http://www.citizensugar.com/ Breaking News, Together. en http://www.citizensugar.com/slideshow/2625311 <a href="/slideshow/2625311?page=0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/51_2008/2cb0ba73ad06ae7a_2008-Crime.xlarge.jpg" alt="Biggest Headlines of 2008: A Year in Crime" title="Biggest Headlines of 2008: A Year in Crime" class="image xlarge inline left" height="281" width="320" /></a>The crime beat kept us shocked, outraged, and sometimes entertained this year. Take a trip down lawless lane with this roundup of all the best crime headlines from 2008. We've got stories about imitation Ferraris, convict rodeos, jail-house love, and even JonBenet Ramsey's family. <span style='font-size:10px !important;'><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com">Source</a></span> <div id='pager' style='margin:25px auto;text-align:center;margin:8px; '><a href="/slideshow/2625311?page=0">Start Slideshow</a></div> http://www.citizensugar.com/slideshow/2625311#comment Best of 2008 Crime Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2625311 http://www.citizensugar.com/2634153 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/52_2008/0e67e6ebe5107cf5_72348199.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarge" height="219" width="320"></span>Whether it's a prankster or a money-saver, more people have caught on to the notion of license plate cloning, or as high school students in Maryland call it, the "speed camera pimping game." The trick is to replace your license plate with someone else's number (preferably belonging to a lookalike vehicle) so when you speed by a red-light or speed camera, they get the bill (or bill<i>s</i> <a href="http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/604124.driver_left_with_fines_after_car_clones_target_him/" target="_blank">adding up to thousands of dollars</a>) in the mail. </p> <p>In Maryland students have used a printer and glossy paper to <a href="http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/26/2632.asp" target="_blank">print out faux license plates</a> with numbers belonging to their frenemies. They then proceed to purposefully speed by the camera, pull over, remove the fake plate, and then chuckle at the thought of a ticket showing up at a rival's house. </p> <p>While I'm sure the high school kids will get caught soon, especially since they use a camera right by school, professional license plate cloners sound more like thieves than resourceful pranksters. </p> <p>Does the risk of identify theft make you think twice about speed cameras? </p> <p><span style='font-size:10px !important;'><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></span> </p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2634153#comment Crime Law Maryland Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:36 -0800 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2634153 http://www.citizensugar.com/2628628 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/51_2008/cf1ef1b1e8703ee1_84078203.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="320" width="242"></span>When news broke last week that Wall Street investment wiz Bernard Madoff allegedly admitted to a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, it <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2601092" >left me wondering</a> how he managed to do this without alerting regulators. </p> <p>This week, we found out that there were classic warning signs that the SEC <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2601092" >admitted it should have acted upon</a>. Well now, Nobel Laureate economist Paul Krugman says that Madoff's fraud is evidence of a systemic defect in our financial system — vast riches for those who managed other people's money has had a corrupting effect on American society. </p> <p>For more on this, including an excerpt from Krugman's piece, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2628628">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2628628#comment Bernard Madoff Crime Economy Paul Krugman Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:00:44 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2628628 http://www.citizensugar.com/2617671 <!-- no strip poll --><!-- no rss --><div id="epoll-view-2617671"></div><script type="text/javascript">new Ajax.Request('/epoll/view/2617671',{method:'get',onSuccess:function(transport){var epoll=$('epoll-view-2617671');epoll.update(transport.responseText);}});</script><noscript><!-- /no rss --><p><p>Guilt by association thrives in the minds of at least 25 percent of Americans. According to <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/113416/One-Four-See-Obama-Staff-Illegally-Tied-Blagojevich.aspx" target="_blank">a recent USA Today/Gallup poll</a>, a quarter of Americans believe that Barack Obama's staff engaged in illegal activities related to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged plan to sell Obama's senate seat. The rate of suspicion jumps among Obama's opponents — half of Republicans surveyed think Obama's staff has an illegal connection, while the other half apparently agrees with John McCain that we <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2606524" >should not jump to conclusions</a>.</p> <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/51_2008/bdd58dd2abb7c7b1_blago-and-obama.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="444" width="550"></span></p> <p>The US attorney asked Obama to <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16641.html" target="_blank">hold off on disclosing his staff's contacts</a> with Blagojevich, and Obama, who is refusing to answer questions on the scandal, has complied. Do you think the Obama team has dirty hands? </p> <p><span style='font-size:10px !important;'><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></span></p> </p><!-- no strip poll --><form action="/2617671" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>Do You Think Obama&#039;s Staff Is Illegally Tied to Blagojevich? </label> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="0" class="form-radio" /> Yes. Blagojevich must have had a willing contact among the staff. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="1" class="form-radio" /> No. It seems clear that Obama's team wouldn't give Blagojevich what he wanted. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="2" class="form-radio" /> Other. I'll tell you in the comments.</label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="2617671" /> <input type="submit" name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --></noscript><!-- no strip poll --> http://www.citizensugar.com/2617671#comment Barack Obama Citizen Poll Crime Illinois Rod R Blagojevich Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2617671 http://www.citizensugar.com/2570806 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/49_2008/807be31189a1c1b4_unemployment.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" width="550" height="382"></span></p> <ul> <li>The US jobless rate spiked to 6.7 percent in November, marking the 11th straight month of job loss and the greatest since 1974.— <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/economy/06jobs.html?_r=1&amp;hp" target="_blank">New York Times</a></li> <li>Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper successfully suspended Parliament yesterday, avoiding his ousting by the opposition party. In an unprecedented move, Governor General Michaelle Jean, Queen Elizabeth's representative to Canada, agreed to shut down Parliament until Jan. 26. — <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4B34BC20081204" target="_blank">Reuters</a></li> <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/49_2008/bb420e313f074d04_Friday_Front_Page" alt="" title="" class="image left larger" width="240" height="179"></span> <li>OJ Simpson faces six years to life in prison for his felony kidnapping, armed robbery, and conspiracy convictions. He will be sentenced today in Nevada, and prosecutors have recommended an 18-year sentence. — <a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081205/D94SGIN00.html" target="_blank">Reuters</a></li> <li>Armed robbers dressed in drag stole $102 million worth of jewels in Paris yesterday from the Harry Winston store. — <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7766850.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2570806#comment Canada Crime Economy France Front Page OJ Simpson Paris Unemployment Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:10 -0800 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2570806 http://www.citizensugar.com/2564031 <!-- no strip poll --><!-- no rss --><div id="epoll-view-2564031"></div><script type="text/javascript">new Ajax.Request('/epoll/view/2564031',{method:'get',onSuccess:function(transport){var epoll=$('epoll-view-2564031');epoll.update(transport.responseText);}});</script><noscript><!-- /no rss --><p><p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/49_2008/003244e50121ca06_78074560.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" width="320" height="214"></span>The family of the Wal-Mart <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2545547" >worker killed by a stampede of shoppers</a> has filed a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/03/family-of-walmart-employe_n_148159.html" target="_blank">wrongful death lawsuit</a>, claiming that Wal-Mart "created an atmosphere of competition and anxiety" that led to "crowd craze." Considering that a young man died in the Black Friday frenzy, that much seems true —but should Wal-Mart have to pay for that death?</p> <p>The family thinks so, and in the lawsuit they argue that Wal-Mart "engaged in specific marketing and advertising techniques to specifically attract a large crowd and create an environment of frenzy and mayhem and was otherwise careless, reckless and negligent." The family also claims that the store did not provide reasonable security. </p> <p>Regardless of who's ultimately responsible, it's unbelievably sad that a stampede caused by discounts resulted in a man's death. </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> </p><!-- no strip poll --><form action="/2564031" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>Family Demands Wal-Mart Pay For Death of Employee — Fair? </label> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="0" class="form-radio" /> Yay! Wal-Mart increases the hype and hysteria to make money. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="1" class="form-radio" /> Nay. Wal-Mart should be able to offer consumers discounts. Sue the shoppers! </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="2" class="form-radio" /> Other. I'll tell you in the comments.</label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="2564031" /> <input type="submit" name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --></noscript><!-- no strip poll --> http://www.citizensugar.com/2564031#comment Black Friday Citizen Poll Crime Law Wal-Mart Yay or Nay Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:00:25 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2564031 http://www.citizensugar.com/node/2541059 <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/26/us-attorneys-office-verdi_n_146710.html">Jury Convicts Mom of Lesser Charges In "MySpace Suicide" Case</a> A jury on Wednesday was unable to reach a verdict on the main conspiracy charge and instead convicted a Missouri woman of three minor offenses for her role in an Internet hoax that apparently drove a 13-year-old girl to suicide. http://www.citizensugar.com/node/2541059#comment aside Crime Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:30:15 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2541059 http://www.citizensugar.com/2535500 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/48_2008/135e0cd0ace6480f_Medical-Marijuana.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarge" height="215" width="320"></span>The California Supreme Court clarified the state's medical marijuana law yesterday, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/24/BAD314B41O.DTL&amp;tsp=1" target="_blank">deciding unanimously that individual suppliers can be prosecuted</a> even when dealing to patients with doctor approval. Sellers, who are not caretakers, or fellow medical marijuana cooperative members, will not be protected from the law. </p> <p>Patients will most likely turn exclusively to <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1896139" >marijuana collectives and cooperatives</a> to get their fill. Opponents of the decision say that centralizing the source of the drug makes it much easier for federal agents to raid such dispensaries. </p> <p>In 1996 California voters passed Proposition 215, which approved marijuana cultivation and use by those with doctor approval. But earlier this year, the state's high court ruled that companies could fire employees who test positive for marijuana, even if they had a doctor's recommendation. </p> <p>Do you think the trend toward narrowing the legal use of medical marijuana puts the intentions of California voters up in smoke? </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2535500#comment California Crime Headline Health Law Marijuana Medical Marijuana Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:00:02 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2535500 http://www.citizensugar.com/2534369 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/48_2008/b44dc5bdc70937d7_72979331.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="214" width="320"></span>With a murder every 40 hours, New Orleans crime rate is hard to beat. The latest <a href="http://www.cqpress.com/pages/citycrime2008" target="_blank">City Crime Rankings</a> looked at reported incidents of six major crimes to determine the most dangerous dwellings in the US. With a population of only 250,000 that changed drastically after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans came out on top. </p> <p>Rounding out the list, the top-five cities with the highest crime rate include:</p> <ol> <li>New Orleans, LA</li> <li>Camden, NJ</li> <li>Detroit, MI</li> <li>St. Louis, MO</li> <li>Oakland, CA</li> </ol> <p>The FBI warns that ranking cities head-to-head fails to paint a realistic picture. In addition, local mayors and law enforcement officials maintain that such a superficial ranking irresponsibly misuses crime data by ignoring complex factors. Do you think rankings of the most dangerous cities help hold law enforcement accountable or are they counterproductive?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2534369#comment California Camden Crime Detroit Headline Lists Missouri New Jersey New Orleans Okland Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:30:45 -0800 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2534369 http://www.citizensugar.com/2530791 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/2/22911/47_2008/983a6a6b98e93219_stk15484cbu.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="320" width="319"></span>Gas prices and strict state budgets have prompted at least 11 states — Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee — to <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081123/ap_on_re_us/teleconferencing_inmates;_ylt=ArqG.cfBNPsgHUr.6JEfnP1vzwcF" target="_blank">start regularly using teleconferences between judges and inmates</a>. The move is seen as a way to both improve public safety and save cash. </p> <p>The AP reports that some inmates say they'd prefer to plead their cases in person, but correction officials say the technology offers a fair alternative to spending millions of dollars moving inmates in person. To see how much the trend saves the state per court date and how it's working in Connecticut, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2530791">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2530791#comment Crime Headline Prison Technology Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:00:07 -0800 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2530791 http://www.citizensugar.com/2521097 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/47_2008/43d57281bbb25fd4_Picture_11.png" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarger" height="334" width="370"></span>A not-so-playful police sting in Cairo netted about 400 teenage boys <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081120170417.dxnm6u1y&amp;show_article=1" target="_blank">accused of flirting with girls</a>. Just yesterday, law enforcement rounded up the underage wannabe-seducers in front of schools, universities, or other public places where teens hang out. The teens will most likely face fines. </p> <p>While a crackdown on innocent flirting seems oppressive, something beyond prudish attitudes motivated the sting. Egyptian women deal with an extraordinary amount of sexual harassment and assault in public. In Egypt, two-thirds of men admit to harassing women in public. </p> <p>Last month, an Egyptian court <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2399825" >handed down a sentence of hard labor and three years in jail</a> for a man convicted of groping a woman in public. Now it looks like officials want to teach younger males a lesson before they graduate from flirting to groping. Do you think the Casanova roundup will work? </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2521097#comment Crime Egypt Headline Law Sexual Harassment Women Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:30:13 -0800 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2521097 http://www.citizensugar.com/2484068 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/46_2008/484da9300cd4d290_51224433.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image center xlarger" height="260" width="400"></span></p> <ul> <li>A classified US order from 2004 authorized the US military to attack al Qaeda anywhere in the world. The order has allowed the US to secretly attack militants in Syria, Pakistan, and other places. — <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/washington/10military.html?hp" target="_blank"> New York Times</a></li> <li> President-elect Barack Obama will meet President Bush in the Oval Office today, to begin the transition of power. The two are expected to discuss the economy, the war in Iraq, and national security. Laura Bush will give Michelle Obama a tour of the White House. — <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/obama.bush/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a></li> <li> Three bombs that exploded moments apart in Baghdad, Iraq yesterday left at least 28 people dead. Two of the explosions were car bombs and the third was a suicide bomber who blew himself up in the crowd trying to rescue people. — <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7719104.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a></li> <li>An argument over Sunday's Alabama-LSU overtime football game ended with an Alabama couple shot to death. — <a href="http://www.al.com/news/press-register/metro.ssf?/base/news/122631213873770.xml&amp;coll=3" target="_blank">Alabama Press-Register</a></li> <li>A backlash against California's Proposition 8 has erupted. This weekend, same-sex marriage supporters protested the new law outside churches around the state, including a Mormon tabernacle. — <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/10/MN4E141B3P.DTL&amp;type=politics" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2484068#comment al Qaeda Barack Obama CIA Crime Front Page Iraq President Bush Proposition 8 Same-Sex Marriage Sports Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2484068 http://www.citizensugar.com/2437493 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/44_2008/a3df673fd15c9ef0_Child-prostitution.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="320" width="297"></span>Federal, state, and local agents in 29 US cities recently joined forces to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/27/fbi-arrests-600-people-re_n_138369.html" target="_blank">uproot 12 child-prostitution rings</a>. The three-day operation was part of a larger five-year plan to stop sex trafficking of children. Minor sex trafficking is on the rise as the Internet has created a market for underage sex workers. </p> <p>Forty-seven children were rescued, and a total of 642 people were arrested, including 73 pimps and 575 adult prostitutes. Apparently police took in no "johns."