Crime, justice, and punishment

Examines seven famous robberies from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: the art heist of "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire"; the Northfield Bank robbery; the Reichsbank robbery; the Brink's job; the Great Train Robbery; the 1981 First National Bank of Arizona robbery; and the 1990 Gardner Museum art heist.

Describes the history of policing in the U.S. and discusses controversies over the use of excessive force and law enforcement practices held by many to be racist.

Provides an in-depth examination of five legal cases, looking at the challenges prosecutors faced in bringing Al Capone, Charles Manson, Nazi war criminals, Byron De La Beckwith, and serial rapist Tommie Lee Andrews to justice.

Describes what happens when a judge imposes a sentence, traces the history of sentencing, and explores the problems and difficulties a modern judge faces as mandatory sentencing laws place limits on a judge's compassion.

Provides an overview of the history of illegal drugs in the U.S. and around the world, explores the link between drugs and crime, discusses the failure of the so-called war on drugs, and explores alternatives to dealing with the problem.

Examines what happens when a crime is perpetrated against an innocent person and nobody cares, discussing the protection of those responsible for rescuing victims and the legal aspects of such situations, in the United States, overseas, in the air, and on the water.

Discusses the insanity defense, covering its history, individual cases in which it has been used, and prevalent myths surrounding it.

Provides information about child violence, discussing the various sources of the problem, looking at various school shootings at Columbine and elsewhere, and considering ways to curtail violent behavior in children.

Explains how the American grand jury system operates and some of the abuses of this system, using classic cases as illustrations.

Discusses incidents of various crimes against humanity, including particular war crimes and acts of genocide, and ways to prevent these atrocities.