Two decades ago, if you were caught skipping school, fighting on school grounds, or caught with cigarettes, you would likely be given detention, possibly suspended, and had a serious “talking to”. But things are different now in Texas schools and kids are being ticketed and even arrested for such things. Not only does the punishment far outweigh the “crime” in many of these cases, but the punishment could start a child down the long road of a life within the criminal justice system. [Read more…]
Houston Cops to Get Mini Body Cameras
The Houston Police Department says police officers will soon be testing small cameras attached to their shirts or even their glasses. This, they say, is an attempt to bring down officer complaints and to provide clear evidence for use in criminal cases. But if other cities are any indication, the cameras may bring out the best behavior in everyone. [Read more…]
Investigation Into Old Arson Cases Reveals Possible Wrongful Convictions
Crime scene investigation is rarely like you see it on CSI, and this was certainly the case of arson investigations in decades past. Arson investigation was one of those fields that was built on myths, on practices handed down by the “last guy” who had the job. And unfortunately, those practices were often far from reliable. [Read more…]
Harris County Prosecutor Wants to Destroy Evidence
Thousands of vials of blood sit in the Harris County crime lab’s storage refrigerators. This blood is from the thousands of alleged DWI offenders that have been forced to submit to blood testing at the time of their arrest. District Attorney Pat Lykos says the vials are taking up too much space and would like to see them gone. [Read more…]
No Distance Restrictions for Filming Cops in Austin
There is no legal distance away from police you should be when recording their actions, but police acknowledge there could be a problem if you are close enough to distract an officer from his or her duties.
How far from a police officer do you have to be in order for him to feel safe? It’s sort of a humorous question when you think of it. I prefer: How far does an officer have to be from you in order for you to feel safe. The Austin Police Department recently took on the issue of filming cops, nearly instating a distance limit of 50 or 60 feet, before deciding against it and leaving that distance up to the officers at the time of the filming. [Read more…]
Flawed Drug Tests From Harris County Probation Department
At least one person has announced their resignation and evidence from the Harris County probation department has stopped being court-worthy in the aftermath of flawed drug tests. According to the Houston Chronicle, the agency, tasked with the supervision of local probationers, parolees, and those out on bail, is set to be investigated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. [Read more…]
Prosecutors Pursuing Charges Under Internet Impersonation Law
A Facebook account created, email sent, or photo posted—if you do any of these in someone else’s name, you could be facing serious felony charges. Though the law was created in 2011, Texas prosecutors are now beginning to charge people under the law that could take childish pranks and turn them into life-changing criminal convictions. [Read more…]
Mexican-Style Pot Farming Gaining Ground in Texas
With little more than a tent and some food, a hired farmer can sleep among the towering pot plants on a farm in Texas, or Mexico, without being detected. These farms, which often cover large swaths of land, are being found more and more on this side of the border, where cartels don’t have to worry about crossing over to bring their goods to eager American customers. [Read more…]
Houston Cops Accused of Using Sirens, Lights, and Badges to Steal Drugs
Two Houston police officers are facing serious drug charges after using their positions within the department to steal drugs from at least one person—and that person happened to be an undercover cop. [Read more…]
Child Sex Trafficking a “Huge Problem” in Texas?
A report from MySanAntonio.com this week has characterized child sex trafficking as a “huge problem” in the state of Texas and around the country. But reports of this type have been criticized in the past for being exaggerated and misrepresenting the numbers. While any single case of child sex trafficking is serious and is definitely a problem, the truth is that we don’t know how big the problem actually is. [Read more…]
