When the first aircraft struck the World Trade Center what were your thoughts? Was terrorism your first thought? Or, was your first thought more like “How could that happen?” The first crash caught most people trying to figure out what human or mechanical error could have caused the crash. However, a little over 15 minutes later and the instant Flight 175 came into view we knew we were under attack. As the jet slammed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center our view changed and the response of police and fire personnel to the WTC and the other incidents changed.

Our response changed because the additional information of the second aircraft changed our perception regarding the first. Our perceptions moved closer to the reality because additional information gave meaning and enhanced our comprehension of what we were observing. By gaining additional information we became aware of the true nature of the situation.

Most Americans are at least somewhat familiar with the story of Afghanistan. They know about the years of Soviet occupation which inspired thousands of mujahideen fighters to travel to this remote, barren land, where they learned guerilla warfare tactics and formed indelible bonds of trust. When the Soviets eventually left the country, the mujahideen declared victory, inspiring the global umma and emboldening men like Abdul Azzam and Osama bin Laden to establish a global network of veterans which they named al Qaeda.

They know the story of how a group of Islamic extremists calling themselves Taliban—many of whom were inspired at radical Pakistani madrasas—led an insurgency to overthrow a weak government and establish an Islamic state in Afghanistan. The international community stood by and watched as an impoverished failed state teetered between anarchy and religious extremism, where Buddhist shrines were destroyed and women were stoned to death in public.

In 2006, California Peace Officer Standards and Training issued their new Operational Guidelines and Standardized Training Recommendations for SWAT, or emergency response teams. Issues covered include:

1. Definition of SWAT
2. SWAT Team Components
3. Planning
4. Legal and Practical issues of SWAT Operations
5. Personnel Selection, Physical Fitness and Core Skills Proficiency
6. Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Operations
7. Logistical and Resource Needs
8. Policy Considerations

It is impossible to count the number of times I placed suspects in handcuffs during my law enforcement career. I recall being aware that it was possible to pick the cuffs, but fortunately, I never actually encountered anyone who managed to do that. That does not mean it could never happen though. There are individuals out there who possess the knowledge, skill and motivation to do this and the information is freely available on the internet.

More than 2,000 miles from his home in Michigan City, Ind., and nearly 100 miles into the Arizona desert, Sgt. Brian Rogers, an Indiana National Guard member with the 938th Military Police Detachment, scans the brush and rugged terrain for anything worthy of a radio call to Tucson Sector Border Patrol.

He knows why he and 43 other Indiana Guard members are there, and after weeks of watching the desert for activity, understands the impact. "Most people don't realize what's going on, how much we're helping, but when you're here, you get it," said Rogers. "We're (the Border Patrol's) eyes and ears."

The Crime Mapping and Analysis Program (CMAP), located at the University of Denver, National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC-Rocky Mountain) announces the release of the Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) Developer's Kit.

The Kit is a unique collection of documents, tools and examples to assist in the design, creation, implementation and expansion of any crime analysis unit. This assembly of information, examples and software utilities is a free public service by CMAP, a program of the National Institute of Justice.

In keeping with the intent of Congress, Section 1405 of the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 directed the Attorney General to develop a national recommended standard for licensed health care professionals performing sexual assault forensic examinations. As such, a national SAFE Protocol of 2004 was published based on the collaborative efforts of many of the nation’s foremost experts in sexual assault treatment, advocacy, law enforcement, prosecution, forensic science, nursing, and medicine. The experts represented all areas of the country including tribal, rural, urban, regional, and national interests.

The SAFE TA project is funded through a grant from the Office of Violence Against Women. The mission of the project is for the IAFN to be the lead technical assistance agency for dissemination of the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations of Adults and Adolescents of 2004 The Objectives of this project are:

• To Disseminate the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations of Adults and Adolescents of September, 2004.
• Establish a National Toll Free Help line for technical assistance.
• Develop an interactive technical assistance web site for the SAFE Protocol.
• Provide limited on-site technical assistance to communicates struggling to establish and/or maintain SART initiatives.
• Provide a national training and education plan.

There’s no question that terrorism, the growth of multicultural populations, massive migration, upheavals in age-composition demographics, technological developments, and globalization over the next three or more decades will affect the world’s criminal justice systems. But how? What forces will have the greatest influence?

Since September 11, 2001, research on terrorism has increasingly focused on suicide terrorism. Though the number of terrorist attacks has decreased since the mid-1980’s, fatalities have dramatically increased because of a rise in especially lethal suicide attacks by individuals on behalf of terrorist organizations.

NIJ hosted a Suicide Terrorism Research Conference in October 2004 that brought together a distinguished panel focused on this phenomenon. Although the presenters differed in their approach to the study of suicide terrorism, the discussions yielded a rich exchange of ideas that may serve to broaden the scope of future research