Posted on November 27, 2015 in Assault and Battery

In the wake of several headline-making events this year involving police brutality and allegations of systemic issues of bias by police departments, the issue of assaults perpetrated against police have somewhat taken a backseat in media coverage. This does not mean that they are not still happening, or that the issue is not a major one for most police departments across the country. In 2014, more than 48,000 police officers nationwide were assaulted, and of these more than 28 percent sustained injuries. This is a rate of officer assaults of nine per 100 sworn police officers.

Dangerous Interactions

The majority of assaults against police are perpetrated when a person is out of control, either on drugs or drunk or angry. This can happen in a heated emotional or tense situation when the police are called to handle someone who is posing a danger to himself or people around him. When the situation escalates to violence, police officers are sometimes caught in the middle and assaulted, either accidentally or on purpose. Whether the assault against an officer was intended or not does not matter in the eyes of the law.

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 Posted on November 20, 2015 in Hate Crimes

When one is accused or charged with a hate crime, in many cases, it becomes a case handled by the Bureau of Federal Investigation (FBI). Hate crimes can vary in severity, meaning that any crime from murder to petty vandalism can be considered as such.

What is a Hate Crime?

Any crime committed with an element of bias, against a person or a property associated with a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation can be considered a hate crime. To hate someone or a group of people is not, by any means, a crime, and is protected by the freedom of speech and other civil liberties laid out in the Bill of Rights. Yet when crime is motivated by this hate, it becomes a serious crime and, in many cases, felony. While not all hate crimes will be considered a federal offense and thus investigated by the FBI, very often the federal government does divert federal resources for the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

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 Posted on November 13, 2015 in Criminal Defense

Suggested overhauls on the prison system are sweeping the nation, with some proposing reforms to sentencing and others suggesting changes in parole options. In Connecticut, Governor Dannel P. Malloy is taking a different approach by calling for a change to the state’s bail system for charged but not convicted prisoners.

Connecticut Already Ahead of the Curve

While many states have only just started to consider reform for nonviolent offenders, Governor Malloy has already passed a Second Chance initiative. Designed to reduce penalties for many drug offenders, the bill is aimed at successfully reintegrating nonviolent offenders back into society where they can potentially become productive workers. But the Governor is not satisfied just yet; to truly make an impact on the state’s economic state, he wants to change the bail system for prisoners awaiting sentencing.

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 Posted on November 06, 2015 in Juvenile Crimes

In the early 1990s, the juvenile justice system was at its worst. Adolescents, many as young as 16, were being tried as adults, and even those that were not lived in overcrowded, unsanitary facilities that were harsh and overly punitive. Thankfully, the system has learned a lot about juvenile crime over the years, and has responded in a positive way. But there is still more to be done. A recent meeting in Washington D.C., attended by New Haven’s police chief, may be an important step to making those changes happen.

Former Issues Within the Juvenile Justice System

Of all the states in the U.S., Connecticut had probably one of the worst juvenile justice divisions. Teens were routinely arrested and locked into unsafe facilities with little to no hope of rehabilitation or treatment. Many were never even accused, let alone convicted of serious crimes, and 16- and 17-year-olds were tried in adult courts with open records and placed in adult prisons. In effect, the Connecticut juvenile justice system was flooded with uneducated teens that were unlikely to ever find productive jobs or become contributing members of society.

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 Posted on October 29, 2015 in Sex Crimes

The issue of sexual assault on college campuses has been blown out of the shadows in recent years with several high-profile cases. In April of this year, Vice President Joe Biden spoke to the successes that college communities have had in recent years in curbing the number of sexual assaults, but noted that there was far more work to do.

While in past years, statistics and reports often found that students who were accused of sexual assault faced little to no reprimand by university authorities — while the lives of victims were often thrown into psychological and social upheaval — according to research in 2015, the pendulum may be swinging too far the other way. That is, in an effort to stay out of headlines and attack the issue of sexual assault head on, some university authorities have begun to take accusations of sexual assault as fact, without doing due diligence to back up these accusations. And the accused often faces severe punishments without fair investigation.

