In 1962, the Mansfield (Ohio) Police Department stationed officers armed with a movie camera behind a two-way mirror in a public restroom known for its "cruisy" atmosphere. With the help of the footage shot, dozens of men were arrested, prosecuted, and convicted on sodomy charges, which at the time carried mandatory minimum sentences of a year in prison. In 2007, the original surveillance footage was obtained by filmmaker William E. Jones. He's screened the unedited 56 minute film as Tearoom at festivals and museums the world over, providing a clandestine look at the scrutiny small-town Midwestern gay men faced in the 1960's. [warning: explicit, NSFW material lies beyond most links] [more inside]
posted by item on Feb 9, 2012 - 82 comments

Blockbuster: DSK may be freed Friday as the rape case against him collapses The NYT reports prosecutors found the chambermaid was involved with drug dealers, possible extortion. previously
posted by CunningLinguist on Jun 30, 2011 - 337 comments

A Crime of Shadows: Mark Bowden shows both sides of a police sting of Internet child predators. [more inside]
posted by reenum on Jan 27, 2010 - 76 comments

The Czech Republic offers surgical castration as a "voluntary" option to sex offenders, whose rate of recidivism in some studies then drops precipitously. Officials at the Council of Europe are outraged, calling the punishment "invasive, irreversible and mutilating." Atul Gawande noted 10 years ago that, despite his reservations, castration works - at least against a subclass of offenders: the pedophiles and sadists.
posted by shivohum on Mar 14, 2009 - 86 comments

London's 30 Most Erotic Writers, 50 Crime Writers To Read Before You Die
posted by fearfulsymmetry on Mar 1, 2008 - 20 comments

Love thy Neighbor Photographer and author Steven Hirsh has photographed the homes of registered New York State sex offenders. A wonderful writer and photographer, this work is chilling, alarming, beautiful. I get that Quentin Tarantino feeling of beauty and disgust. Look at me, nooooo look away. The series of 24 images are on Hirsch's website.
posted by doug3505 on Jan 7, 2008 - 41 comments

Genarlow Wilson, now 19, had his sentence reversed today and is expected to leave prison shortly. He served two years of his ten-year-sentence for engaging in consensual sex acts with a fellow teenager. Previously discussed here.
posted by macrowave on Jun 11, 2007 - 52 comments

www.lodger.tv, the official website of the Finnish band Lodger (wikipedia, myspace), best known for their flash videos about love, death, crime and sex. I love death (flash) has been mentioned previously, but look out for God has rejected the western world (flash) and 24h candy machine (flash). They also made a video (flash) for LeLabo Fragrances, set to the tune of 24h candy machine. All flash movies are NSFW with music, same goes for the myspace link.
posted by kisch mokusch on Apr 6, 2007 - 7 comments

Adultery could mean life, Michigan's second-highest court reported that anyone involved in an extramarital fling can be prosecuted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony punishable by up to life in prison. Michigan's Supreme Court majority has held that it is for the Legislature, not the courts, to decide when the absurdity threshold has been breached.
posted by IronWolve on Jan 16, 2007 - 122 comments

It is impossible to read this sexuality material from the University of Missouri and not conclude that Michael Jackson is a pedophile. But then you read about the inconsistencies in the current case and wonder if he has ever actually acted on his pedophilic urges; the overwhelming majority never fulfill their fantasies.
posted by johnnydark on Mar 11, 2005 - 46 comments

Homosexuality in 18th Century England :: an amazing compilation of primary source material from newspaper reports and other sources.
posted by anastasiav on Mar 3, 2005 - 13 comments