Confidential informants (CIs) and jailhouse snitches are used by law enforcement to gather information and tips so suspects can be put behind bars. The practice of using these informants is not uncommon in the least. Unfortunately, there are some real problems with the custom: There are no reliable mechanisms in…
It should come as no surprise to learn that many of the women in prison who have been convicted of murder or manslaughter have been victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). In one such California case, after months of stalking by a former boyfriend, a woman stabbed the man. In…
Did you attend a public protest, only to be arrested? You thought you had a First Amendment right to express your views, so why did you wind up behind bars? The laws on the books may seem murky at times, but if you feel you were wrongfully arrested, you need…
If you are familiar with the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, you know that it provides protection against self-incrimination. That means you cannot be forced to disclose information that is directly incriminating or that could lead police or prosecutors to discover incriminating evidence against you in the future. It is…
Drugs and alcohol abuse impact a person’s life—from their family, co-workers, and friends to the community in general—and the repercussions can be devastating. The weight of addiction reaches far and wide, from schools to prisons and everything in between. In fact, one of the greatest impacts is the connection between…
Anyone who has seen a courtroom drama on the big screen or on television has heard lawyers make motions. Although you have probably never really thought about them, the truth is they can make an enormous difference in the outcome of a trial. What are Motions? Motions are written requests…
Movies about bank robberies are fan favorites, always packed with intrigue and action. From popular westerns like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and The Long Riders to more modern films such as Ambulance and Now You See Me, bank robberies have been romanticized and somewhat glorified. But how often do…
Many people do not realize it, but police routinely interrogate a suspect and lie about the possibility that leniency can be traded for cooperation or even about the evidence they have. Richard Leo, a renowned expert on interrogation techniques, calls deception the most defining and salient feature of interrogations in…
The number of women and girls who are incarcerated has increased seven-fold since 1980. While it is true that many more men than women are behind bars in this country, it is also a fact that women are entering jails and prisons at double the rate of men, with roughly…
If you are headed for a criminal trial, you are relying on your attorney to create reasonable doubt of your guilt in the minds of the jury. What does that mean, and how is it achieved? The Meaning of Reasonable Doubt The prosecution has the burden of proof, meaning they…