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Cybercrime: Conceptual Issues for Congress and U.S. Law Enforcement

Description: This report gives an overview of cybercrime, which can include crimes such as identity theft, payment card fraud, and intellectual property theft. The report discusses where the criminal acts exist (in both the real and digital worlds), motivations for cybercrimes, and who is committing them, as well as government definitions, strategies, and methods of tracking cybercrime.
Date: May 23, 2012
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M. & Theohary, Catherine A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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