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 Posted on October 22, 2015 in Criminal Defense

Casinos have long been touted as dangerous to a community for the rise in crime with which they are associated in surrounding areas. Casinos are also associated with a rise in tourism and employment opportunities, so most communities tend to vote in favor of their construction and take the risk.

Some studies show that the ratio of available jobs to area adult residents increased by as much as 5 percent. Yet other studies show that the presence of casinos is also associated with an increase in area substance abuse, mental illness, violent crime, theft, bankruptcy, and even increasing suicide rates. Some communities report a 10 percent increase in larceny, bankruptcy, and auto theft after an area casino opened.

It was more than 20 years ago that communities of Connecticut decided to take this risk, and the past two decades have shown that Connecticut may be the exception when it comes to these statistics. In fact, crime rates have decidedly fallen since two of the state’s largest casinos — Foxwoods Resort and Mohegan Sun — opened.

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 Posted on October 15, 2015 in Driving Under the Influence

Drunk driving in Connecticut is not worth the cost, or the risk. Sadly, the percentage of Connecticut drivers who admit to driving after drinking too much is still higher than the national average. Even more concerning is that an alarming number of parents get behind the wheel, drunk, with their children in the car. Whether they are aware of it or not, this could lead to additional charges, regardless of there not being an official law covering driving under the influence with minor passengers.

Even at First Offense, DUI Laws Are Costly

Connecticut has cracked down on drunk driving over the years; now, even on a first DUI offense, your license can be suspended and you may spend anywhere from six months to a year with an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) on your vehicle. Each additional offense increases the level of consequences, and if you are charged enough, you could face serious criminal charges.

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 Posted on October 09, 2015 in Sex Crimes

Youth in every society, from the beginning of time, have pushed boundaries, and explored their sexuality. Today’s teenagers are no different. But, the consequences of their actions can now be recorded and distributed through smart phones and published on the web for the world to see. Connecticut has developed a set of laws to deal specifically with youth under age 18 who engage in sexting.

Sexting and Child Pornography

The law in Connecticut makes it illegal for anyone under 18 and at least 13 years old to possess or transmit sexually explicit images, through a computer or mobile phone, of anyone between the ages of 13 and 16 years old. Here are some examples of how the law works:

• A 17-year old takes naked picture of her 15 year old boyfriend with her phone. She has committed a crime.

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 Posted on September 25, 2015 in White Collar Crimes

One of the biggest challenges lawmakers face is trying to write laws that keep pace with the rapid advancement of technology. Connecticut has several different computer crimes on the books. Unfortunately, these laws are often written and interpreted broadly, sweeping up some people who may never have thought of themselves as criminals.

The five major computer crimes are:

1. Unauthorized access to a computer system;
2. Theft of computer services;
3. Interruption of computer services;
4. Misuse of computer system information; and
5. Destruction of computer equipment

Unauthorized Access to a Computer System

You have committed this crime if you have knowingly accessed any computer or computer system, when you knew you didn’t have authority to do so. This could include everything from stealing passwords to a computer or a computer program. If you hack into the email of your spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend, you may have committed the crime of unauthorized access to a computer system.

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 Posted on September 17, 2015 in Theft and Property Crimes

As long as there has been civilization, there has been graffiti. Whether it is scratching initials into a desk or painting an entire mural on the wall of the local school, people are always looking for new ways to leave their mark on their hometown. However, graffiti is considered a property crime and can lead to serious penalties if police catch you. Budding street artists in Connecticut are finding this out the hard way.

Earlier this year, a group of graffiti artists were arrested after their identities were revealed on Instagram. They are now facing possible jail time after defacing property worth upward of $12,000.

The Potential Consequences of a Conviction

Graffiti is classified as criminal mischief in Connecticut, and the penalties vary depending on the seriousness of each case. If you were charged with first-degree criminal mischief, which is considered a felony, it is because:

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