Editor’s Note: This is the twelfth episode in Season 3 of Break the Case. Listen to the first episode. Listen to Episode 12: Subscribe to Break the Case Spotify | Apple Podcasts As the 16-year anniversary of Linda Malcom’s murder approaches, AMU’s investigative team receives hopeful news that police are make notable progress in identifying Linda’s killer. In this episode, Jen Bucholtz talks with Detective Andee Walton, the lead investigator from the Port Orchard PD, assigned to Linda’s case. Detective Walton provides her thoughts and theories on Linda’s murderer, updates o ..read more

Combating human trafficking should involve nationwide training. Ideally, everyone should be informed of the pervasiveness of human trafficking in communities throughout the United States. Sadly, human trafficking occurs in all 50 states. As a result, U.S. citizens have an essential role in recognizing the signs of human trafficking and taking action, which can save lives. Learning the Signs of Human Trafficking To effectively fight human trafficking, everyone should learn the indicators of human trafficking and how to report their observations to law enforcement agencies. Traffickers commonly ..read more

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new educational partnership with rideshare company Lyft®.  Through an in-person tutorial program, Lyft drivers will be taught how to detect and prevent human trafficking. The program is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign that combats human trafficking. DHS notes that this program will create greater awareness of human trafficking “so the one million people who drive on the Lyft platform can recognize and report it when they see it,” according to Lyft CEO Davis Risher. The DHS also notes that there are ..read more

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will begin on June 1 and end on November 30. For those people who live and work in coastal regions, it will be a hurricane season to closely monitor. According to AccuWeather, “a super-charged hurricane season could spawn a near-record number of storms in the Atlantic this year.” AccuWeather meteorologists based this prediction on sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic basin and the Gulf of Mexico that are well above the historical average. Warm ocean temperatures enable hurricanes to rapidly strengthen when there is not significant wind shear, which involv ..read more

Editor’s Note: This is the eleventh episode in Season 3 of Break the Case. Listen to the first episode. Listen to Episode 11: Subscribe to Break the Case Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts Jen Bucholtz recently returned to Port Orchard, Washington to conduct additional on-the-ground investigation and meet with law enforcement officials. Ambient light from a street light is enough to see the entrance to Linda Malcom’s driveway, but the area where Linda’s house once stood (currently blocked by a new fence and hedges) has minimal ambient light, just like whe ..read more

Note: This is the third article in a three-part series involving my visit to the southwest border of the U.S. in February 2024. In the first and second articles in this three-part series, I discussed the horrifying stories of migrants who had been trafficked and smuggled to the southwest border of the U.S. But this problem at the southwest border is so massive, so what can be done to mitigate it? Potential Solutions to the Southwest Border Crisis One way to mitigate this crisis is to take better care of the unaccompanied children who are trafficked to the U.S. In addition to the danger of bein ..read more

Gangs exist within communities throughout the United States, and they continue to thrive because of gang recruitment. Between working in law enforcement as a gang liaison officer and speaking with gang members as a researcher, I have heard many stories of how people have been recruited. What Is the Appeal of Gangs? For many members, gangs fill a void in someone’s life, providing a sense of acceptance and belonging to a family. For instance, children who come from broken homes, have families with substance abuse problems, and lack parental supervision are especially at risk of being recruited i ..read more

Human trafficking is an especially vile crime. Victims are not only robbed of their freedom by human traffickers, but they are also robbed of their dignity, sense of self-worth and personal value. These feelings occur because the victims are placed in unspeakable situations at the hands of human traffickers. Sex trafficking victims are considered a reusable product, so they may be exploited more than 15 times a day. What Type of Person Is Responsible for Human Trafficking? To understand the psychology of human traffickers, it is necessary to ask the question, “What type of person is responsibl ..read more

Note: This is the third article in a three-part series involving my visit to the southwest border of the U.S. in February 2024. In the first and second articles in this three-part series, I discussed the horrifying stories of migrants who had been trafficked and smuggled to the southwest border of the U.S. But this problem at the southwest border is so massive, so what can be done to mitigate it? Potential Solutions to the Southwest Border Crisis One way to mitigate this crisis is to take better care of the unaccompanied children who are trafficked to the U.S. In addition to the danger of bein ..read more

Note: This is the second article in a three-part series involving my visit to the southwest border of the U.S. in February 2024. During the week of February 19, 2024, I toured the southwest border of the U.S. in the area around McAllen, Texas. After the tour, I set out to explore the conditions on both sides of the border on my own. I had security protocols in place and wanted to see more of the area outside of McAllen. Nuevo Progreso and Medical Tourism On the Mexican side of the border, the first place I visited was a town called Nuevo Progreso (“New Progress”). As I walked over the bridge i ..read more