(search box at bottom of screen)

Why do some men beat- and even kill- the women they profess to love?

The number one cause of fire in the world

Exploring both the capabilities and limitations of forensic science, this program guides viewers through real-world murder cases and studies ways a killer might thwart even the most advanced detection methods. Featuring commentary from criminology experts, the program explains techniques used to determine time and cause of death, such as the examination of insects in a corpse—or a pig carcass, if investigators need a "body double" to re-create the crime. The film also demonstrates the difference between a suicidal hanging and a murderous one, tests the viability of an icicle as a murder weapon, and discusses the radiation poisoning of ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko—a possible perfect crime. Original BBC broadcast title: How to Commit the Perfect Murder.

Two intruders are surprised by a homeowner while committing a B&E, and when they stab him during the getaway, the heavy charge of aggravated burglary is what awaits them if they are identified. This program follows a team of forensic specialists from the crime scene to the laboratory and Scotland Yard as they locate, collect, and examine the evidence that places the perpetrators at the scene of the crime?and puts them behind bars. High-tech analysis of fingerprints, tool marks, footprints, pollen, fibers, and DNA is featured. (25 minutes)

In 2001, the last piece of a serial rape/murder case that had tantalized London police for nearly 20 years finally fell into place. In this program, retired FBI profiler Robert Ressler, LAPD psychologist Kris Mohandie, and British law enforcement professionals discuss the history and techniques of criminal profiling within the context of the Railway Rapist crimes that terrorized greater London during the 1980s. In addition, the sensational case of Rachel Nickell, murdered in broad daylight on Wimbledon Common in 1992, illustrates how profiling improperly applied can hijack an investigation. Forensic psychologist Gisli Gudjonsson, of King's College London, provides commentary on that crime.

In this Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Harvard Law School's Charles Ogletree, panelists including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Professor Alan Brinkley, of Columbia University; William Webster, former director of the CIA and FBI; William Bratton, former New York City police commissioner; and others confront the contentious relationship between federal control and states' rights in the fictional town of Mayberry. Discussion points include the constitutional limits of the federal government on gun control, the influence of federal funding on state policies, the federalization of state crimes, and the resurgence of organized militias. A Discussion Guide and other resources are located online at www.fredfriendlyseminars.org/federalist. (57 minutes)