</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/prostitution.html" target="_blank">Department of Justice estimates</a> that 293,000 youth in America are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The at-risk children come from abusive homes, or have run from or been abandoned by their families. Others children might end up in the situation after abduction, pressure from parents, or deceptive agreements between families and traffickers. </p> <p>Now that these 47 children have been rescued, let's hope an effective healing process can begin. Do you think it's fair to treat prostitutes as victims when they're minors, but criminals after they turn 18?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2437493#comment Crime FBI Headline Law Prostitution Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:00:31 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2437493 http://www.citizensugar.com/2431432 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/44_2008/ea97b9b5e67d8129_200170407-001.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="320" width="258"></span>Mobile fingerprint scanners are hitting the beat in the UK, helping police officers <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/27/project-midas-fingerprint-scanner-liberty" target="_blank">issue identity checks on the street</a>. Right now, police must take a suspect into custody to issue fingerprint checks. </p> <p>Thanks to the scanner, the size of a cell phone, the time of checking identity would go form from 67 minutes, to five, thus reducing the number of police needed by 366 officers. The next step would be to transfer mugshot images to verify identity when fingerprints are not available. To see why some worry that the government is overreaching with this technology, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2431432">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2431432#comment Civil Liberties Crime Headline Law National Security Terrorism United Kingdom Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2431432 http://www.citizensugar.com/2424691 <!-- no strip poll --><!-- no rss --><div id="epoll-view-2424691"></div><script type="text/javascript">new Ajax.Request('/epoll/view/2424691',{method:'get',onSuccess:function(transport){var epoll=$('epoll-view-2424691');epoll.update(transport.responseText);}});</script><noscript><!-- /no rss --><p><p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/43_2008/fdcf7ad9f70ceed2_81271496.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="214" width="320"></span>In tough economic times, people are trying to make money any way they can — and one surprising example sneaks in community service too. In Harlem this weekend, five churches <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5irUlrPAGjtjXPITKGGzlHKbVw6RQD9425AN00" target="_blank">offered cash for weapons</a> – no questions asked. Rifles, handguns, and shotguns were brought to the churches on Saturday and in return the unarmed were given a $200 bank card.</p> <p>This program, sponsored by the NYPD and Manhattan DA’s office, was created over a dozen years ago in an effort to get guns off the streets and has been met with great success. So far about 5,000 have been removed from New York and over 500 of those in this last buyback. Two weeks ago Brooklyn churches purchased over 400 firearms.</p> <p>Critics and proponents are at <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-03-17-gun-buybacks_N.htm" target="_blank">odds over the efficacy</a> of gun buyback programs. Skeptics say, "It's like trying to drain the Pacific with a bucket. More guns are going to flow in." Though Oakland held a popular buyback this Spring where more than 1,000 guns were swapped for $170,000. Is cash an effective way to drain dangerous weapons from the streets?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> </p><!-- no strip poll --><form action="/2424691" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>500 Guns Swapped For Cash in Harlem: Are Buybacks Good? </label> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="0" class="form-radio" /> Yes! Anything that gets a gun off the street is one step toward safer communities. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="1" class="form-radio" /> It's possible it reduces crime a bit but it won't eradicate the problem completely.</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="2" class="form-radio" /> No way. Gun buybacks don't get guns back from the truly dangerous, it's a waste. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="3" class="form-radio" /> Other. I'll fire off my opinion in the comments. </label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="2424691" /> <input type="submit" name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --></noscript><!-- no strip poll --> http://www.citizensugar.com/2424691#comment Citizen Poll Crime Gun Control Guns Harlem Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:00:42 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2424691 http://www.citizensugar.com/node/2412074 <a href="http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/23/mccain-volunteer-says-mugged-b-carved-face/">McCain Volunteer Says She Was Mugged, Had 'B' Cut in Her Face</a> A John McCain volunteer says she was robbed at knifepoint Wednesday in Pittsburgh by an attacker who cut a 'B' into her face after noticing a McCain bumper sticker on her car. The Republican presidential nominee has since called the volunteer, 20-year-old Texas resident Ashley Todd, and spoken with her and her family. Todd was working at a nearby phone bank before she was apparently attacked near an ATM machine. http://www.citizensugar.com/node/2412074#comment 2008 Presidential Election aside Crime John McCain Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:40:06 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2412074 http://www.citizensugar.com/2404444 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/43_2008/8cef9744d8709ced_55948923.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarger" height="400" width="316"></span>The Mexican mail service <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1965317" >delivers seven pieces of mail</a> on average to each resident, but on two blocks in Harvey, IL the US postal service delivers none. The post office has decided that it's <a href="http://www.wbbm780.com/Crime-In-Harvey-Preventing-Residents-From-Getting-/3184433" target="_blank">not worth the risk</a> to make deliveries on "the most dangerous block in America."</p> <p>The last straw happened on Oct. 10, when a shooting occurred right next to a mail carrier. Robberies and inadequate police attention have also contributed to the suspension of service. </p> <p>Apparently <a href="http://www.usps.com/news/2001/press/mailsecurity/tvspot.htm" target="_blank">prepared for snow, rain, and heat</a> . . . but not hail of bullets, the US Postal Service will make a mail drive-by, dropping off letters at a cluster box on the corner. Residents worry that traveling to the box will put them in danger, and also fear that the boxes can be broken into easily. Yet, a spokesperson for the post office has taken a step back, perhaps indicating mail could resume at some point, saying the initial suspension was <a href="http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=203993" target="_blank">only supposed to last for a day</a>.</p> <p>Let's hope the police step up attempts to keep mail carriers and residents safe. </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2404444#comment Crime Headline Illinois Mail Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2404444 http://www.citizensugar.com/2399825 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/43_2008/9b785d0650b20a01_sb10068247m-001.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="214" width="320"></span>Sexual harassment in Egypt won't get you a slap on the wrist, but it will get you years in jail time and a sentence for hard labor. In what was most likely the first <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7682951.stm" target="_blank">jail sentence for sexual harassment in Egypt</a>, defendant Sharif Gomma was also ordered to pay his victim $895. </p> <p>While in his car, Gomma drove slowly next to his victim, groping her as she walked on a sidewalk. The victim fought back, eventually hauling him into the police station herself. After much media attention showered on the case, the judge handed down a harsh sentence to prove that such behavior will not be tolerated in Egypt, where two-thirds of men admit to harassing women in public. </p> <p>In New York City, one chronic groper, arrested 53 times, <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1550746" >faced life in prison</a> for his latest offense on the subway. Do you think three years in prison and physical labor for a first sexual harassment offense would count as cruel and unusual punishment in the US?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2399825#comment Crime Egypt Headline Law Sexual Harassment Women Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:00:37 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2399825 http://www.citizensugar.com/2393962 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/43_2008/9eb1f40213a09e8c_Queen-Elizabeth-Fruit.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarger" height="400" width="278"></span> <ul> <li><b>Metric Martyrs</b>: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2008/oct/18/retail" target="_blank"> You say kilogram, I say pound? Under new guidelines fruit and vegetable traders using imperial measures (pounds, ounces) will no longer be prosecuted by authorities.</a> — newsblog</li> <li><b>Campaign Suspension</b>: <a href="http://www.236.com/news/2008/10/21/obama_suspends_campaign_to_vis_9678.php" target="_blank">Obama suspends campaign to visit grandmother. McCain says "Touché!" </a> — 23/6</li> <li><b> McCain</b>: <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/mccain_sticks_to_his_guns.html" target="_blank"> Not afraid to swim against the tide? McCain sticks to his guns.</a> — Real Clear Politics</li> <li><b>Neighbors</b> : <a href="http://sfist.com/2008/10/20/whats_going_on_here_pacific_heights.php" target="_blank"> What's going on here? San Francisco neighbors have a sign battle over presidential candidates, and gay marriage.</a> — SFist</li> <li><b>Alaska</b>: <a href="http://gawker.com/5066539/election-break-ted-stevens-is-awesome" target="_blank">Ted Stevens is Awesome? After 40 years in the Senate you're either a little corrupt or a lot corrupt, and Ted chose option two.