In recognition of the need to combat the altogether staggering number of fatalities here in Florida attributable to heroin and prescription opiate overdoses, state lawmakers took the bold step of passing the Emergency Treatment and Recovery Act. The measure, signed into law by Governor Rick Scott this past summer, allows those people with loved ones who are struggling with an…
This past summer, our blog began providing some background information on the sex crime registry here in Florida, examining the distinction between sexual offenders and sexual predators, the basic registration requirements for both, and the ability of these parties to be removed from the registry. As part of our ongoing effort to help explain how the system works, and demonstrate…
Now that we are a few weeks into the start of the NFL season, football fans are finally starting to see which teams are for real and which players are poised to have Pro Bowl seasons. This is not all they’re seeing, however, as those football fans who choose to tune in via their television sets and radios, or over…
With Halloween now just a few weeks away, people of all ages across Florida are busy planning parties, looking for costumes and, of course, buying candy. While most of the warnings involving Halloween candy are geared toward kids — have a parent check your confections before eating them, don’t eat too much, etc. — both law enforcement and health officials…
Chances are good that you’ve heard of predictive analytics, meaning the extraction of information from existing data pools as a means of identifying patterns, and forecasting certain outcomes or movements. Chances are also good that you’ve heard of predictive analytics being used to help law enforcement officials identify areas where they think crimes are most likely to occur, such that…
There is no question that the whole process of being pulled over and subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence can prove to be confusing, embarrassing and altogether frightening. That’s because one minute you were minding your own business behind the wheel, while the next minute you were stopped on the side of the road, asked a multitude…
From weapons offenses and drug crimes to sex crimes and homicides, there are certain criminal offenses that we know — or at least suspect — are almost always charged as felonies by law enforcement officials. However, it’s important to know that there is certain activity that a person might not even realize is a crime, let alone a more serious…
When it comes to marijuana, there’s really no disputing that things have changed considerably here in the U.S. over the last decade. Indeed, 23 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, 19 states have partially or fully decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, and four states have even legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. Despite this seismic shift in the…
In a series of ongoing posts, we’ve spent some time exploring how anyone convicted of a sex crime here in Florida must register as either a sexual predator or sexual offender upon their release, as well as the rather draconian reporting requirements that accompany each of these classifications under state law. In light of just how onerous and stringent these…
Every year more than eight million college students across the U.S. receive much-needed assistance from the federal government in the form of Pell grants. For those unfamiliar with this financial aid, it is essentially an educational gift, not a loan, awarded to deserving students based on factors such as cost of tuition and need. Interestingly enough, inmates in both state…
