In recent years, there has been much discussion regarding the effect of mandatory minimum prison sentences. The use of mandatory minimums have been one of the reasons the number of inmates in federal prisons has exploded, from 24,000 in 1980 to the current population...
Protecting Your Rights Throughout Eastern Iowa Since 1981
Year: 2015
Veterans not more likely to commit a crime
Criminal law is full of stereotypes. Many people believe that there is a "criminal type." And that anyone who fits that description, must be guilty of the crimes they are accused. In the 19th century, the study of the shapes of human heads called phrenology, which...
Former city clerk charged with mail fraud
A former city clerk for Casey, Iowa, has been charged with mail fraud and arson. These are two very serious charges that can result in harsh penalties if the accused is convicted. The defendant was indicted of five counts of mail fraud after she allegedly used the...
When the prosecution is determined…
Evidence of a crime is typically the lynchpin of most criminal prosecutions. The more evidence, the stronger the case. And with some crimes the greater the evidence, the more severe the penalties. With drug prosecutions, the penalties for a few ounces of marijuana are...
Justice with a profit motive?
From time to time, politicians will argue that government is inefficient and to improve things, it needs to be run like a business. For the most part this is marketing puffery, as the role of government and business are very different and adopting practice and...
Civil forfeitures: good business for Iowa law enforcement (cont.)
Last time we were looking at the issue of civil forfeiture in Iowa, and how it is apparent that some cases appear to involve what amounts to theft by law enforcement officers across the state. Civil forfeiture allows law enforcement to take money or other assets from...
Civil forfeitures are good business for Iowa law enforcement
The Iowa Supreme Court is considering arguments in a case of civil forfeiture, involving a traffic stop on I-80, where an Iowa State Patrol trooper seized $33,100 in cash and a small amount of marijuana. The driver was charged, but acquitted, of marijuana possession,...
Drug charges depend on crime lab accuracy
The filing of charges in a drug case can move slowly. In order for prosecutors to file charges, they need to be certain that substances suspected of being illegal drugs, in fact, are illegal drugs. It is the work of a crime lab to make that determination. A case...
But drug courts save money…
Drugs have been seen as a problem in American society for a long time. The salacious "Reefer Madness" and other antidrug propaganda pieces worked on the premise of scaring people away from using a drug, out of fear of becoming drug-crazed maniacs. Of course, for all...
Iowa felons need to apply to have voting rights reinstated
A felony conviction in Iowa is never welcome. Any type of conviction can lead to numerous problems with other aspects of your life, from finding housing to keeping a job, but with a felony conviction, the problems become greater and the solutions more difficult....