Criminal Defense News of the Week
by: Sduclos • November 20, 2012 • no comments
Life In Prison Means Providing for Dementia and Other Age-Related Diseases Mandatory sentencing policies winning elections since the 1970s are creating yet another foreseeable and preventable humanitarian and budget crisis: with an aging prison population combined with additional risk factors, prisons may soon face three-times the national average for people living with dementia. Perhaps needless to say, most prison systems are not equipped with the facilities, budgets, or foresight to handle the increased cost of providing care. To learn more, read the recent NY Times Editorial, "Dementia Behind Bars."
Over-prescribed Vets Not Guilty By Lack of Mental Responsibility The LA Times reports that 110,000 army soldiers took prescription drugs last year. Probably not surprisingly, this leads to crimes committed while popping what Air Force Pilot Patrick Burke described as "go pills." In a small but growing number of cases, lawyers are blaming the military's heavy use of psychotropic drugs for their clients' aberrant behavior and related health problems, and military tribunals, at least, are starting to respond favorably.
If Anyone Should Be Concerned Portland's gang violence task force is adding meetings in North and East Portland to allow more concerned citizens to attend. The meetings are scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on April 17 and May 15 at Jefferson High School in the Blazers hospitality committee room. Concerned? Read the article from the Oregonian News Network and consider attending.
Facebook's Status Update on Subpoenas The Boston Phoenix recently gained access to the Boston Police Department's case files on the "Craigslist Killer." Among other things, they came across BPD's subpoena of Philip Markoff's Facebook information. Of course, Facebook must get subpoenaed all the time, but how do they respond? What do information do they redact and what do they protect? See for yourself on the Boston Phoenix blog, which reproduced the entire subpoena and response online.
A Great Idea or a Misdemeanor Waiting to Happen? Most likely a great idea: ONCA student Sarah Cloutier is designing tiny, modular housing called Bootstrap Homes. These are trailers just big enough to fit one person lying down and provide shelter and storage for people without housing. Cloutier believes the trailers would be legal, slipping just between the cracks of a "trailer" and a "sit-lie ordinance," although she will be meeting with City Council to verify its validity. See photos and information on Oregon Live News.
