Crime in Brazil

Recent surveys reflect public safety has not been the priority of the current Brazilian government. The surveys are talkinf about little investment public safety, high rates of crime and homicide, low percentage of homicides cleared by the justice system, increased sense of insecurity of the population, according to an article published by 180graus.com

The article says that a survey by the website Open Accounts about public spending on public safety, points out that the 3.1 billion in planned budget for public safety in 2012, only 738 million reais (23.8% of total) was used by the federal government.

According to the survey, the pending on the purchase of new vehicles, equipment and infrastructure improvements, such as prisons and police departments, although it was higher than in 2010 and 2011, is far less than that applied in 2007 (R $ 1.2 billion).

Excessive bureaucracy, the systemic failings of the various organs of government and lack of commitment results are the main factors for the low investment of resources in the area. Furthermore, by constitutional provision, the federal government maintains some distance from the public safety issue, since the control of the military and civil police is the responsibility of the states. With this, the difficulties in applying the resources demonstrate the need to review assignments of the central federal government in Brasilia, states and municipalities.

Brazil is considered the second most violent country in the world, based on figures relating to intentional lethal crimes. Annually about 50 thousand Brazilians are victims of homicides in Brazil. Of these, on average, only 8% the police get the criminals and far fewer get to be tried and convicted. The impunity rate reaches the level of 92%, according to the article.

Nevertheless, Brazil supposedly can not be regarded as a country of  impunity, because it has the third prison population in the world, second only to China and the United States, and one of the fastest growth rate of incarceration in the world. In 1995 there were 160 000 prisoners and currently are 540 000.

Poster of Anti drug campaign in the U.S.

The following is stated in the investigation made by the Norwegian Narcotics Governmental Committee  which members, more than 100 consultative bodies, has made a public statement in late February. The picture that emerges is the following:

1) the drug situation in Norway is improving,

2) law enforcement efforts should be reinforced,

3) amicable measures for adolescents should be done in legal terms.

4) a clear majority of Norwegian Experts does not want either legalization or decriminalization of drug use in Norway.

5) there are no scientific arguments for the legalization of drug use,

6) countries that have experimented with legalization or decriminalization had problems.

7) drug Status in Norway as of 2012 is that the number of overdose deaths have been reduced. The use of heroin has gone down 20-30 percent in the last 10 years. The use of cannabis is slightly down, and the number of young people who have tried cannabis is strongly downward. The steep increase in cocaine use has stopped. Norwegian Narcotics Police Association with its 2600 members, of which 350 offciers are from Customs, has followed the last developments very closely and can confirm that the situation is far from black in Norway. On the contrary, the situation is improving.

in one area there is strong reason to worry. This applies to the new synthetic drugs, often called “legal highs”. The use of these is increasing, and there are 600 online shops in Europe. In 2011, 8 new substances were taken into the forbidden drug list. It’s seems good, but when 100 new substances are identified in the last three years, the pace must accelerate when it comes to getting new synthetic drugs onto the list.

9) the Committee also think that the anti narcotic laws should take this new situation (new synthetic drugs) into account,  since the Norwegian Supreme Court has pointed out that the current criminal laws can not be applied to all new synthetic drugs now entering into the market.

10) In 2010 there were 248 drug deaths in Norway. Number of drug deaths worldwide is about 200 000 per year. Deaths caused by alcohol, tobacco and licit psychoactive substances are approximately 7.5 million per year, ie almost 40 times higher. Drugs are illegal trade in virtually all countries, while alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive are legal merchandise. According to the UN drug office  these figures contains the best argument for a restrictive drug policy.

11) Legalization advocates have tried to create the impression that the punishment for drug use, even for the first time, is why there are so many drug prisoners in Norwegian prisons. That is not true, according to the Committee. In fact the first time drug use  hardly results in an unconditional prison sentence. Production, trafficking and turnover, however, are punished severely, and so shall it be.

12) Many of the respondents to the consultation clearly states that the legal actions against drug users should be handled by police, police prosecutors and the courts.

13) Furthermore, the Committee also believe that alternative sanctions for young people should be supported, for example, conditional waiver on terms of future abstinence. That this gives good results was confirmed by the ngo “HOPE – the project”, which combines lower punishment if the drug users do not relapse, having clear conditions and lightning fast reaction in case of breach of these conditions.

