pigstymagic asked you:

First off, I absolutely love this blog and it’s helped and inspired me so much when it comes to writing and characters. (My dream is to write graphic novels and direct animated films!) I am wondering, however, if there are any resources or tips for writing a master thief/ infamous criminal, gang theft, crime in all forms? One of my stories involves a time period where crime is considered a ‘competitive sport’.

• Sly/Cunning/Sneaky: They need to get around without being noticed. This can be done in any situation. Some are able to do it in the middle of a crowd by being casual in the crime. Others are able to sneak around when no one is looking.
• Clean: They know how to clean up after themselves and get rid of any evidence of their existence. If the technology you’re using was not invented before the late 1800’s or early 1900’s, blood traces and won’t be a problem. If you’re writing in our world, fingerprints weren’t a problem until the cops starting using them in the early 1900’s.
• Agile/Adept: Thieves can break into places without too much trouble. They know to examine and plan before taking action. They want to do as little damage as possible. Criminals have to be fast, strong, and nimble. They can’t make sound and they can’t mess up.
• Intuitive/Pays Attention: To be successful, a thief needs to pay attention to detail. They need to trust their instinct if experienced. Criminals who know what they’re doing shouldn’t second guess themselves.
• Gutsy: They can’t back out. Thieves have to stay calm and focused throughout their heist. They can’t hesitate or be reluctant to get the job done. They also need to know how to lie to get out of tricky situations.
• Practical/Punctual: Everything has to be done right and done on time. There can’t be any errors or screw ups. Every detail must be checked.
• Connections: Some may have connections to others when needed. For example, most criminals have someone they can call if someone accidentally gets shot or killed. They have a rogue doctor to go to so they don’t have to report anything to the police. They have someone to back them up or bail them out (for a price). A lot of thieves in schools have a system. A lot of students steal. These students give the stolen goods to a few other students, who then sell it to even less students. That last level of students have a huge stash of stolen goods and then sell it to others to make a profit. However, before they do that, they have other students (some are employees at electronic stores and stuff) who are able to hack phones, computers, and more to wipe the memories clean and reset them. Just something to think about.
• Pride: Professional criminals take pride in their work. They may brag about it, but only to the right people. Some may not brag at all and take content in being silent. However, they’re still careful about how boastful they are.

• A Guide to Crime Organizations
• The Thief
• Skyrim’s Thieves’ Guild
• 10 Truly Successful Thieves

• True Crime - Well Written
• True Crime Heists
• Organized Crime
• Chicago Crime

Anonymous asked: Do you know of any forensics science and criminology resources or references? I’m basically looking for information on what crime scene investigators do, how they study the evidence and come up with educated guesses on what happen and whatnot. I’m having trouble finding that information but I think it’s because I’m just not looking in the right area.

  Here are some links I found that look like they should be helpful: