Real estate fraud is a hefty offense that can bring the weight of the law down on the accused. Because it is a federal crime, there are burdensome penalties that come along with a conviction. If you find yourself in the situation…
A federal lawsuit alleging wrongful arrest and imprisonment by the LAPD settled for $320,000 on January 16, 2007. The case involved the murder of 16-year-old Martha Puebla, who was shot and killed outside her Sun Valley, California home. Puebla was murdered just…
In the realm of prisoners’ rights and support, several organizations stand out from the rest. CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants) is one of these organizations. In the hope that you’ll consider becoming a member of CURE or making a donation…
You can find over a hundred federal prisons in the United States today. However, these prisons aren’t equal; some are better than others regarding safety, comfort, and amenities. Knowing the best federal prisons for your unique situation is extremely helpful in ensuring you are assigned to…
All Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities permits inmate access to law libraries. This page explains prison law libraries, inmate access to law libraries, and how jailhouse lawyers can help. Federal Prison Law Libraries The law library is typically located adjacent to, or…
Inmates in federal prison can also secure an early release from prison through CARES Act home confinement. The Act’s name is the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. It was signed into law in March 2020. Essentially, the CARES Act allows select eligible…
When the FBI, lawyers, and news organizations refer to white-collar crimes, they are talking about crimes committed by businesses and organizations that violate public trust. White-collar refers to the respected jobs where employees once dressed in managerial garbs, such as white shirts…
On October 18, 2018, the Washington Supreme Court fundamentally transformed juvenile justice through State v. Bassett, categorically declaring juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) unconstitutional under the state constitution. This landmark decision didn’t merely limit these sentences—it eliminated them entirely, establishing Washington as the…
The school to prison pipeline represents a disturbing national trend where children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems through harsh disciplinary policies and increased police presence in schools. Drawing from federal data, Department of…
In 1930, the French scientist Edmond Locard published a journal article in which he laid the groundwork for what would become the field of forensic science. Locard said a criminal actor will always leave traces of his or her presence at a…
During a heatwave in the summer of 2017, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Medium Security Institution in St. Louis, Missouri. They chanted “Shut it down,” after a video showing prisoners at the jail begging for relief from soaring temperatures went viral.…
A rogue police officer from the Edison, New Jersey’s police department has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following his guilty plea to a string of violent offenses, including the firebombing of his boss’s house. Michael Dotro was an Edison cop for 10…
Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team physician, is now serving an extended sentence in federal prison for criminal sexual conduct, child pornography, and sexual abuse charges. As part of his plea agreement, Lawrence Gerard Nassar will face a lifetime behind bars,…
Concerned citizens began the first American prison system in Pennsylvania in 1787, and a clergyman, William Rogers, was the first educator. Since then, there has been an ongoing national debate concerning what we should do with wrongdoers, including whether the criminal justice…
As someone who regularly writes for publications from prison, I’m often asked what the legal parameters of such conduct are. Typically, this discussion starts with a prisoner’s family member contacting me and expressing that they have been told that their incarcerated loved…
Inmate employment is a requirement within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Except for those inmates who have been designated medically unable to work by Health Services or Psychology Services, all federal prisoners must maintain some form of employment throughout their incarceration. While…
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has approximately 200 institutions, which consist of federal prisons, prison camps and contracted private prisons, each of which use similar orientation procedures for new arrivals. Referred to as Admission and Orientation (A&O), the process is designed to acquaint new…
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a massive entity with over 41,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $7 billion. It is responsible for the housing and management of approximately 188,000 federal inmates, each of which must be cataloged, inventoried,…
Former inmates face many obstacles in finding a job, but inmates who take educational programs have higher employment rates and better wages. Inmates are almost six times more likely to be unemployed than the general population before even going to prison. It can be worse after…
Jack Daniel McCullough, a 76-year-old veteran and former police officer, was convicted in 2012 of the 1957 abduction and murder of a young girl in perhaps the oldest cold case in the nation to go to trial. He was sentenced to life…
Young Tyler Fugett from Tennessee recently used his allowance money to buy books for local prisoners, scouring clearance sales at local book stores. The boy, 9, donated more than 100 books to the Montgomery Sheriff’s Office in hopes they would go to…
Prison food service vendor Aramark was included among 132 businesses in 21 countries that were named the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2015 by Ethisphere Institute, a self-described “global leader” in defining standards for ethical corporate practices. According to the Institute’s website,…
Excerpt from original article published in The Huffington Post on May 27, 2015. NZ’s Newest Prison Permits Inmates to Use Cell Phones, Computers, and Tablets. In an era where American prison administrators are losing the battle against illicit cell phone usage in our…
The confessed leader of a powerful gang inside the Baltimore City Detention Center was the government’s star witness at the trial of eight remaining defendants in a widespread racketeering, drug smuggling, bribery, extortion, and money laundering operation that resulted in criminal charges…
Every post is written by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, Esq. and Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA, and reviewed for legal accuracy by Elizabeth Franklin-Best, the firm’s principal attorney. How we verify →
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