14) the Norwegian Crime Prevention Council states that “… the criminal provisions represent an important norm boundary, particularly with regard to underage drug users …”,

15) and the statement of the Norwegian Ministry of Justice which states that “… we must show clearly that the possession and abuse in youth groups carries and will be met with clear legal sanctions. There is little doubt that many young people organize their behavior according to society’s limits and sanctions … “.

16) Legalization advocates focus on informal agreements on health care treatment. The reasoning for this including the high costs of the justice sector. The fact that quality care is important, the Committee fully agree in. The argument about costs in the justice sector stands out, however, as too little nuanced, and must be considered in the perspective that the treatment is expensive – with costs of up to USD 450  per day, and with waiver during the treatment period of as much as 70 percent.

17) At one point there is complete agreement between supporters and opponents, it is that prevention is crucial, and that home and school are the key prevention arenas. “It’s worrying.”

18) Eighty percent of respondents to the consultation who answered the question said “yes” for renewed anti narcotic efforts made by the police and customs.

19) Price mechanism also applies to the drug market. The larger the seizures, the higher the prices, and the lower the risk that young people start using drugs.

20) Alternative measures for heavily dependent users is not opposed to the resolute responses to youth at risk, which is the most important target group.

21) Each country’s police and customs officers can only stop some of the drugs that pass their own border. But the drugs are transported across many borders, such as heroin from Afghanistan, cannabis from North Africa and cocaine from South America. On every border the authorities seize a certain amount  of drugs. If you had added up all the drugs captured/seized  along the long route, one would have seen that customs and police were able to stop between 40 and 50 percent of drugs that have Norway as the final goal of.  That is a pretty good result, says the Norwegian Committee.

22) Also, the Committee is aware of the negative secondary effects. If Norway liberalize the use of drugs, there will also be harder for customs and police to stop smuggling and sales, a flow of narcotics will enter to the country.

23) The Committee also  read the documents and statements made by the addicts organizations. The strongest impression is the statement of the interest organization RIO which states that “…… the liberalization of drugs is the opposite of dignity for people fleeing from himself through drugs …… there are still many people who do not experiment with drugs because it is forbidden … “. Many will experiment with drugs if suddenly the use of drugs is decriminalized.

That is why, the Norwegian Committe became convinced that legalization or decriminalization of drugs is not the way to go, and that the Norwegian drug policy is much better than its reputation.

]]> http://www.theamericaspostes.com/4257/23-reasons-why-not-decriminalize-drugs-use/feed/ 0 http://www.theamericaspostes.com/4236/how-to-design-and-implement-public-security-policies-former-uruguayan-president-calls-for-security-overhaul/ http://www.theamericaspostes.com/4236/how-to-design-and-implement-public-security-policies-former-uruguayan-president-calls-for-security-overhaul/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:43:36 +0000 Carbonero http://www.theamericaspostes.com/?p=4236

Former President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Herrera Photo Global Security Services/Antonio Scuro

According to former Uruguayan President Luis A. Lacalle de Herrera, a necessary overhaul of that nation’s security policy would entail proper enforcement and adaptation of its laws, prosecution for minor violations, streamlining the judicial process, improving prisons and establishing standards of accountability for juveniles. In an exclusive interview with the three online publications (*) of our  company Global Security Services, the former president said prevention “means strengthening values ​​and restoring a sense of responsibility”.

Born in Montevideo on July 13, 1941, Dr. Luis Alberto Lacalle de Herrera was President of Uruguay between 1990 and 1995.  He is currently a Senator, also a lawyer, journalist and political leader within the National Party. In the last elections in Uruguay (2009) he was nominated for the presidency, winning 43.5% of the vote in the runoff.

On February 14 Dr. Lacalle Herrera was interviewed at length by Global Security Services CEO and Editor in Chief Victor Bjorgan for his recommendations on design and implementation of public security policies.

NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY

Q. In regard to your experience as President of Uruguay, tell us how to design and implement a policy on public security?
First of all we must define the word security. In a democratic society, security is the legal protection established by the Constitution and laws. Therefore, the first thing you have to do as President is to enforce and implement legal protection for individuals, associations and society in general.  Today we are amazed at the frequency of offenses that were formerly uncommon in our country such as violent robberies and drug abuse. Ultimately criminal law and the judiciary have to deal with that, but the executive branch must first apprehend offenders and implement crime prevention policy.
PREVENTION SECURITY POLICY

Q.  How to improve crime prevention?
Prevention policy is becoming more complex due to changing mores, values and the breakdown of the traditional family.  This is a nightmare for national leaders, who obviously cannot predict the future but needs to support and strengthen social values.  Crime cannot be exclusively attributed to the lack of values ​​and education, so we should not be too hard on schools and families.  But there is a continuum in the society, and any modern version of the family and educational system must still ensure that boys and girls are taught a set of values.
 JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND VALUES EDUCATION

I am a great believer in sports as a source of values.  In our country unfortunately, the practice of sports has been abandoned in favor of being a non-playing spectator, especially in public education.   Then we have the problem of outdated laws. In our country the beginning of criminal responsibility begins at age 18.  This was established in 1934 or 1935 but is no longer accurate today in our society.  When there are flaws in legislation we must try to adapt.  We have not yet succeeded in giving the state the right weapons for modern times, such as criminal responsibility from the age of 16 years.

Q.  Is government doing campaigns against juvenile crime?

There are limited campaigns against alcohol as a source of accidents. Uruguay has a high accident rate and many are due to alcohol, there are also campaigns against drug use.  But the family is losing authority, which parents cannot allow while their children are still dependent minors.  I sometimes see gangs of boys and girls out at night and wonder, where are the parents?  Resume a sense of responsibility.  I know it’s complicated when both parents work, arrive home late, do not have time to talk to the child, so put him in front of the TV or tell him to play outside.  But you have to resume responsibility and set a deadline for them to come back home. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but just because an idea is old doesn’t mean it’s not a good one.  We need to turn off the TV for an hour of conversation with our children.  Not just about details like bus money or lunch, but who their friends are, what they are going to do with their lives, and their romantic interests.

SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

Talking about public safety issues: Former President of Uruguay Dr. Luis Alberto Lacalle and Global Security Services CEO and Editor in Chief Victor Bjorgan, in Montevideo, Uruguay. Photo Antonio Scuro.

Q. In regard to Police organization and criminal investigation, research shows that many detectives prefer to solve major crimes instead of minor cases. What do you see as the biggest security challenge for Police today?
Police organizations can change, we can fight crime at all levels and also maintain accurate criminal records but I think we have to go deeper. Start at the Police Training School to determine the ideal resources for prevention and arrest, then ask Police veterans if they have at their disposal all the rules that are needed.
In the case of Uruguay, a standard that was in force until repealed by leftist administrations governments was the general order authorizing the police to request identification.  Veterans have always told me it was the best weapon they had, because first they (the police veterans) know who to ask for ID and do not ask everyone.  It was required in limited circumstances and the good citizens have no problem showing their documents, for example if asked to do so by the Transit Police. The police profession is also subject to temptations of all kinds, but can be strengthened in values and also police need improvements in ordinary equipment such as vehicles and radios that empower the police to do their jobs more professionally. Salaries also need to improve for professional recruitment, to a realistic living wage.  Police were formerly considered do-nothings in Uruguay, but now they are facing homicidal drug gangs and the job is very dangerous.

PRISON SYSTEM

Q. Tell us about the prisons in Uruguay.

Another issue that needs to be reviewed in Uruguay is the prison system, at the end of the process.  Prevention and apprehension alone are not enough.  In regard to the overcrowded prison system, we have serious violations of Human Rights in Uruguay.  Seven years ago we had a leftist government that gave them the possibility of having things like phones.  When prisoners who have communication with the outside are moving drugs, alcohol and guns, then what we are generating in prisons are schools of criminals, that graduate trained criminals.  Then you need jails that are hygienic, humane, but still tough, and reward good behavior for those who want to study or work.  The  prisons are a problem that this government does not want to deal with, and they are a disgrace.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND ZERO TOLERANCE.

Q.  Tell us your opinion about zero tolerance against crime.

The zero tolerance thesis of Mr. Giuliani has proven successful in the world. I think that is wise.  Take the example of a child; one has to learn to rebuke, to make him see he is doing something wrong when he first makes mischief.  I prefer to make someone see the evil of his conduct when he commits a traffic offense or insults someone on the street, instead of allowing everything, short of homicide.  This is very noticeable in soccer.  In England hooligans were eliminated, so why not here?  Because they are tolerated.

