Crime Stoppers International

Crime Stoppers International Foundation or CSI Foundation (CSI) is an umbrella organization that aims to spread the Crime Stoppers program in countries around the world. Crime Stoppers is a program designed to utilize the media and other resources to entice information from the public that can facilitate police investigations. CSI is run by a volunteer board and its activities include hosting annual training conferences and supporting regional leadership and training programs. CSI coordinates networking resources for local Crime Stoppers' operations, such as a website and a print publication called The Caller. It is funded by dues paid by member organizations.

The Crime Stoppers program began in the 1970s as an effort to solve a crime that was committed with no witnesses and few leads for police investigators. The main goal is to produce televised re-enactments, offer rewards and promises of anonymity for information leading to an arrest. Detective Greg MacAleese was investigating the murder of a gas station attendant, Michael Carmen, in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1976 when he came up with the idea.^[1][2]

It was reported on 19 February 2024 that CSI entered into an agreement with Pornhub as a result of the agreement between Porn Hub and U.S. prosecutors over ties to alleged sex trafficking.^[3][4] This new partnership was approved at a recent Crime Stoppers International Board meeting, which was attended by three representatives of the Crime Stoppers USA Board.

Crime Stoppers Canada

In Canada, a Supreme Court of Canada decision R. v . Leipert, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 281 ruled unanimously that police do not have to disclose any information they receive from the crime prevention program.

The rule of informer privilege is of such fundamental importance to the workings of a criminal justice system it cannot be balanced against other interest relating to the administration of justice...Once the privilege has been established, neither the police nor the court possesses discretion to abridge it.^[5]

Crime Stoppers Barbados

In 2009, it was reported that information from Crime Stoppers had resulted in 18 arrests, 34 charges and 23 cases cleared for the year.^[6] One of Barbados' leading newspapers additionally reported that Crime Stoppers Barbados Inc.^[7][8] was to-date the fastest growing of the worldwide organisations belonging to the group. Tony Phillips, as chairman of the local unit stated that "Over 90 per cent of the tips have been useful . . . [and] the success ratio is well documented by the police force." Regarding the local unit, Philips further maintained, "They [Crime Stoppers] have never seen one of the organisations develop as quickly as we have, and I think that it is a significant achievement. Tips have been on or above average for a Crimestoppers International, exceeding 50 per month, which is the average for international organisations," he stated.^[9]

Crime Stoppers Guatemala

In Guatemala Crime Stoppers signed an agreement with the Ministry of the Interior (Governance) and operates tupista.gt, a website collecting anonymous tips.^[10] Crime Stoppers Guatemala, with the support of INL, launched the call center in late 2021.^[11] During 2022, the call center received over 37,000 calls from citizens.^[12]

Leadership

The president of Crime Stoppers in Guatemala is a member of a well known family of business owners in that country.^[who?] In 2018, together with other business leaders, he admitted to illegally financing a political party.^[which?][13] Charges were only dropped after the investigating body was cancelled^{[clarification needed]} by the president of the political party he funded in part.^[14]

See also

• Crime Stoppers USA

References

1. MacAleese, Greg (12 July 2016). Crime Stoppers: The Inside Story. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 9781533259721.
2. Millar, Cal (7 August 2014). What Is Crime Stoppers. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 9781500645939.
3. Duffy, Andrew (19 February 2024). "Pornhub's Ottawa owners join forces with Crime Stoppers International". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
4. "Montreal-based Pornhub owner reaches deal with U.S. prosecutors over ties to alleged sex trafficking". CBC.ca. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
5. Greater Vancouver Crime Stoppers (12 November 2007). . Greater Vancouver Crime Stoppers. Archived from the original on 25 April 2009.
6. Staff writer (8 January 2009). "Tips to Crime Stoppers helping lawmen". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 10 January 2010.^{[dead link]}
7. Crime Stoppers Barbados Inc.
8. Organisation registration record July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO)
9. W., L. (18 December 2009). "Tips flowing in to local crime body". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 23 December 2009.^{[dead link]}
10. "Fortalecerán denuncia ciudadana por medio de plataforma Crime Stoppers". Ministerio de Gobernación (in Spanish). 16 June 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
11. . tupistia.gt (in Spanish). 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
12. "Crime Stoppers, PNC y la denuncia ciudadana: una herramienta contra la delincuencia". La Hora (in Spanish). 25 January 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
13. Cumes, William. ""Pedimos disculpas a Guatemala", dicen empresarios que financiaron a FCN-Nación – Prensa Libre" (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 January 2022.
14. Arana, Lourdes (25 November 2021). . La Hora (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

External links

• Crime Stoppers International
• Crime Stoppers Australia
• Crime Stoppers Bahamas
• Crime Stoppers Belize
• Canadian Crime Stoppers Web Site
• Crime Stoppers Trinidad & Tobago
• Tu Pista (Crime Stoppers Guatemala)