</a> — Gawker</li> <li><b>Baseball</b>: <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/mccain-hits-obama-on-baseball-loyalities/" target="_blank"> Obama the ultimate flip-flopper, or ultimate uniter? McCain has gone after Obama’s flip-flopping on his choice of World Series teams: the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays.</a> – The Caucus</li> </ul> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2393962#comment Briefing Book Crime Law United Kingdom Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2393962 http://www.citizensugar.com/2369338 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/42_2008/56621787.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="214" width="320"></span>Drug diversion courts around the country offer offenders a chance for redemption, rather than recidivism. After acknowledging guilt for crimes like low-level dealing or stealing to support addictions, addicts can volunteer for nine to 18 months of urine testing, group therapy, mandatory sobriety meetings, intensely supervised by a judge. Those that don't make it through, can end up in jail. But if the program is completed, the offender transforms from a criminal to a drug court graduate, supported by invested judges, and congratulated by a supportive courtroom. </p> <p>Today's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/us/15drugs.html" target="_blank">New York Times weighed the pros and cons</a> of the program. Proponents of that drug court say that not only is treatment more compassionate than prison, but it saves taxpayers money! To see how, and for some arguments against the practice </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2369338">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2369338#comment Crime Drugs Prison War on Drugs Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:30:08 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2369338 http://www.citizensugar.com/2361907 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/42_2008/200447371-006.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="320" width="240"></span>Over one-third of police academy graduates in Atlanta, Georgia <a href="http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/10/12/atlanta_police_academy.html#comments" target="_blank">have a criminal record</a>. The eye-opening number of newly minted law enforcers have either been arrested or cited for crimes ranging from shoplifting to assault. </p> <p>Just <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1541526" >like the US Army</a>, the Atlanta PD has to make some concession if it wants to meet its recruitment goals. The city has had a tough time filling the ranks for the admirable, but tough job of a police officer. </p> <p>Considering a <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2056901" >recent survey</a> found that the average person breaks the law at least once a day, perhaps it's impossible to find perfectly innocent police officers. Still, disobeying traffic lights or talking on a cell phone while driving won't necessarily get you a criminal record. When police officers have a rap sheet is it a sign that our laws cast too wide a net, or that the city needs to revamp its recruitment efforts? </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2361907#comment Atlanta Crime Headline Malawi Police Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:36 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2361907 http://www.citizensugar.com/2340321 <p>Ten years ago today, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay man, was beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die. Since then 31 states and Washington DC have passed increased punishments for crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation. Yet, there is <a href="http://townhall.com/news/us/2008/10/10/10_years_after_shepard,_no_federal_hate_crime_law" target="_blank">still no federal hate crime law</a>, and FBI stats show that the rate of anti-gay based crimes has remained the same.<br /> <span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/41_2008/73870394.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="358" width="550"></span><br /> The Matthew Shepard Act, which <a href="http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/03/passage-matthew-shepard-act-remains-priority/" target="_blank"> has never made it into law</a>, would have given the federal government more authority to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, and would have expanded victims specifically protected by federal law to include those who are attacked because of disability, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. </p> <p>Should it be a federal offense to commit a crime against persons because of their sexuality, or is too hard to legally define a victim class based on how a criminal defines their sexuality?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2340321#comment Crime Gay Rights Hate Crime Headline Homosexuality Law Matthew Shepard Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:00:14 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2340321 http://www.citizensugar.com/2322084 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/41_2008/Horst-Mahler.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarger" height="400" width="296"></span>The trial of a 72-year-old former left-wing terrorist group founder, and current neo-Nazi, began today in Germany. Horst Mahler is <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gB0aMiwAI9fDIt7tm-l2O1tNz3xQD93MB4280" target="_blank">accused of posting documents online denying the Holocaust</a>. Mahler likes trouble, as he received an 11-month sentence last year for delivering the Nazi salute at his prison booking for a previous conviction. And in 2003, he had to pay thousands of euros in fines for saying the Sept. 11 attacks were justified. </p> <p>Mahler could spend five years in prison, if convicted of Holocaust denial. German law <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6263103.stm" target="_blank">specifically prohibits</a> anyone from claiming that the genocide of the Jews did not occur. A total of 13 countries forbid denial, including: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland.</p> <p>Outlawing neo-Nazism is an obvious choice, but what about criminalizing Holocaust denial— is that a reasonable limit on speech, crucial to making sure the atrocities are never forgotten and never happen again? Should the prohibition include the Internet?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2322084#comment Crime Freedom of Speech Germany Headline Horst Mahler Laws Nazi Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2322084 http://www.citizensugar.com/2183397 <!-- no strip poll --><!-- no rss --><div id="epoll-view-2183397"></div><script type="text/javascript">new Ajax.Request('/epoll/view/2183397',{method:'get',onSuccess:function(transport){var epoll=$('epoll-view-2183397');epoll.update(transport.responseText);}});</script><noscript><!-- /no rss --><p><p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/40_2008/200301965-001.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarger" height="400" width="266"></span>Ever been tagged in an embarrassing Facebook pic? In the UK you might just have a legal leg to stand on to stop those pictures from ever being taken. One 28-year-old mailman was <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7651107.stm" target="_blank">just fined $200</a> for snapping what the judge deemed an "unchivalrous" photo of a woman. . . . decorating the gutter outside of a bar. The woman's friends called the police after the man took the picture and he was charged with breach of the peace.</p> <p>The judge says of the fine levied, "I'm going to impose a fine to remind him chivalry is not dead and when somebody is in distress you leave them to it." His lawyer says he regrets the "error of judgment." Of snapping the puking pic his lawyer says, "It was ill-judged, it was a spontaneous act and entirely inappropriate. He accepts it was conduct liable to cause upset and did in fact cause upset. It's been a matter of severe regret for him. He's extremely anxious and very contrite about the affair." </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> </p><!-- no strip poll --><form action="/2183397" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>Man Fined For Taking &quot;Unchivalrous&quot; Photo: Snap Judgment?</label> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="0" class="form-radio" /> He totally deserved the fine. Consequences encourage people to behave better. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="1" class="form-radio" /> "Unchivalrous?" Is this the Middle Ages? She was the one misbehaving, not him. </label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="2" class="form-radio" /> Other. I'll reserve my judgment for the comments. </label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="2183397" /> <input type="submit" name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --></noscript><!-- no strip poll --> http://www.citizensugar.com/2183397#comment Citizen Poll Crime Laws United Kingdom Women Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:45:53 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2183397 http://www.citizensugar.com/2121184 <p>Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles just finished three weeks of immigration raids. Those who <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10592206" target="_blank">ignored deportation orders or returned to the US</a> after being deported were the targets of the effort.<br /> <span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/40_2008/57298675.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="366" width="550"></span><br /> At a bakery in Palm Springs, 60 <a href="http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080910/NEWS01/80910011/1026/NEWS12" target="_blank">agents arrested or detained 51 workers</a> — coming out to more than one agent per detainee. Twenty-one of the workers were later released because they were primary caregivers to children or elderly. The bakery supervisor was also arrested on suspicion of continuing to employ an unauthorized alien. </p> <p>In Northern California, 20 percent of those arrested had criminal records. The ICE's fugitive operative teams have <a href="http://www.ktvu.com/news/17582970/detail.html" target="_blank">gone after immigration violators that pose a threat to national security or community safety</a>. The units claim to have deceased the number of people that remain in the US after receiving deportation orders by 34,000, since 2007.