Criminal Defense Blog

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 17, 2025 | Crime and Justice

Misprision of a felony is a federal crime that occurs when an individual knows about the commission of a felony but fails to report it to authorities. According to 18 U.S.C. 4, anyone who conceals and does not make known the commission of a felony can be charged with misprision of a felony. This can […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 16, 2025 | Prison Life

Looking for information on how to use Western Union for inmates? Want to know how to use Western Union to send money to inmates? If so, you’ve come to the right place. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) recognizes the importance of connecting inmates with their loved ones. In addition to facilitating visits, phone calls, and emails, BOP has partnered with Western […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 16, 2025 | Prison Life

Prison mail policies concerning providing copies of inmate photos are intended to bolster security. Instead, they create significant challenges for inmates and their families. Replacing original photos with photocopied images diminishes the emotional support and connection that family photos can offer. This makes an already difficult situation worse. This article explores the troubling effects of […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 16, 2025 | Advocacy and Reform

President Donald J. Trump has granted Ross Ulbricht, the founder and operator of the Silk Road online marketplace, a full and unconditional pardon after more than a decade behind bars. This historic turn of events brings renewed focus to the broader implications of the Ross Ulbricht pardon, reigniting debates on federal sentencing, digital-age criminal liability, […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 9, 2025 | Reentry Programs

According to the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) one out of 100 Americans is in jail or prison with a total population of 2.3 million incarcerated people. Wow! Those are huge numbers! Life in prison creates a cycle  – commit a crime, go to prison, get released, commit a crime, go back to prison. This cycle only helps […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 8, 2025 | Educational Programs

Stray cats and kittens–hardened criminals with mental health disabilities. What do they have in common? Walking into the maximum security Indiana State Prison you will find stray cats that have given birth to kittens and from that began the cat therapy program that prisoners claim are helping to change their lives. Inmates take in the […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 8, 2025 | Educational Programs

Safe Harbor – the sound of that gives one a feeling of safety after a difficult time. And that is just what Safe Harbor Prison Dogs is all about – providing a safe place for dogs who face euthanasia. The dogs are rescued from high-kill animal shelters throughout the Midwest and brought to Lansing Correctional […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 8, 2025 | Educational Programs

Princeton University is a very prestigious, well-known, and highly respected learning establishment. An off-shoot from Princeton is the Pace Center for Civic Engagement which supports efforts by undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni to become engaged citizens and to help address issues of public concern. The goal is to build stronger communities and societies […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 8, 2025 | Prison Life

The Prison Entrepreneur Program (PEP), a Texas-based non-profit formed in 2004, assists inmates convicted of felonies to prepare for life after prison by developing skills and character, finding post-release employment, and eventually making a success with their businesses. The group’s current CEO, Bryan Kelley, is a program graduate. Nearly finished serving a 20-year sentence for murder (for what he describes […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 8, 2025 | Prison News

Several of the defendants in a “widespread scheme and subversion of the Luzerne County juvenile justice system” in Pennsylvania have agreed to a $17.75 million settlement to resolve a class-action federal lawsuit. The scheme involved the building of two private juvenile detention centers and payments to two judges to ensure the facilities were filled with […]