Crime
Domestic violence victims find little solace in justice system
They are the “anecdotes,” the “unsubstantiated allegations,” the stories told in a brutally honest, 185-page report on domestic violence that Metro withheld and, once it was revealed, sought to minimize. But to domestic violence victims, tales of an insensitive, intimidating and sometimes cold criminal justice system are all too real.
Read MoreUnsolved hit and run cases in Denver haunt detectives, victims
Despite traffic cameras, instant public notifications, sophisticated investigations and new, tougher laws, police remain frustrated by the dozens of hit-and-run cases, including the one involving the Khans, that might never be solved. And the clock is ticking. Investigators are in a race against time to file charges before the statute of limitations expires on such…
Read MoreCalifornia probation officers overwhelmed with GPS monitoring alerts
Electronic monitoring was supposed to help Los Angeles County deal with the influx of thousands of felons moved out of California’s prison system to ease overcrowding. The nation’s largest probation department strapped GPS ankle monitors on the highest-risk of those convicts, expecting the satellite receivers to keep tabs on where they spent their days and…
Read MoreFamily wants DNA testing after FBI admits error in 1983 murder case
During the 26 years that James Preston spent incarcerated for murder, he always told his family that he didn’t commit the crime. Now, the FBI says their analyst’s testimony about key hair evidence in the case exceeded the boundaries of science, raising the possibility that Preston, who died in custody, was wrongfully convicted if not,…
Read MoreMilitary inconsistent with handling of service members accused of sexual assault
The Associated Press originally sought the records for U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan after attacks against Japanese women raised political tensions there. They might now give weight to members of Congress who want to strip senior officers of their authority to decide whether serious crimes, including sexual assault cases, go to trial. The AP…
Read MoreResidents distrust police and their efforts in Harvey, IL
Experts say it’s not unusual for impoverished places to have more crime and tougher cases to solve. But the Tribune found that those two factors alone don’t explain what has happened in Harvey, where the competence and integrity of the department frequently come under fire. It’s a suburb that commissioned an audit that ripped its…
Read MoreVa. law enforcement agencies violating drug destruction laws
Less than two dozen of Virginia’s roughly 300 law enforcement agencies filed a required drug destruction report to the state’s Board of Pharmacy in 2012, according to a report by Richmond, Va. television station WRIC. “Since the ABC 8 News investigation first aired in February 2013, the number of law enforcement agencies complying with the…
Read MoreDirect Commitment forces Florida teens to choose between juvenile or prison
The 4th Judicial Circuit, which consists of Duval, Clay and Nassau counties, dramatically leads the state in the number of juveniles incarcerated through a method called direct commitment. That’s usually a plea deal reached between a juvenile’s lawyer and the prosecutor. When juveniles agree to plea deals, they are often incarcerated without the chance to…
Read MoreExtra Extra Monday: Pollution control plans, juvenile justice and inmate deaths
Wis. freeing more sex offenders from mental lockup | WisconsinWatch.org Wisconsin officials have nearly quadrupled the number of offenders released from state custody after they were committed as sexually violent persons. The risks to residents are reasonable, officials say, because the state’s treatment programs are working and new data suggest these offenders are less likely…
Read MoreWisconsin releasing sex offenders at higher rate
Wisconsin officials have nearly quadrupled the number of offenders released from state custody after they were committed as sexually violent persons. The risks to residents are reasonable, officials say, because the state’s treatment programs are working and new data suggest these offenders are less likely to reoffend than previously thought. The story is the first…
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