</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2121184#comment California Crime Headline Immigration Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:00:32 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2121184 http://www.citizensugar.com/2056901 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/39_2008/200305002-001.xlarger.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left xlarger" height="400" width="266"></span>Sneaking across the street against the light while listening to a purloined tune on your boosted iPod? OK, the last offense might be the most serious, but when it comes to legal vs. illegal, it's a black-and-white scenario. And according to a new survey, most people find themselves on the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1059071/Mr-Average-breaks-law-day-speeding-illegal-downloading.html" target="_blank">dark side of the law</a> at least once a day. The most common offenses? Speeding, littering, and using a cell phone while driving in places where it's prohibited. </p> <p>People flout the little laws so often, the spokesman for the survey is troubled: "It's worrying to think that so many people are breaking the law on a daily basis. And it's an even bigger concern that many aren't at all bothered about it." Almost half of the respondents copped to speeding — and let's hope they aren't included in the 40 percent who confess to talking and texting on a cell phone while driving. Then the confessions get interesting: 19 percent say they've taken drugs, 35 percent download music illegally, and 25 percent say they've had sex in a public place. One wonders if all of those crimes were committed simultaneously? </p> <p>The researcher says this of the lawlessness, "Some of these crimes might seem petty but they were all made illegal for a reason." Is breaking a tiny law OK? Do you believe on 35 percent have illegally downloaded music? Have you broken a law today?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2056901#comment Crime Headline Weird News Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:30:34 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2056901 http://www.citizensugar.com/2011409 <p>Maybe because they've been showing <b>Bring it On</b> all weekend, but I can't believe how this story takes "spirit fingers" and makes it pretty tragic. A 33-year-old mom in Wisconsin, Wendy Brown, is facing felony identity theft charges for <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2908885/Mother-stole-daughters-identity-to-become-cheerleader-in-US-school.html" target="_blank">taking her daughter's ID</a> and enrolling in high school — just so she could be a cheerleader. Her daughter, incidentally, lives with her grandmother.</p> <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/37_2008/dv1442028.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="203" width="550"></span></p> <p>I suppose it's pretty impressive that she was able to pass for a high-schooler — she even attended cheer practices before school started and went to a pool party at the coach's house. It wasn't until the $130 check for her uniform bounced, and she only attended one day of classes that people began to suspect. </p> <p>To see why she did it, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/2011409">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/2011409#comment Cheerleading Crime education Weird News Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:00:17 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/2011409 http://www.citizensugar.com/1943911 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/36_2008/74689027.xlarge.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right xlarge" height="222" width="320"></span>The price of <a href="http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8954896&amp;nav=menu102_2" target="_blank">graffiti in Las Vegas</a> is not only the eyesore but, according to the City Council member, a $30 million dollar bill on top of the tags. It's money that according to one councilman says could be “used for things like education. We can educated young people on how to do positive things.” The solution to stop the amateur <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1096137" >Banksy-esque</a> hooligans? Stiffer penalties.</p> <p>The City Council of Las Vegas has just approved higher fines as well as community service to clean up the graffiti. If you are younger than 18, your parents will foot the bill — but if you’re older? That can of spray paint could make you find yourself doing hard time waiting for the bus. Taggers stand to lose their drivers licenses for up to two years. The tougher penalties aren’t just for the sake of punishment, but rather an easily legible plea to gangs who regularly mark their territory, to stop.</p> <p>Is taking the keys to the car a fair penalty for marking up the streets?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1943911#comment Crime Graffiti Headline Las Vegas Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:00:40 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1943911 http://www.citizensugar.com/1919267 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/36_2008/82090345_0.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="490" width="310"></span>Chicago residents have <a href="http://cbs2chicago.com/local/chicago.summer.shootings.2.810166.html" target="_blank">faced an exceptionally deadly Summer</a> this year — 123 people were shot and killed, twice the amount of US soldier casualties in Iraq over the same period. </p> <p>Throughout 2008, murder rates in Chicago have risen. In July Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich said he was <a href="http://www.nbc5.com/news/16901117/detail.html" target="_blank">prepared to call in the National Guard</a> to help restore order to the "out of control" city. </p> <p>Police officials note that the pace still keeps the rate at historical lows; however, there's a real possibility that Chicago could finish the year with more than 500 murders, for the first time since 2003. Most <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-chicago-murders-upaug07,0,260187.story" target="_blank">murders are related to gang activity</a>, and a high number of offenders and victims have a criminal history. </p> <p>While some compare the American soldier casualties in Iraq and Chicago to depict the dire condition of Chicago, ignoring civilian and Iraqi deaths in Iraq could paint an inaccurate picture. </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1919267#comment Chicago Crime Headline Iraq Murder Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:00:43 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1919267 http://www.citizensugar.com/1906196 <p>In response to the rising numbers of murders and kidnappings throughout Mexico, citizens <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7590272.stm" target="_blank">took to the streets</a> by the hundreds of thousands this weekend to call attention to this problem. The rallies took place in all of Mexico’s 32 states and more than 150,000 gathered in Mexico city alone.</p> <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/35_2008/82610191.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="367" width="550"></span></p> <p>The last straw may have been earlier this week when a dozen decapitated bodies were found in the Yucatan Peninsula. This horrific incident is in addition to the 2,700 killings and <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1885781" >300 kidnappings</a> already this year. The marches were designed to spur elected officials who seem either unwilling or unable to combat this crisis, to action. </p> <p>To see how the protests happened, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1906196">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1906196#comment Crime Headline Mexico Protests Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:00:07 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1906196 http://www.citizensugar.com/1899102 <!-- no strip poll --><!-- no rss --><div id="epoll-view-1899102"></div><script type="text/javascript">new Ajax.Request('/epoll/view/1899102',{method:'get',onSuccess:function(transport){var epoll=$('epoll-view-1899102');epoll.update(transport.responseText);}});</script><noscript><!-- /no rss --><p><p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/35_2008/52215825.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" width="350"></span>If you're looking to move, chances are you suss out a neighborhood first: schools, crime rates, sex offenders nearby, and the like. If you live in Jefferson County, MO, you can <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkhvK2nwr9kZSksHVGXMMV-HzGrgD92R6VE01" target="_blank">add another criteria</a> to your info gathering: whether a meth lab is located nearby. </p> <p>Not limited to hardcore crack houses, the sheriff's department is listing places where it's seized any materials tied to meth production that indicate a past presence of a secret drug lab in the past two years. Real estate agents are thrilled by the new development though schools and house size still top the list of important area details. With the release of the info however, nearby homeowners might worry that the released info could wreak havoc on their own home's value. </p> <p>The sheriff says, "We keep raising the bar on awareness. You either do something about it, or you stick your head in the sand." Jefferson County has one of the worst meth problems in the United States. The state of Missouri recorded 770 meth-lab incidents in the first six months of this year. </p> <p>Is their criteria too broad? Should a house be listed as a meth lab just for having evidence gathered? Is privacy at stake or is this progressive crime fighting?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> </p><!