This second edition covers the changes to the law of criminal conspiracy in the Commonwealth, Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory up to 1990. These changes were not in practice significant - the crime survives in its fundamentals in all jurisdictions. They have been dealt with in this second edition along with the many decisions on the topic which have been reported since 1981.

This up-to-date introduction to the complex world of conspiracies and conspiracy theories provides insight into why millions of people are so ready to believe the worst about our political, legal, religious, and financial institutions. Unsupported theories provide simple explanations for catastrophes that are otherwise difficult to understand, from the U.S. Civil War to the Stock Market Crash of 1929 to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Ideas about shadowy networks that operate behind a cloak of secrecy, including real organizations like the CIA and the Mafia and imagined ones like the Illuminati, additionally provide a way for people to criticize prevailing political and economic arrangements, while for society's disadvantaged and forgotten groups, conspiracy theories make their suffering and alienation comprehensible and provide a focal point for their economic or political frustrations. These volumes detail the highly controversial and influential phenomena of conspiracies and conspiracy theories in American society. Through interpretive essays and factual accounts of various people, organizations, and ideas, the reader will gain a much greater appreciation for a set of beliefs about political scheming, covert intelligence gathering, and criminal rings that has held its grip on the minds of millions of American citizens and encouraged them to believe that the conspiracies may run deeper, and with a global reach.

Conspiring to commit a crime is a criminal offence. Under the current law, when two or more persons plot a crime they can be arrested at the planning stage, regardless of whether the crime is ultimately committed. Attempting to commit a crime is also an offence, but only if the perpetrator commits an act which is a "more than merely preparatory" step towards the commission of the offence itself. This consultation paper examines these two areas of criminal law. With conspiracy, conviction is dependent on it being proved that the perpetrator actually knows that the crime will be committed. With criminal attempt the uncertain character of the law leaves too much doubt in cases where common sense suggests that the accused is guilty. The law's definition of "preparatory" has become too generous to the accused. The Commission puts forward 21 proposals for consultation (which closes on 31 January 2008). The proposals should be considered in light of the recommendations made in the Commission's 2006 report "Inchoate liability for assisting and encouraging crime" (Cm. 6878, Law Com. No. 300, ISBN 9780101687829).

Q&A Criminal Law gives students the opportunity to practise and hone their exam technique with clear guidance and tips from experienced examiners.

The author specializes in complex RICO litigation with emphasis on application of the Pinkerton Doctrine in RICO conspiracy. James N. Gross, Esq., of Philadelphia, PA., and the author represent plaintiffs in the RICO conspiracy case of Smith v. Berg, 247 F.3d 532 (3rd Cir. 2001). A member of both the RICO Law Reporter Advisory Board and the Civil RICO Report Advisory Board, the author publishes extensively upon RICO conspiracy law and the Pinkerton Doctrine, as well as addressing RICO aiding and abetting issues. Willamette University College of Law, JD 1976, New York University Graduate Tax Program, 1981. Former staff attorney , 1978 House Select Committee on Assassinations. The author's avocation includes researching and analyzing the role of the American intelligence community and the events culminating in the attack upon the American embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam, on 31 January 1968, and the attacks during the 1968 Tet Offensive at Khe Sanh, Hue City, and the My Lai Massacre, 16 March 1968.

Intended for an undergraduate criminal law course within a criminal justice program, A Brief Introduction to Criminal Law, Second Edition provides a gentle introduction to the subject ideal for students that do not intend to pursue law school. The principles of criminal law are explained step-by-step with a focus on the professional applications of legal principles within the criminal justice system. The second edition contains more and updated case studies, additional coverage of consitutional law and terrorism, and enhanced figures and tables. Written in a conversational tone, A Brief Introduction to Criminal Law, Second Edition is the ideal resource for undergraduate students taking a criminal law course.

For many years, conspiracy theories have been among the most popular story elements in Hollywood films. According to the "conspiracy culture," Government, Big Business, the Church, even aliens--all of which, bundled together, comprise the ubiquitous "Them"--are concealing some of the biggest secrets in American and world history. From The Manchurian Candidate (1962) to JFK (1991), The Matrix (1999) to The Da Vinci Code (2006), this decade-by-decade history explores our fascination with paranoia. The work paints a vivid picture of several of the more prevalent conspiracy theories and the entertainment they have inspired, not only in theatrical films but also in such television series as The X-Files, Lost and V.