Mate crime

Mate Crime is a form of crime in which a perpetrator befriends a vulnerable person with the intention of then exploiting the person financially, physically or sexually. "Mate" (British usage for close friend) crime perpetrators take advantage of the isolation and vulnerability of their victim to win their confidence. Research has highlighted common factors in Mate Crime and Hate Crime.

In publicity regarding Mate Crime, Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group states:

Victims of mate crime may be enticed into committing criminal acts themselves and taking the blame so as to protect the real perpetrator, although the vulnerable person may lack the mental capacity themselves to be treated as a criminal. The National Autistic Society has noted that "Many people with autism desperately want to have friends, but may struggle to know the best ways of starting and maintaining friendships" and are therefore at risk of mate crime abuse.

In 2011 a serious case review following the death of Gemma Hayter found "clear evidence that Hayter was susceptible to abuse, as it was known she had suffered "mate crime" regularly over some time" and noted that "an overall lack of thoroughness and information-sharing led to 'a number of missed opportunities' to find out what was happening more generally in her life and the company she was keeping".

Crime

In ordinary language, the term crime denotes an unlawful act punishable by a state. The term "crime" does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition, though statutory definitions have been provided for certain purposes. The most popular view is that crime is a category created by law; in other words, something is a crime if declared as such by the relevant and applicable law. One proposed definition is that a crime or offence (or criminal offence) is an act harmful not only to some individual or individuals but also to a community, society or the state ("a public wrong"). Such acts are forbidden and punishable by law.

The notion that acts such as murder, rape and theft are to be prohibited exists worldwide. What precisely is a criminal offence is defined by criminal law of each country. While many have a catalogue of crimes called the criminal code, in some common law countries no such comprehensive statute exists.

The state (government) has the power to severely restrict one's liberty for committing a crime. In modern societies, there are procedures to which investigations and trials must adhere. If found guilty, an offender may be sentenced to a form of reparation such as a community sentence, or, depending on the nature of their offence, to undergo imprisonment, life imprisonment or, in some jurisdictions, execution.

Crime & Investigation Network (Australia)

Crime & Investigation Network (also known as CI) is an Australian digital cable and satellite television channel which focuses on crime, investigation and mystery programming. It is run by Foxtel Management Pty Ltd and programming and name are licensed to them by A&E Television Networks.

The channel shows a variety of shows dealing with criminal investigations. The content is mostly sourced from overseas except for limited original content such as the popular Crime Investigation Australia hosted by Steve Liebmann focusing on infamous Australian crimes.

In 2007, the channel became available in New Zealand on SKY TV, Channel 071

Programming

See also

Crime (novel)

Crime is a 2008 novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. It is the sequel to his earlier novel, Filth.

Plot summary

The main protagonist is Ray Lennox; a Detective Inspector with the Lothian and Borders Police who attempts to recover from a mental breakdown induced by stress, cocaine and alcohol abuse and a child murder case in Edinburgh in which he was the lead investigating officer by taking a holiday in Florida with his fiancée, Trudi. The pair meet up with Eddie 'Ginger' Rodgers, one of Lennox's retired former colleagues, and his wife Delores, and they all drink into the early hours of the morning. The next morning Lennox finds himself craving more alcohol and goes to a bar with Trudi where they have an argument which causes Trudi to angrily leave the bar. Lennox continues drinking heavily. Soon afterwards he meets two women, Starry and Robyn, in a different bar and they all go back Robyn's apartment where they drink more alcohol and take cocaine. They are soon joined by two men, Lance Dearing and Johnnie, and a fight breaks out a short time later when Lennox sees Johnnie is sexually assaulting Tianna, Robyn's ten-year-old daughter. Lennox incapacitates Johnnie and struggles with Dearing who ultimately leaves the apartment with everyone except Lennox and Tianna, who have locked themselves in a bathroom. After a fight Lennox is left in the apartment with Tianna, the 10-year-old daughter of one of the women.