News & Information
How Police Get You to Confess to a Crime You Didn’t Commit
We have all seen crime dramas on television. The cops interrogate a suspected criminal for hours until the suspect finally breaks down and confesses to the crime, whether they are guilty or not. You may have watched these shows and wondered if you would ever crack under the pressure and confess to a crime you didn’t commit. A recent study suggests that under the right circumstances, most of us would.…
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New Software Allows Police to Predict When Crime Will Occur
Police departments in California are utilizing new cloud-based software that helps law enforcement agencies predict where criminal activity will occur. The software analyzes historical crime data then creates printable maps marked-up with red boxes indicating 10 to 20 locations where crimes are most likely to happen during a police officer’s shift. The software identifies these 500-by-500-feet hotspots by analyzing the time, place, and type of crimes that have occurred in…
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Should Police Body Camera Footage be Released Publicly?
Many police agencies in California are beginning to implement the use of body cameras on officers, and this has led to a growing debate about whether police body camera footage should be released to the public. Some people argue that denying the public access to the filmed police encounters defeats the purpose of the body cameras, which is to promote transparency in the way police interact with citizens. But the…
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New Radar Could Detect Texting and Driving
You’re probably aware that texting while driving is illegal in California. But, if you text while driving, you need to know that a new device currently in pre-production would allow police officers to know when you’re texting, even if they can’t see your phone. A small tech firm has developed a new tool that could help law enforcement officers catch texting drivers. ComSonics, a radar gun manufacturer, says their handheld…
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California Attorney Proposes Foolish Ballot to Execute Gays
Today’s date is March 16, 2015. Please take specific note of the last four digits, 2-0-1-5, which signifies the year that we are currently living in. Not 1815, not 1915, not even 1950, 2015. I am certain of this because I was compelled to check my calendar several times today after reading an article that I came across. Recently, Huntington Beach attorney Matthew Gregory McLaughlin drafted a barbaric ballot proposal…
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Could Your Smartphone Carry Your Driver’s License?
Laws regarding driver’s licenses have been around in the U.S. for more than 125 years, starting in 1910 when New York established laws for motor vehicle chauffeurs. In 1888, German automaker Karl Benz was issued the first driver’s license in the world before he drove his Motorwagen (the Model 3) 200 miles in the world’s first long distance automobile trip.1 Currently, there are about 210 million licensed drivers in the…
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Could Criminal Activity Be in Your Genes?
Is human behavior genetic or a result of the environment a person is raised in? The nature versus nurture debate has continued for over a century. According to the results of a recent study pioneered by Sheilagh Hodgins of the University of Montreal, in some people it is both genetics and environment. The study, published last December in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, found that three common genetic variants can…
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Does Uber Do Enough to Protect Its Passengers?
In 2010, American entrepreneur Travis Kalanick founded the ride-sharing app, Uber. Today, Uber is used in over 50 countries and 250 cities worldwide and is valued to be worth a whopping $41.2 billion. The road to Uber’s success, however, has not come without a few speedbumps. Most recently, Uber has found itself in a tense legal battle regarding the regulations required of its drivers compared to the rigorous necessities required…
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How Long is Too Long for a Traffic Stop?
The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided to hear the case of Dennys Rodriguez v. United States of America.1 The issue is whether, after a traffic stop is concluded and a ticket or warning is issued, it’s okay to detain the driver longer in order to allow a drug sniffing K-9 to sniff the car. Can Police Delay the Length of a Traffic Stop? Police officer Morgan Streubels stopped Dennys Rodriguez…
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2014: Crimes in Review
In 2014, both California and the nation saw a huge number of changes in criminal law and a wide range of scandals. Here is a roundup of some of the top criminal law-related headlines from across the nation. Past Sex Crimes Come to Light In late November and early December, more than 20 women accused comedian and actor Bill Cosby of sexual assault. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office investigated…
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