Mr. Big: Exposing Undercover Investigations in Canada - Softcover

Keenan, Kouri T.; Brockman, Joan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1552663760 ISBN 13: 9781552663769

Publisher: Fernwood Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

After surveying more than 80 cases in which a confession was accepted as evidence in a "Mr. Big" organized crime sting, these legal experts suggest changes in undercover police practices in Canada. "Mr. Big" in these cases is a policeman posing as a criminal kingpin in order to coerce a confession from a suspect, but this study finds that this ruse is most successful when the suspect is from a marginalized group. In addition, police officers sometimes commit criminal offences while undercover—or they fake criminal behavior during the course of the sting—and the pretend 'interrogations' are not bounded by normal interview standards. On these grounds, the authors propose that this practice be drastically curtailed.

About this title

About the Author:

Kouri Keenan is a PhD student in the school of criminology at Simon Fraser University. Joan Brockman is a professor in the school of criminology at Simon Fraser University. She is the author of Gender in the Legal Profession: Fitting or Breaking the Mould and the coauthor of An Introduction to Canadian Criminal Procedure and Evidence. They both live in Vancouver, British Columbia.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fernwood Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1552663760
• ISBN 13: 9781552663769
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 133