Category: Law & Information
Over the past year, the number of inmates in California’s jails and prisons has decreased by about 13,000, largely due to the enactment of Proposition 47. Also known as the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act, Prop 47 is expected to enrich California state coffers by more than $150 million this fiscal year thanks to reduced prison and jail overcrowding. In November 2014, Californians overwhelmingly passed Prop 47 with the intent of ending long sentences for minor offenses such as drug possession and petty property crimes. Implementation of the new law has proven challenging, however, with some public officials and law enforcement agencies reportedly opposing… Read More
In the 1970s, a wave began to develop throughout our United States to enact tougher laws, even for nonviolent crimes. Our prisons became overloaded with American citizens and expensive to run. This is why California’s Proposition 47 came about. Implementation of Prop 47 In past decades, individual states continued to strengthen their criminal justice laws. They made previous misdemeanor crimes felonies. Their enforcement meant longer years of incarceration for individuals who committed these crimes. For example, in some states stealing products from a store with a value of $500 was a misdemeanor and $1000 was a felony. The new laws dropped the… Read More
Following a recent decision by the state Supreme Court, California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is modifying its rules restricting where convicted sex offenders can live. The department and the state’s Supreme Court justices agreed that a 2006 ballot measure imposed requirements that made it too daunting for registered sex offenders to find permanent housing, KGTV San Diego reports. As a result, the number of transient offenders increased, making it more difficult for parole agents to monitor some 6,000 offenders throughout the state. As of the end of February, the state reported more than 1,400 registered sex offenders who did not… Read More
In a recent court hearing, US District Judge Kimberley Mueller declined to remove marijuana’s Schedule I status, which places the drug in the same category as heroin, ecstasy, and LSD. Her decision complicates current legalization efforts, but may nonetheless indicate a growing trend toward marijuana legalization. Should marijuana be legalized? For many activists, the answer to this question is not just “yes,” but “of course.” Supporters of legalization point out that marijuana has few risks, is safer than tobacco, alcohol, and many prescription painkillers, and has a variety of health benefits. Why criminalize the drug, activists ask, when using it… Read More
With hundreds of new laws in effect for 2015 in California, just about every resident of the state is affected in some way. Whether you’re a gun owner, environmentalist, student, veteran, consumer, prison inmate or elected official, you may notice the changes. Gov. Jerry Brown kept his pen busy last year, vetoing 143 bills. But he also signed 930 into law. Many went into effect Jan. 1, while others become effective in July. In a recent review of some of the new laws, The Los Angeles Times notes that several were drafted in response to prominent news events, including the… Read More
If you have been arrested in southern California, you have a number of rights that are protected by law. If you have ever been arrested, or have ever watched a cop drama on television, you have probably heard about “Miranda Rights.” This is when the arresting officer informs you about your right to remain silent and your right to have a lawyer present while you are being questioned. From that point on, everything you say can and will most likely be used against you in court. Once you have been read your rights, the authorities can ask you questions about… Read More
After receiving an adverse ruling from the DMV relating to a Los Angeles DUI charge and having your driver’s license suspended, it is normal to think of appealing their decision. This may be in response to a belief that the DMV ignored evidence, misapplied the law or that the effects of a license suspension harm one’s employment, health or schooling. However, there are only two options to review the Hearing Officer’s decision. The first option is to file a Request for Administrative Review with the DMV in Sacramento within 15 days after the ruling. You need to request for the… Read More
According to Patch.com, Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint throughout Los Angeles this weekend, looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Most checkpoints looking for Los Angeles DUI occurs between the hours of 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. Other than checkpoints, DUIs are often and commonly discovered when a vehicle is pulled over for a minor infraction such as a malfunctioning tail light or an expired tag. How well or poorly a driver does on the standardized field sobriety tests are often key pieces of evidence in the prosecution’s case charging a driver with a DUI… Read More
Thousands of female prisoners who have children, and were not incarcerated for serious or sexual crimes, may be released before October, according to The Los Angeles Times. They would serve the remainder of their sentence at home where they will be required to wear a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet and report to a parole officer. The new program was initiated to meet a court-imposed deadline to relieve congestion in California’s chronically overcrowded prisons. Although the program initially only affects female inmates who are mothers, it is expected to extend to male prisoners as well. The new policy is the result of… Read More
Staff writer for the Daily News website reported on January 15, 2009 that two men affiliated with the Latino street gang, Canoga Park Alabama, are being charged with last month’s murder of an African American father of two. Martin Sotelo, 23 and Richard Bordelon, 21, each of Conoga Park, have been charged with the murder of James Shamp, 48 who was shot outside his work place on December 22 in this Los Angeles violent crime. Police say the attack was racially motivated, potentially making Bordelon and Sotelo eligible for the death penalty. According to police reports, Shamp, who had been… Read More