-- no strip poll --><form action="/1899102" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>Missouri County Posts Meth Lab Locations Online: Good Idea? </label> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="0" class="form-radio" /> Privacy's at stake. Crime details shouldn't be on the web, it's a threat to the area.</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="1" class="form-radio" /> Progressive crime fighting! Good for them for getting the info in the open and accessible.</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label class="option"><input type="radio" name="edit[choice]" value="2" class="form-radio" /> Other. I'll tell you my opinion in the comments.</label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="1899102" /> <input type="submit" name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --></noscript><!-- no strip poll --> http://www.citizensugar.com/1899102#comment Citizen Poll Crime Drugs Meth Missouri Poll Privacy Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:45:51 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1899102 http://www.citizensugar.com/1890869 <p>Forget about ugly Americans, Britons are proving themselves too wild for the rest of Europe. Locals of Greek vacation destinations <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/world/europe/24crete.html?pagewanted=1&amp;_r=1&amp;ref=europe" target="_blank">told the New York Times</a> that young Brits make their presence known by brawling, getting violently sick, crowding clinics for the morning-after pill, screaming and singing in public, taking their clothes off, and falling over in the middle of the street.<br /> <span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/35_2008/74356571.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="445" width="550"></span><br /> Many British travel companies offer packages popular for the cheap alcohol. It sounds like these young Brits treat their Summer holidays like American spring break. </p> <p>If a bad hangover and a couple of bruises sound bad to you, the actions of these party animals have more serious consequences, too. Between 2006 and 2007, 602 Britons were hospitalized and 28 raped in Greece, while 1,581 died in Spain where another 2,032 were arrested. And the Brits have taken their trouble out of Europe, too. Remember the woman sitting in a Middle Eastern prison for <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1769711" >having sex on a public beach in Dubai</a>?</p> <p>To find out what the British government plans to do about its unruly citizens, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1890869">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1890869#comment Alcohol Crime Headline Tracy Ullman United Kingdom Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:45:05 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1890869 http://www.citizensugar.com/1885781 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/34_2008/82462890.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" width="350"></span>It's not the plot of a movie, though it sure seems like one: wealthy Mexicans are implanting GPS chips under their skin as a means to protect themselves from the out-of control plague of kidnappings. Mexican President Felipe Calderón <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/08/22/mexico.kidnapping/" target="_blank">convened and emergency meeting</a> yesterday to create a plan including 65 specific ways to stop the abductions. </p> <p>This year alone, there have been 314 kidnappings, added to 700 last year. Calderon says, "The truth is we are all responsible. We must recognize the traditional way of combating crime has not been sufficient. We must act in a more coordinated and vigorous manner." </p> <p>Sparked by the 40 percent between increase in kidnapping between 2004 and 2007 Mexicans, are <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1048129/Mexicans-terrified-kidnap-splash-skin-chip-implants-satellites-locate-abducted.html" target="_blank">seeking out a tiny chip</a> that can be injected under their skin to protect them. To see how it works, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1885781">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1885781#comment Abduction Crime GPS Headline Mexico Technology Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:15:39 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1885781 http://www.citizensugar.com/1883734 <p><span class="inline left"><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,0,0" ><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489794_0.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="500"></a></span>The Morro da Providencia favela is one of Rio de Janeiro's most violent neighborhoods. A French photographer named JR <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowpics/3388843.cms" target="_blank">went to the Brazilian neighborhood to take pictures</a> of women related to the victims of violent clashes between police and drug traffickers. He then placed the pictures on the facades of the houses <a href="http://www.womenareheroes.be/?en" target="_blank">as part of his global project</a> called "Women Are Heroes." By shooting women in their daily lives and posting them on the walls of their country, he hopes to reveal female dignity.</p> <p>JR has brought his project to Sudan, Sierra Leon, Kenya, and Liberia, and will soon visit India, Cambodia, Laos, and Morocco. Through his work, he believes the story of these women will travel around the world. He says, "We went to see women who had struggle in their lives. When you hear the story you're like woah, maybe the person is dead inside. But then when you ask her to do faces, then you can see life."</p> <p><p><div style="float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:9px"><div id=mask-21761 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#6EA2CC'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}><div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'><a target="gallery4" class="thumb2 active" href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,0,0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489794.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image mediumsquare" /></a></div></div></div><div style="float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:9px"><div id=mask-66130 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#6EA2CC'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}><div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'><a target="gallery4" class="thumb2 " href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,1,0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489811.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image mediumsquare" /></a></div></div></div><div style="float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:9px"><div id=mask-12204 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#6EA2CC'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}><div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'><a target="gallery4" class="thumb2 " href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,2,0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489382.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image mediumsquare" /></a></div></div></div><div style="float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:9px"><div id=mask-14228 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#6EA2CC'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}><div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'><a target="gallery4" class="thumb2 " href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,3,0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489802.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image mediumsquare" /></a></div></div></div><div style="float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:9px"><div id=mask-1298 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#6EA2CC'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}><div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'><a target="gallery4" class="thumb2 " href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1883494?page=0,4,0"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/82489978.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image mediumsquare" /></a></div></div></div></p><br clear="all"></p> <p>To see a starkly realistic video trailer for the project, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1883734">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1883734#comment Brazil Crime Headline JR Women Are Heroes Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:00:56 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1883734 http://www.citizensugar.com/1882924 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/34_2008/41735053.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" width="150"></span>Despite overcrowding in US prisons, an Illinois jail has booked one man who hasn't committed a single crime — the sheriff. The creative experiment sounds dangerous to me, but Sheriff Mark Curran, who will be behind bars until Aug. 27, thinks spending time in another man's jumpsuit is <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-curran-bothaug21,0,5295901.story" target="_blank">the best way to understand the inmate experience</a>. </p> <p>Sheriff Curran sleeps in his own cell for safety reasons, but so far most inmates don't seem to realize he's the sheriff. He hopes to gain the trust of those who do realize his true identity by becoming one of them. During the day he'll take part in a substance-abuse support group, GED courses, and a family-communications class. He also plans on working in the kitchen and eating jail food with his fellow inmates. To see what he wants to get out of the experience, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1882924">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1882924#comment Crime Headline Illinois Mark Curran Prison Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:15:34 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1882924 http://www.citizensugar.com/1866345 <p>It's just like being a teenager, except your parents are the police! And instead of grounding, they can put you in jail! Curfews are popping up in tons of places, aimed at controlling crime. With goals similar to the <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1687353" >police checkpoints</a> in Washington DC, the newest towns getting an early bedtime: Helena, Arkansas and Hartford, Connecticut.