Monthly Archives: April 2014
Record Number of Wrongful Convictions Overturned
The bedrock of the U.S. judicial system is the presumption of innocence. Still, there is a pervasive belief that anyone who is arrested must be guilty of something. Some people even implicate themselves by falsely confessing to a crime they did not commit. A recent report on exonerations — the dismissal of criminal charges — […]
The Five Types of Pennsylvania Drug Charges
Pennsylvania drug laws are tough and often carry severe penalties, including mandatory sentencing. The law recognizes a wide spectrum of drug infractions and crimes, from misdemeanors — such as being caught with a small amount of marijuana on your person — to felony drug trafficking charges. Because there are so many circumstances that can affect […]
Should Juveniles Be on the Sex Offender List?
In 2006, the federal government passed the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act, which made funds available to states that adopted its recommendations. In 2012, Pennsylvania qualified with the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act (SORNA). Under SORNA, any sex offender over the age of 14 must submit to registration requirements for at least 25 […]
Strategies for Reducing Underage Drinking
In 2007, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a call to public health organizations to come up with strategies to reduce underage alcohol consumption. Even though the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, binge drinking and alcohol abuse among middle school, high school and college students causes more than 4,300 deaths per year, […]
What Are the Signs of DUID?
Since 2004, Pennsylvania has been training municipal police and state troopers as drug recognition experts (DREs). The signs that may indicate someone is driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) are not always the same signs someone driving inebriated may display. Unfortunately, most law enforcement officers do not get DRE training, and many DUID arrests […]