ROLE OF THE ARMY IN POLICE WORK

Q. What do you think about the Army doing Police work.

I think there is a barrier that sometimes people do not understand, between the legal authority of the soldier and the legal authority of the police. The soldier can not act as police because the laws do not allow them to do police work. If a soldier shoot a criminal trying to escape from a prison, the justice system will prosecute him.  In our country there is a militarized part of the police that must be strengthened, which is the final resort of police presence.  That is when the police, the Civil Guard are overwhelmed by events, then shock troops, infantry, cavalry and motorized cavalry are used when disturbances exceed the capacity of Police.

IN SUMMARY

I believe in short that our country must update its laws, enforcing the rules against minor violations, expedite the judicial process, improve our prisons and establish younger standards of criminal accountability.  I think that is what I would do if I had to address that issue.

(*) TheAmericasPostes.com, SeguridadenAmerica.net and EuropeSecurityNews.com

The Americas Post - Now Big Brother can see right through your clothes. Photo Credit: NYPD

It’s not just in the airport anymore.  The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is working in collaboration with the United States Department of Defense to control illegal firearms by deploying technology to detect concealed weapons carried by people walking down the street.

Using infrared rays, the system scans a “form of radiation emitted from the body” on a person carrying a gun on the city’s streets, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced Tuesday at a State of the NYPD event.

Known as terahertz imaging detection, the technology functions on the basis that the rays cannot pass through metal, thereby creating a digital outline of any metal weapon gun people may be hiding.   It is reported to be capable of measuring energy radiating off a body from up to 16 feet away.

Kelly told attendees that the scanner would be used only when reasonable suspicious circumstances called for it and could decrease the frequency of stop-and-search incidents on the street.  The news, however, has raised concerns about privacy.

“It’s worrisome. It implicates privacy, the right to walk down the street without being subjected to a virtual pat-down by the Police Department when you’re doing nothing wrong,” the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Donna Lieberman told CBS New York.

According to NY Post reports, the scanners would be mounted on NYPD vans, with the rays aiming at people on the street.

The Americas Post - Things are quieting down for the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Murders, rapes and other violent crimes declined significantly in the United States during the first six months of 2011, extending a downward trend that has lasted 4 1/2 years, the FBI announced on Monday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said preliminary January-to-June statistics showed violent crime declining 6.4 percent from the previous year, led by a 5.7 percent decrease in murders and a 5.1 percent drop in rapes.

In other categories of violent crime, robberies declined 7.7 percent while aggravated assaults fell 5.9 percent.

The FBI’s regular statistical report did not provide reasons for the lower crime rate nationwide, but the numbers show no evidence of any growth in crime resulting from high unemployment and a weak economy.

The report is compiled from information provided by over 12,500 police and other law enforcement agencies across the country.

Violent crimes dropped about the same amount in all four regions of the country, including big cities, smaller cities and rural areas.

Property crimes like burglary, larceny, theft and motor vehicle theft also declined in the first half of the year, with burglaries down 2.2 percent, larceny and theft down 4.0 percent and stolen vehicles down 5.0 percent.

The separate category of arson plunged 8.6 percent in the first six months of the year, the FBI said.

The Americas Post - Peruvian family members are demanding answers. Photo Credit: EPA

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peruvian “disappearance” victims in the conflict that raged there from 1980 to 2000 are double the number previously calculated by that nation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2003.

Rafael Barrantes, Red Cross director for that agency’s Disappeared Persons Program, said that records from the Peruvian Institute of Legal Medicine and Anthropological Forensic Team indicate that between 15,000 and 16,000 went missing during the violence that wracked the country over two decades.

Barrantes complained that government deficiencies have prevented the consolidation of records into a single registry.  According to the final report issued by the TRC in 2003, of the 69,280 people killed in Peru during that period, 8,558 were declared as missing.

According to the Peruvian Reparations Council, the total number of victims could be as high as 100,000.

Barrantes cited Institute of Legal Medicine statistics showing that between 2002 and 2010 the remains of 1,497 missing persons had been located, of which 771 were identified and 671 returned to their families.  He called for the establishment of government offices to take charge of the search and investigation “case by case”.

Investigators have reports of 4,644 burial sites in Peru, but until now have only located 2,200 of them.

