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Are gangs finally on the decline? In Southern California, at least, it looks that way. A recent article in Pacific Standard magazine notes that in the past five years, gangs have become significantly less visible throughout the area. Several years ago, 70 or more people were murdered each year in Santa Ana, often for gang-related reasons; such crimes are processed through the system of criminal law Los Angeles. For 2014, the number or murders stood at just 15. Drug law Los Angeles is feeling the effects of declining gang activity as well; police have noted a 50-percent decline in gang-related crime since… Read More

There is an exciting development in the world of crime scene investigation. A technologically advanced machine allows law enforcement to obtain a complete DNA profile in just two hours’ time. This development is beneficial to any crime law attorney in Los Angeles and an innocent suspect. Current DNA Profiling System is lacking At present, to receive a DNA profile the majority of law enforcement agencies in California has to ship their evidence to the state crime lab. This process can take weeks or even months. During that time, an innocent person may be incarcerated or the suspect may have already… 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

Last year, Proposition 47 was approved with a margin of 60-40. All throughout California, human rights activists rejoiced. It seemed like a positive step in the right direction. Proposition 47 introduced less severe sentencing for all non-violent crimes, with the exception of offenders who have a prior record of murder, rape, sex offenses or certain gun crimes. Perhaps the biggest change was that many felonies were re-classified as misdemeanors that would carry a significantly decreased fine. Among these former felonies are personal drug use and stealing. The goal of Proposition 47 was to enhance the fairness of the criminal justice… Read More

Drunk driving lawyers in Los Angeles are rallying behind the 2014 announcement of a new app that is designed to decrease DUIs. In December 2014, State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson unveiled that a new app will hopefully help to reduce the number of DUI incidents in California. The free app is designed to help prevent DUI-related crashes, deaths, and injuries. Following the December announcement, Senator Jackson spoke with California Highway Patrol officers in Ventura. She said that, “we need to be attentive, we need to be sober, we need to make sure we have a designated driver who is going to… Read More

Currently embroiled in debates over the future of marijuana drug law Los Angeles is an interesting place to be right now. In January, a panel up north in Santa Rosa discussed the possibility of passing a marijuana legalization measure in 2016, and what that might mean for the industry as a whole. Multiple factors are at stake with a legalization bill. Although 2010’s effort to legalize the state’s largest cash crop, Proposition 19, failed by a slim margin, a recent poll conducted by Tulchin Research indicates that 65 percent of Californians would vote to reform marijuana laws. Many voters seem… Read More

DNA helps prove guilt or innocence in court, but the collection of DNA raises questions about privacy. Genomics is a growing field that enables scientists to learn more about individuals, from their familial relationships to behavioral tendencies, based on their genome. DNA can also link (or not link) someone to a crime. The applications are continuing to expand with rapid DNA testing becoming more readily available. The constantly evolving usage of DNA has led some states, including California, to challenge the current regulations regarding the collection of DNA. Your California criminal lawyers must be able to inform you about your… Read More

An LA Times article posted on the first of the year reports that, for the second year in a row, overall crime rates in Los Angeles County have been on the decrease. The interesting part of all of this is that nobody–not even police–is quite sure why. Regardless, this decrease in crime is welcome for both police and citizens alike. Specific Statistics Specifically, a thorough analysis of crime reports and police records throughout 2014 found that violent crime was down a total of 4% from the year before, property crime was down 7%, and homicide was down by 11%. It’s… Read More

Medical marijuana is legal in Los Angeles, but you can’t have it delivered to your door. Judge Robert O’Brien, of the Los Angeles County Superior Court ordered that Nestdrop cease taking orders for and delivering medicinal marijuana within the city limits. Nestdrop states that it will fight the injunction. Nestdrop is an app which allows people to order alcohol for home delivery in the Los Angeles area and added medical marijuana to their service in 2014. Despite the injunction banning the advertisement for the home delivery of medical marijuana, their website continues to advertise this service. The lawsuit was initiated… Read More

In 2000, California passed Proposition 21, which was an initiative aimed at increasing penalties for juveniles who committed crimes. It also meant juveniles would be put into the adult criminal justice system. The initiative was intended to curb what some thought would be a large group of criminal kids considered “superpredators.” Youths would be tried as adults and sentenced to hard time under the proposition. In 1997, juvenile arrests peaked and have been falling ever since. In fact, arrests of juveniles dropped 48 percent by 2011, according to the Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The problem… Read More