<br /> <span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/33_2008/73322049.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="366" width="550"></span></p> <p>Sparked by violence, Helena, AR has <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080813/ap_on_re_us/arkansas_town_curfew" target="_blank">implemented a 24-hour curfew</a> in a troubled neighborhood, questioning all passers by. The city council voted unanimously to allow police to expand the program to any area of the city, despite ACLU claims that the police action is unconstitutional. The patrols have resulted in 32 arrests since they locked down the 10-block radius. The council acknowledges the hardship of the curfew but says those living in the city want the random and drug-fueled shootings to stop, regardless of what it takes. </p> <p>To see what's happening in Hartford, and whether it actually works, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1866345">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1866345#comment ACLU Arkansas Check This children Civil Rights Connecticut Crime Curfews Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:00:30 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1866345 http://www.citizensugar.com/1857448 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/10/104169/32_2008/rbww_00.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" width="325"></span>Smart victims of crimes know to pay attention to details during the act to help catch the crook later. Problems with this strategy arise from this phenomenon — people have problems with <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ggcR_HChdp2iOELF-O0AZS7YGfWgD92FEPB80" target="_blank">cross-racial identification</a>. Since 1991, 218 people have been found innocent through DNA testing — 75 percent of those wrongful convictions came from mistaken eyewitnesses, and half of those involved a person of one race misidentifying a person of another.</p> <p>One such story happened to a victim of rape. Though she'd had a good close look at the perpetrator, when it came to the lineup, she fingered the wrong African-American. To see her story, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1857448">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1857448#comment Crime Headline Race Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:00:52 -0700 CitizenSugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1857448 http://www.citizensugar.com/1845699 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/32_2008/gtaiv_logo.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="370"></span>The strikingly violent video game Grand Theft Auto IV <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7540000/7540623.stm" target="_blank">will no longer be sold in Thailand</a>, after a teenager murdered a taxi driver while trying to bring the virtual violence into reality. Video retailers have pulled the game off the shelves, and replaced it with other games. As for the teen who played the game for hours a day over a few years span, he now faces a possible death sentence. </p> <p>Bangkok's police chief said that the teen wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game. He said the boy planned to use the stolen money to play the game at arcades. </p> <p>While I have a low tolerance for violence (I closed my eyes during most of <b>The Dark Knight</b>), I can't decide if I think Thailand is overreacting to this individual's crime. To see what experts might say, </p> <p><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1845699">read more</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1845699#comment Asia Crime Grand Theft Auto Thailand Video Games Violence Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:30:18 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1845699 http://www.citizensugar.com/1826215 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/31_2008/75934788%282%29.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="450"></span>What's that noise coming from the Capitol's basement? Why, it's Karl Rove! </p> <p>Well not exactly, but it could be soon! The House Judiciary Committee just voted along party lines to hold "Bush's Brain" in contempt of Congress, <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/07/rove-in-contemp.html" target="_blank">setting up a full House vote</a>. The contempt charges stem from Karl's refusal to show up <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1785700" > (claiming executive privileged)</a> to a July 10 hearing on the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/21/60minutes/main3859830.shtml" target="_blank">allegedly politically motivated federal corruption charges</a> that landed former (and popular) Democratic Alabama Governor Don Siegelman in prison.</p> <p>If the entire House passes a contempt citation, the case goes to the federal attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeffery Taylor. Bush-appointed Taylor could recuse himself from the case and appoint a special prosecutor or refuse to prosecute. </p> <p>If prosecution doesn't go anywhere, Congress does have <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12235541" target="_blank">its own "inherent power of contempt,"</a> which requires it to stop all other work and hold its own trial. If that happens, and Karl Rove is found guilty, he would be imprisoned in the basement of the Capitol. He could be joined by ex-White House counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolton, who are facing contempt charges, too. Do you think they'll fight over who gets the top bunk?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1826215#comment Congress Crime Headline Karl Rove Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:45:24 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1826215 http://www.citizensugar.com/1823542 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/31_2008/200191042-001.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="400"></span>California's legalization of same-sex marriage has left prison authorities trying to figure out <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92993519" target="_blank">whether they must allow inmates to marry each other</a>.</p> <p>Currently prisoners can marry someone from the outside, same or opposite-sex. Back in the days of man-woman marriage, California's proxy rule — which states that both parties must be present at a wedding — helped avoid the all-inmate wedding dilemma. Male and female inmates do not share prisons, thus they both could not attend. </p> <p>Prison officials are wondering what to do when a same-sex incarcerated couple decides to test out the new law. Concerns likely to shape a newly created policy include conjugal visits, and the safety of the couple around other inmates. Since California's Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a civil right and not to be denied to same-sex couples, would it be disproportionate punishment to deny this right to all prisoners? </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1823542#comment California Crime Law Prison Same-Sex Marriage Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1823542 http://www.citizensugar.com/1819311 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/31_2008/76959708.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="450"></span>The future of (public) nude dancing in Iowa depends on the legal answer to one question: is stripping art? Iowa's <strike>strip clubs</strike> performing arts centers are under legal attack, after an underage patron's performance <a href="http://www.ketv.com/news/17009263/detail.html?rss=oma&amp;psp=news" target="_blank">sparked a court battle</a>. Iowa's public indecent exposure laws forbid all-nude strip clubs, but artists still dance naked at "performing art centers."</p> <p>Back in 2001, the underage niece of a sheriff decided to bare all at the establishment Shotgun Geniez, <a href="http://www.townhall.com/news/us/2008/07/27/iowa_case_raises_question_is_stripping_an_art" target="_blank">dragging the owner into court</a> to argue that the law does not apply here because it exempts theater, concert hall, art center, and museum performances. </p> <p>The club in question, which usually prevents under 18 year olds from entering, sells posters and provides sketch pads for patrons. While the owner argues that she did not violate Iowa's public indecent exposure law because the dancing is art, the prosecution says the facts are clear: an underage girl stripped, case closed.</p> <p>If the case makes it up to the state supreme court, there may be a state-wide decision regarding whether naked dancing equals art. How do you think the court should treat subjective standards like "art" and "indecency?"</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1819311#comment Crime Headline Iowa Law Pornography Stripping Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:45:35 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1819311 http://www.citizensugar.com/1813410 <p>Well-behaved prisoners in England and Wales will <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7524936.stm" target="_blank">no longer be allowed to play</a> adult-rated video games — that means auto thieves cannot relive their crimes playing Grand Theft Auto. Bummer! Under the new system, those with kid-safe game privileges will also have to pay for the consuls and games themselves. (The games cost taxpayers £10,000, or $20,000, last year.) Officials will still permit the use of video games in cells, as a way to keep order in overcrowded prisons. </p> <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/30_2008/80913239.