Dr.Nasrullah Memon, Program Chair of EISIC 2011 in exclusive interview with TheAmericasPost.com

On the occasion of the EISIC (September 12-14,2011) held in Athens, we interviewed the Program Chair of the event Dr. Nasrullah Memon, professor at the University of Southern Denmark and member of the Steering Committee of the European Intelligence & Security Informatics Conference EISIC on Counterterrorism and Criminology. The event was organized jointly with The International Symposium on Open Source Intelligence and Web Mining (OSINT-WM 2011), and having as Academic Sponsors The University of Arizona, University of Southern Denmark,  and The Hellenic American University, as technical co-sponsor the IEEE Computer Society, as local organizer the Hellenic American University and SPRINGER as the Industry Sponsor.

During the interview, Dr. Memon gave details about EISIC (past, present and future plans) , how the Intelligence Community can take advantage of the Intelligence & Security Informatics discipline, the relationship between counterterrorism and computational criminology, the role of Higher Education, as well as differents kinds of Crime involving information and communication technologies. The privacy problem was also analized during the conversation.

Here is an excerpt of a very interesting interview with one of the world´s most brilliant minds in Defense, Counterterrorism and Security Informatics, Dr. Nasrullah Memon.

Dear Dr. Memon, could you please tell us what is EISIC 2011? Please elaborate on its creation, mission, objectives and members.

EISIC is the European chapter of Intelligence and Security Informatics (ISI) series of conferences. The conference is dynamic and allows academicians, researchers and practitioners to keep abreast of new tools and methodologies in the area of Intelligence Security and Informatics. It is also a venue that fosters networking opportunities for people working in this scientific area.

After my graduation (PhD Defense), Professor Hsinchun Chen, Director, Artificial Lab, University of Arizona, the founder of ISI series of conferences encouraged us to organize the European chapter of ISI. In this context, the first event was organized under the name of EUROISI 2008 at Esbjerg, Denmark.  That event was organized more as a workshop than a conference and it was not very well attended.

In September 2010, while Professor Hsinchun Chen visited University of Southern Denmark, we discussed how to re-organize the European chapter of ISI as an annual event in order to create a consortium involving academic researchers in information technologies, computer science, public policy, criminology, and social and behavior studies as well as local, national, and European law enforcement and intelligence experts, and information technology industry consultants and practitioners to support counterterrorism and national/international security missions of anticipation, interdiction, prevention, preparedness and response to terrorist acts. In other words the mission and objectives for the organization of EISIC series of conferences that came out from the discussions with Prof. Chen are to provide opportunities to establish a European network in the area of Intelligence and Security Informatics.

The organization of the conference was a very difficult task and we started working for the success of the event from September 2010 with the collaboration of Hellenic American University, University of Southern Denmark and University of Arizona. We formed a team from the above mentioned academic institutes and Hellenic American University accepted to host EISIC 2011 in Athens, Greece while University of Southern Denmark accepted to host EISIC 2012 in Odense, Denmark.  As per program chairs, Daniel Zeng and me invited around 100 researchers from academia and industry to work as program committee members. We received 111 submissions for EISIC 2011 and we accepted 27% of high quality papers as LONG papers based on the peer-review process.  The research articles were received from 41 countries from all sub-continents.

The founding members of EISIC 2011 are: Prof. Hsinchun Chen, Prof. George J. Hagerty, Professor Uffe Kock Wiil, Professor Triant Flouris, Dr. Panagiotis Karampelas and myself.

What is your assessment of the conference in Athens?

As per feedback from the audience we found it was a very successful event. The keynote speeches as well as the paper presentations were very well attended by the participants and there were a lot of positive comments on the quality of the presentations. There were also a lot of opportunities for networking between the participants and we witnessed several discussions about future collaborations between the participants. I would like to mention at this point that the host organization played a vital role in the success of the conference sponsoring the expenses of keynote speakers and finding alternatives of certain problems we faced because of unforeseen incidents such as strikes, etc.

What activities does EISIC plan to carry out in the near future?

We have a number of long and short term plans in the area of Intelligence and Security Informatics.  We have established the Counterterrorism Research Lab at University of Southern Denmark in October 2009.  Behind the lab there is a small group of researchers (around 10, one Professor, one Associate Professor and several PhD students) working in the area of ISI. We are publishing our research articles in the area in various conferences and journals and we try to establish connections with various law enforcement bodies and intelligence services providing them with our cutting edge technology and experience. Concerning EISIC, we plan to organize EISIC 2012 at our University at Odense on August 22-24, 2012. We also received a number of informal proposals for the organization of collocated events. As soon as we receive formal proposals, we’ll decide accordingly. We have also received informal proposals for the organization of EISIC 2013 and EISIC 2014 in Italy and Sweden respectively. The steering committee will decide as soon as we receive formal proposals for the organization of EISIC and related events in future.

