The Texas state jail system was designed in the mid-nineties to offer a place between county lock-ups and state prison, somewhere to send low-level offenders without the risk of institutionalizing them for life, a place for them to get treatment and rehabilitation. But, the expensive middle-ground of incarceration is failing. [Read more…]
Austin Police Using More Force
While arrests have fallen and police contacts have similarly dropped over the past two years, Austin police are using force against citizens at higher rates. While police officials say this is due to better incident reporting by officers, a Statesman report looks at other factors that may be coming into play. [Read more…]
Houston Murders Second-Lowest Since 1966
It seems like a dangerous time to be alive. If you watch much television, you could be convinced that the world is a very violent place, and the news is just as guilty as primetime dramas. But television doesn’t tell the whole story. In fact, it frequently gets things very wrong. New figures say that the murder rate in Houston in 2012 was 216. This is the second lowest rate for the city since 1966. [Read more…]
Felony Online Impersonation Charges – Difficult to Prove
There is a new group of criminal laws being written and enacted across the country. These laws are designed to punish people who, through social medial sites or other online forums, attempt to harm someone. While many people think of these acts as practical jokes, the injury is considered very real by lawmakers and judges alike—proving the offense, however, is a little more difficult.. [Read more…]
When School Discipline Results in Criminal Charges
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…]
