Category Archives: Florida’s Proposed Laws
Florida’s Sentencing System Under Attack
Several decades after the civil rights movement swept the country, it seems that Florida’s sentencing system is still treating certain minority offenders differently as compared to white people convicted of the same crimes. Sarasota’s Herald-Tribune issued a report based upon a year-long investigation into the state’s laws regarding punishment, finding that blacks are given… Read More »
Statute of Limitations on Florida Criminal Cases: An Overview
Officials at the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale must have been shocked when they received a call from an out-of-state police department, stating that a man was confessing to a murder he committed in 2002. As reported by Fox News, the man has been extradited to Florida to face charges in the… Read More »
Bill to Protect Real Estate Agents and Brokers Leads to Debate About Which Professions Should be Protected
In our society, a crime committed against another is deemed abhorrent and most people in our society believe that punishment should be extended to those who commit such a crime. There are, however, certain laws that make some crimes, depending on who the victim is, more felonious than others, where the punishment is increased… Read More »
The Case For and Against The Courts’ Use of Neuroscientific Evidence
In the criminal justice system, there has been a huge push to include new types of evidence that have been the byproduct of significant technological discoveries. In recent history, courts have been moving toward admitting such evidence, but this admission has led to significant controversy, especially when the data is new, its impact has… Read More »
Should Emojis and Emoticons Be Admitted into Evidence in Criminal Proceedings?
Technology has made a significant impact in our day-to-day lives. With technology, we have invented new applications for its use, and it has even re-invented the English language to support the increasingly high-speed nature of technology. Texts have shorthanded the way in which we communicate: where dashes, symbols, emojis, and LOLs have creeped into… Read More »
Body Camera Legislation Inches Closer to Becoming Law of the Land in Florida
Over the last few years, distrust against law enforcement has grown steadily due to several incidents of excess force that have been reported around the United States. Lawmakers, as a result of the notoriety of these cases, have begun to brainstorm for better ways to manage and deter police officers from excess force and… Read More »
Florida to Be the First State to Institute Interview Protections for Autistic or Developmentally Disabled Individuals Involved in a Criminal Offense
In the United States, there are several protections that are put in place when law enforcement officials bring a suspect into custody for questioning. The protections were put into place to ensure that law enforcement was not able to antagonize suspects while in custody. Police custody for many is a terrifying situation, and the… Read More »
Eyewitness Identification Reform Leads to Jury Mistrust of Eyewitness Testimony
In our criminal justice system, one of the most convincing pieces of evidence used in criminal proceedings is eyewitness testimony. Our society tends to greatly weigh eyewitness testimony over other pieces of evidence when determining the guilt or innocence of a criminal defendant. It is because we believe in the foolproof and strong nature… Read More »
New Bill to Protect Witness Information from Public Disclosure: Does it Run Afoul of the First Amendment?
In the criminal justice system, there is generally a balance that must be struck between the rights of the people and the right for the state or government to interfere with these rights. Many times there must be give and take, especially when a law may or may not align with the rights of… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court To Review State Laws Criminalizing Driver’s Refusal for Warrantless Blood-Alcohol Tests
Drunk driving has been increasingly criminalized and punished over the last two decades. The safety of our society dictates that harsh punishments should be meted out to those who threaten that safety because they drive while intoxicated. Recently, the extent to which states criminalize drinking and driving has begun to be scrutinized to determine… Read More »