Since 1980, the population of U.S. federal prisons has climbed nearly eightfold. A recent report by the Congressionally-created Task Force on Federal Corrections attributes most of the growth in federal prison populations to two factors, both related to drug-crime sentencing. First, drug offenders make up the lion’s share of those in federal prisons. At the […]
Author: Scott Limmer
Article: You Want Fries with That Distracted Driving Charge?
Think of distracted driving, and you’ll probably get a mental image of someone talking on a cellphone behind the wheel, or a driver texting a message or fiddling with some electronic gadget. Chances are, you won’t think of a motorist chewing on a juicy burger – but that’s exactly what recently earned one driver a […]
Article: New York Senator Sponsors Federal Marijuana Law Reform
Three Senators Offer Chamber’s First Broad Marijuana Reform Bill An unusual group of three Senators — lead sponsor Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) and potential presidential hopeful Rand Paul (R-KY) — with a March 10 joint press conference announced introduction of a far-reaching marijuana law reform bill, the first of its kind offered in […]
Article: Law Enforcement Agencies Make Wide Use of Social Media
With nearly everyone in the known universe using social media, it should be no surprise law enforcement agencies are too. You may still be able to find flyspecked most-wanted notices tacked onto a wall in a post office or federal building, but many police agencies have updated for the digital age. Besides hunting for a […]
Article: Cannabis Chaos in Washington D.C. ???
It’s clear District of Columbia voters last November overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure (Initiative 71) to let residents age 21 and up legally possess as much as two ounces of marijuana for personal use, cultivate up to three mature plants, and give up to an ounce to other adults without compensation (selling would remain illegal). […]
Article: What You Should Know about Your Miranda Rights
You’ve seen it scores of times, in crime stories on TV and in movies. After collaring a suspect, the detective reels off a now familiar warning, telling the arrestee of his right to remain silent, reminding him anything he says can be used against him in court, mentioning the rights to have a lawyer present […]
Article: “Leandra’s Law” Sets Harsh Penalties for Impaired Drivers with Young Passengers
Since the 2009 enactment of Child Passenger Protection Act, more commonly known as “Leandra’s Law,” New York has made it an automatic felony to be impaired by alcohol or drugs while driving a child below the age of 16. Hailed by proponents as the nation’s toughest penalty for impaired drivers with child passengers, Leandra’s Law […]
Article: Criminal Charges Can Have Extra Consequences for Non-Citizens
Facing criminal charges can pose serious problems for anyone: jail, fines, probation, employment difficulties. But criminal charges mean additional problems for one group: those who are not U.S. citizens. While this area of the law is quite complicated, in addition to the ordinary penalties, a criminal conviction in many instances can bring serious consequences for […]
Article: When pranks become crimes
Planning to commit a crime? Maybe it’s not a good idea to tape it. Here’s a useful tip if you might be planning to tape yourself threatening strangers with what appears to be a real handgun: think twice before you post those tapes on Instagram. That’s a lesson learned the hard way by Daron Stinson, […]
Article: You Don’t Have to Be a Gang Member to Be Charged with “Gang Assault”
What is meant by “Gang Assault” in New York State? Sometimes, a legal term means exactly what you think it does. In other cases, not so much. So you may very well be surprised to learn that in New York, you can be charged for either of two felonies known as “gang assault,” even if […]