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="389" width="550"></span></p> <p>Since a booming prison population reduces resources for meaningful activities like educational classes, guards turn to PlayStation and Xbox when they want to reward inmates. Inmates at risk of suicide can play, too. Hoping to show offenders that appropriate behavior brings positive results, the reward scheme also allows for in-cell TV, more outside visitors, and the right to ditch prison garb for one's own clothes. </p> <p>It would be hypocritical to allow prisoners to play video games riddled with violence and sometimes crime, characteristics of many over-18 games. But, does making well-behaving prisoners stick to kid games diminish the reward? </p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1813410#comment Crime Headline Law Prison United Kingdom Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1813410 http://www.citizensugar.com/1797066 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/29_2008/935480-001.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right preview" height="230"></span>As part of the War on Drugs US federal and local authorities seize cash made from drug trafficking. The practice takes away an incentive for smuggling, and gives the agents an incentive to catch traffickers. The guideline for how that money can be spent, according to most local laws, is the vague standard of "for law-enforcement purposes."</p> <p>This week's <b>Economist</b> <a href="http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?STORY_ID=11707305" target="_blank">itemized what can be considered law enforcement</a> for spending purposes. Seized assets have been used for the following: </p> <ul> <li> One Texas county used it on a margarita machine.</li> <li> A Texas district attorney took his whole staff to Hawaii for a training seminar.</li> <li> Another Texan DA spent thousands of dollars on his re-election campaign.</li> <li>In Indiana money goes to a general school fund. (A good idea.)</li> <li> A Georgia sheriff bought a $90,000 sports car, used to advertise an anti-drug program. (Don't tell the kids drugs paid for the car!)</li> </ul> <p>Unfortunately, many state laws give authorities wide discretion to seize assets even without any verdict. And with such an incentive to get the restriction-free money, sometimes they get it wrong. Does it matter to you what happens to drug money?</p> <p><a href="http://www.legacycreative.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1797066#comment Crime Drugs Law Texas War on Drugs Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:00:57 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1797066 http://www.citizensugar.com/1791012 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/29_2008/inboxlaw.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image right outline preview" height="408" width="365"></span> A New York spam aficionado <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080715/wr_nm/crime_usa_spam_dc" target="_blank">just got 30 months in jail for spamming</a> AOL subscribers. He must also pay the company $180,000. Too bad nobody ever got locked up for mailing all those AOL CD-ROMs. </p> <p>The spammer, 27-year-old Adam Vitale, circumvented AOL's spam filter and spammed AOL's 1.2 million subscribers on behalf of a government informant. Vitale, who has also been accused of running a Craigslist prostitution ring, had made a deal with the informant to send out junk emails advertising software in exchange for 50 percent of the software's profits. </p> <p>I just signed in to my ancient AOL account to do some research and found 94 emails, aka my inbox, I would classify as spam, all received in the last month (see image). So I'm thinking it can't be <i>that</i> hard to crack the filter. Either way, as Vitale received his spamming sentence, the federal judge told him that "spamming is serious criminal conduct." Do you agree? Was a two-and-a-half-year sentence fair?</p> <p><a href="gettyimages.com" >Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1791012#comment AOL Crime Law New York Spam Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:00:56 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1791012 http://www.citizensugar.com/1788114 <p><span class="inline left"><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/29_2008/75488949_0.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image left preview" height="260"></span>Get this — California taxpayers will spend $378 million next year to care for 1,500 juvenile inmates. In addition to this exorbitant cost, the money spent is more of a waste than an investment, since three out of four juvenile inmates re-offend within three years. </p> <p>These considerations have prompted a state watchdog group to <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_9879403" target="_blank">suggest that California dump its juvenile prisons</a>, in a new report sent to Governor Schwarzenegger and other lawmakers. </p> <p>The report recommends scrapping the statewide juvenile justice bureaucracy and replacing juvenile prisons with county-run regional centers for the most serious offenders. The less serious offenders would stay in local juvenile halls. Due to the decrepit state of juvenile prisons, if the state does not reform the system, it will have to pay a lot to replace the current, and not so successful, one.</p> <p>What should society do to get young offenders back on the right track, instead of pushing them further down the wrong one?</p> <p><a href="http://www.legacycreative.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1788114#comment Arnold Schwarzenegger California Crime Prison Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:00:39 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1788114 http://www.citizensugar.com/1779151 <p>California has called on a plentiful resource — prisoners — to save the state's natural resources from devastating fires. About 2,500 prisoners are fighting the <a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/1762618" >thousands of wild fires engulfing California</a>. The convicted helping hands are not amateurs; California has maintained a prisoner firefighter training program for 60 years.<br /> <span class="inline left"><a href="http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,0,0" ><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/80902137.preview_0.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image preview" height="367" width="550"></a></span><br /> Serving fellow citizens during an emergency <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0711/p01s02-usgn.html" target="_blank">provides an unfamiliar role for former criminals</a>, giving them an opportunity to help society rather than burden it. Taking their jobs seriously, few convicts have escaped during the course of the program. Those driving by pull over to say thank you, and one prisoner said: "Even though I have to wear these colors, I still feel important."</p> <p>Firefighter training seems like a great way to pass on work skills to inmates, while giving them a tie to the community and a chance for respect — the lack of these things might have caused the crimes in the first place. </p> <p><p><div style='float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:9px'> <div id=mask-42222 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#0072bc'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}> <div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'> <a target=gallery4 class='thumb2 active ' href=http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,0,0><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/80902137.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="Prisoner firefighters " title="Prisoner firefighters " class="image mediumsquare" width="100" height="100" /></a> </div> </div> </div><div style='float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:9px'> <div id=mask-35115 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#0072bc'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}> <div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'> <a target=gallery4 class='thumb2 ' href=http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,1,0><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/81833999.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="Prisoner firefighters " title="Prisoner firefighters " class="image mediumsquare" width="100" height="100" /></a> </div> </div> </div><div style='float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:9px'> <div id=mask-53583 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#0072bc'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}> <div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'> <a target=gallery4 class='thumb2 ' href=http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,2,0><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/77541780.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="Prisoner firefighters " title="Prisoner firefighters " class="image mediumsquare" width="100" height="100" /></a> </div> </div> </div><div style='float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:9px'> <div id=mask-52774 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#0072bc'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}> <div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'> <a target=gallery4 class='thumb2 ' href=http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,3,0><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/77534843.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="Prisoner firefighters " title="Prisoner firefighters " class="image mediumsquare" width="100" height="100" /></a> </div> </div> </div><div style='float:left;line-height:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:9px'> <div id=mask-70341 class=mask style=';width:100px;height:100px;overflow:hidden;background:#FFF;margin:0px 8px 8px 0px;border:0px solid #111;padding:0px;' onmouseover={style.borderColor='#0072bc'} onmouseout={style.borderColor='#111'}> <div style='margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;'> <a target=gallery4 class='thumb2 ' href=http://www.citizensugar.com/gallery/view/1779132?page=0,4,0><img src="http://images.teamsugar.com/files/upl1/19/193328/28_2008/77534828.mediumsquare.jpg" alt="Prisoner firefighters " title="Prisoner firefighters " class="image mediumsquare" width="100" height="100" /></a> </div> </div> </div></p><br clear=all></p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank">Source</a></p> http://www.citizensugar.com/1779151#comment California Crime fires Prisoner Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:57 -0700 LibertySugar http://www.citizensugar.com/1779151 http://www.citizensugar.com/1769770