In regard to the Intel discipline, where do you classify the Intelligence Security Informatics ISI? Is it a separate intelligence discipline in and of itself, or part of other intel disciplines like HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, etc.?

ISI is a discipline where INTEL disciplines could be benefited. Let us take an example; we are working on a research project (sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark): Developing an Early Warning System to predict Terrorist Threats. Mostly we use OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), but there is room for counterterrorism experts/INTEL to work. We do not have yet a formal collaboration with INTEL agencies, but I’m sure INTEL people could be benefited as well from ISI research.

What role does higher education play in ISI?

As this is a new inter-disciplinary area, higher education can play a vital role in encouraging students from Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Criminology, Computer Science, and Applied Mathematics to adopt research in the area of ISI in order to educate experts to help us in building a SAFE AND SECURE WORLD. It is also a need of the hour to train INTEL people with this emerging area of research.

What is the relationship between counter-terrorism and computational criminology?

Computational criminology like Countering terrorism is an emerging blend of criminology, anthropology, social computing, computer science and applied mathematics. Modern concerns about public safety and security include a focus on a range of events from less serious everyday crimes like shoplifting to personal violent crimes like homicide and ultimately terrorism. Underlying all of these events is a decision process or a chain of steps in target identification, steps that focus first on rough and vague decisions and move towards the precise plot. The fields of counterterrorism and computational criminology involves the use of computational power to identify: (1) crime patterns and emerging patterns; (2) crime generators and attractors; (3) terrorism, organized crime and gang social and spatial networks as well as co-offending networks; and, (4) cybercrime/cyber terrorism. Algorithms are developed using computational topology, hyper-graphs, Social Network Analysis (SNA), Knowledge Discovery and Data-mining (KDD), agent based simulations, dynamic information systems analysis and more for detecting organized crime and predicting terrorist threats.

The methods and models used for counter terrorism and computational criminology can provide information about pattern theory and identification. In short, we treat terrorism as an organized crime, and therefore, it would be possible to use some of the traditional methods to detect terrorism evidences, but also new models can be developed looking into the new type of terrorism of 21^st century.

What is cybercrime and what current challenges does it pose?

Crime involving information and communication technologies (ICT), for example:

·        ICT as an instrument, where ICT can be used as primary tool to commit the offence (Identity theft, Internet scams and Fraud-misappropriation of funds are some of the examples)

·        ICT as target, where ICT is the target of the offence (Hacking, Misuse of  ICT resources, Denial of service, Stealing information)

·        ICT as Ancillary Resource, where conventional crime can be assisted by ICT; in other words technology can be used to commit conventional crime or technology can be used to store information about crime (Fraud, Money laundering, etc., are known examples)

As the cybercrime has border-less and transnational reach, therefore, there is urgent need to establish competency in predictive cyber analysis and to develop trusted relationships to encourage information sharing among the INTEL agencies.  There are number of challenges in cybercrime, for example

·        Enforcing extraterritorial/ trans-border law enforcement activity

·        Many offences are never detected

·        Many detected offences are never reported

·        Difficult to quantify the offence

·        Difficult to “Police” the cyber space

·        Evidence can be intangible

·        Issuing warrant without knowledge of the precise location of data (evidence) can be problematic

·        Evidence can be destroyed during search

·        Encryption and other concealment technologies are available to offenders

·        Human rights and privacy issue, etc.

How can the right to individual privacy be balanced against the need for protection from cybercrime?

It is a very difficult question; I think security is more important than privacy of individual person in some cases.  But according to the laws of each country, the privacy problem should be dealt in treating with cyber criminals.

Illegal Drug Trafficking: Synthetic drugs surpassed world consumption of cocaine and heroine.

New York- Tuesday 13,2011.- The United Nations reported today that synthetic drugs like ecstasy and methamphetamine have moved up in the rankings to a  second place within the illicit drugs consumption.   In the world, synthetic drugs are now more used than cocaine and heroin. Only marihuana is the most common hallucinogen in the globe, more than synth drugs.

In a study made by the Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC, the UN said the information indicated that the meth tablets and seizures of clandestine laboratories shows a worrying trend on the rise.

Holland and Burma continue to be the major producers, but its manufacture has spread to new countries and regions including West Africa.

In the Americas the main producer of synthetic drugs is the cartel of Sinaloa, leade by the criminal Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman.

Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham and our Publisher Victor Bjørgan during EISIC 2011, European Intelligence & Security Informatics Conference on Counterterrorism and Criminology.

On September 12th, and during the first day of the conference EISIC 2011 “European Intelligence & Security Informatics Conference, on Counterterrorism and Criminology,” the first keynote speech was given by the expert Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham Cyber ​​Security (BT) (*). The title of his presentation was “Data Mining for Malicious Code Detection and Security Applications”. Among the highlights of his academic dissertation BT defined the meaning of saying that data mining “is the process of posing queries and extracting patterns different from data using techniques”. About its use, she said the technology can be used in national security as well aganist cybercrime and security, like f.e. like to Prevent buildings, destroying critical infrastructure (power, telecom). Dr Thuraisingham said that also can Data Mining find out who the bad guys are, capable of carrying out those Terrorist Activities.
Defining Cyber ​​Security BT said it is a technology to Protect the computer and network systems due to Against Corruption last generation of malware like Trojan horses, worms and viruses, including the ultradangerous malware called RAMAL (Radioactive Adaptive Malware), as well as intrusion detection and auditing.

During the first part of the presentation, BT described her research (together with Prof Latifur Khan and students of the University of Texas) and said that some techniques like the Link Analysis technology can be used to trace the viruses to the perpetrators. Another technology called Classification can prevent future attacks depending on the data mining learned about the terrorists through emails and phone conversations. The technology can also separate between real threats and non threats at all, by reducing false positives and false negatives.

More into details of her speech, BT said that the researched techniques like the CFB Program can extract the code blocker malware from data, and make a control flow analysis. She also compared her System with another already in the market , the code blocker SigFree, and assured her system is better, performs better.   Her System can detect Malware that is evolving continuosly, even every milisecond, like the RAMAL (Radioactive Adaptive Malware). Currently, all last generation malware evolve continuosly and it is difficult to prevent for regular firewalls. Dr. Bhavani Thuraisimgham defined her anti RAMAL malware tech as the NCD Novel Class Detection, and the tool is the system based on NCD, the so called SNOD or SNODMAL).

Currently, the most advanced Malware goes undetected because a continuos change in behaviours , every milisecond, and the regular anti malware software can not keep up that speed.

BT assured that her SNOD hast the ability to detect new classes of malware and its changes. She used the SNODMAL, malware detector using SNOD.

She classified the Malware in two categories: Benign and Novel.

The usefullness of SNODMAL will extend to detect multiple novel malware classes and quarantine them.

Summarizing, BT also revealed that they are working to find the best way to detect where this malware attack comes from, and to be able to attribute the attack, where it come from with 100% certainty (to avoid false accusations). Several countries have been attacjed by these novel malware.

In regard to the privacy matter, BT affirmed that the extract of results of the data mining should be private, this is a legal matter, not only an ethical one.

Once her speech finalized and the round of questions ended, Dr. Bhavani Thuraisimgham met Victor Bjoergan , CEO of the U.S. based Global Security Services LLC,  also Publisher of TheAmericasPost.com and EuropeSecurityNews (this under construction). Both discussed the importance of developing these technologies, and its role anti Cybercrime and the strengthening of global security against terrorism.

(*) READ MORE ABOUT DR. BHAVANI THURAISINGHAM

(**) MORE ON DR.THURAISINGHAM

Good Initiative in Security: Government in El Salvador will reeducate juveniles into military discipline

The Minister of National Defense of El Salvador, David Munguia Payés , said that the plan is aimed at those young people “at risk” living in areas of influence of the “maras” (a dangerous international gang linked to Zetas and other criminal groups) . The project will be presented by the government to the United Nations UN to seek international funding.

General Payés Munguia said the plan is to recruit some 5,000 young people living in areas influenced by gangs (Maras) and intern them to receive unarmed military discipline.

“It seeks to instill some discipline and training in the field of civil protection and job skills,” said the military chief.

“We will meet with UN staff to present some ideas that we have in regard to this program and see if they can help us fund it,” said the officer.

Minister National Defense of El Salvador David Munguia Payes (center) and wife meeting Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, under the gaze of General Chiang Kai Shek.

The Salvadoran government has said in recent days that they lack funds to finance the project, which has caused controversy in Salvadoran society.

In El Salvador, about 12 people are killed daily. Police officials say that ten percent of homicides are committed by juveniles linked to gangs.