Criminal Defense News of the Week
by: Sduclos • November 20, 2012 • no comments
Recent Study Shows Black Students Face Disproportionately Harsh Discipline in Public Schools Disproportionate incarceration rates are nothing new for criminal defense attorneys. A new study, reported in the New York Times, seems to suggest that the problem is apparent in public schools as well. The article reports that overall, black students are three and a half times as likely to face suspension or expulsion than their white peers.
What Would Happen If Everyone Exercised the Right to Trial? Michelle Alexander's recent Op Ed in the New York Times discusses the impact that collective action could have on the criminal justice system. If more defendants go to trial rather than plea, the system will have to face more of the costs that mass incarceration and minimum sentencing create. In theory, this could crash the criminal justice system. In practice, of course, defendants face the risk to their own lives.
Oregon Humane Society Trains Police for Evidence Collection in Animal Abuse Crimes The Oregon Humane Society recently hosted a conference designed to train officers to collect evidence of specific animal abuse crimes and train veterans to analyze evidence of animal injuries and illnesses. To read more, see Lynne Terry's March 7, 2012 article published in The Oregonian.
Portland Police Chief Scales Back Use of Force Reports Portland Police Chief Mike Reese's new directive to require use of force reports from Sergeants went into effect last Friday. Reese scaled back the directive to apply only to the East Precinct due to pressure from the Portland Police Association. For more information, read Maxine Berstein's March 7, 2012 article published in The Oregonian.
