New crime blogs

Slate Magazine has launched a new law blog called Convictions (nice title), which will feature daily posts by several well-known law professors, attorneys, and journalists. As you can see from the "tag cloud" on the right-hand column, its focus thus far is upon the crossroads of the political and criminal, which overlap to an uncomfortable degree these days. Much of the recent discussion concerns the Supreme Court's pending Second Amendment case.

The blogosphere continues to expand beyond the ever-abounding (and, frankly, to me, usually tiresome) political sites (one of these days the A.C.L.U. will realize that its cause would boom if it advocated as aggressively for Second Amendment rights as it does for, say, Fifth Amendment rights.... meanwhile I promise that's the last remotely political remark I'll make in 2008).

More new blogs delve into subject areas of great interest to pure true crime junkies such as ourselves.

The cops reporters from the L.A. Daily News are blogging the crime beat at Mean Streets.

Journalism graduate student Brenna Ehrlich is blogging about Chicago crime at Watching the Detectives.

One of my favorite authors and writing buddies, Robert Waters, has posted some new content at his new blog: Getting Away With Murder. (I recently had occasion to visit the James Farm in Kearney, Missouri, and was tickled to see Robert's books prominently displayed in the gift shop.)

Women in Crime Ink launched last week with the promise of sharing the day-to-day adventures of several prominent true crime authors of the female persuasion. Author Kathryn Casey recently explained the focus of the new site in an essay posted on CrimeRant.

I'm looking forward to reading their thoughts on crime and media, particularly on the latter. Contributors include several names I already have on my bookshelves: Pat Brown, Andrea Campbell, Kathryn Casey, Tina Dirmann, Stacy Dittrich, Diane Fanning, Jenna Jackson, Vanessa Leggett, Michele McPhee, Donna Pendergast, Robin Sax, Katherine Scardino, and Donna Weaver. This one will be a must-read for me.