The sentencing reform package reported on last month is under attack by a group of Indiana prosecutors. The Association of Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys has voted to oppose the progressive changes that would save the state over $1 billion in coming years, this despite support for the legislation coming from both sides of the political fence and the public at large. [Read more…]
Indiana Lawmakers Eye Sentencing Reform
A study commissioned by the state and done by the Pew Center on the States and the Council of State Governments made some progressive recommendations on the Indiana criminal justice and prison systems. Just a few weeks ago, Governor Mitch Daniels signaled his support for the prospective changes and now everyone waits for lawmakers to make some of the recommendations as reality. [Read more…]
Plea Deal Reached in Large Marijuana Case
A man facing a litany of federal drug and gun charges is set to plead guilty next week in a case that has drug on for over two years. According to the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette, the defendant will be looking at a 27 year sentence each on two separate charges and is expected to serve more than 25 years total behind bars. [Read more…]
The Cost of a Jail Stay in Indiana
Tippecanoe County Jail, like most others across Indiana and even across the country are forced to deal creatively with funding and overcrowding on a daily basis. Budget crunches only serve to push jail administrators to get even more innovative with where they spend and where they save. [Read more…]
Indiana Prison Costs Continue Climb
While many states have begun to let up on the “get tough on crime” attitude that has cost millions and done little to curb criminal behavior, Indiana continues to lock people up and throw away the key—and the budget reflects this. From 2000 to 2008 corrections costs rose 76% to $679 million. Within 10 years that cost is estimated to reach $1 billion if something isn’t done to curtail it. [Read more…]
New Online System Helps Indiana Police Track Methamphetamine
For the last five years, over the counter cold medicines containing the ingredient pseudoephedrine have been kept behind pharmacy counters. This regulation was passed in an effort to prevent the manufacturing of methamphetamine, of which pseudoephedrine is a necessary ingredient. A new system recently unveiled seeks to improve the way in which purchases of the ingredient are tracked. [Read more…]
Local Police Bust Counterfeit Ring
Police in Floyd County, working with the state police and U.S. Secret Service have arrested five people so far in a counterfeit ring responsible for making and passing thousands of dollars in fake cash. Members of the community are said to be surprised that three of the five arrested were passing the fake bills to businesses they frequented and people they knew personally. [Read more…]
South Bend City Settles Police Brutality Suit
A 14 year old boy was viciously assaulted in what amounted to little more than a misunderstanding in 2005. The city of South Bend settled a lawsuit filed by the boy and his father for $150,000 this week, no doubt a drop in the bucket for the trauma suffered by this child. [Read more…]
New Sentencing Laws for Indiana?
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced last week a move to study the current sentencing practices in his state. Such a review hasn’t been done since 1976. According to NWI.com, in those 34 years prison populations have grown from 7,500 to 29,000 in the Hoosier state. [Read more…]
Indiana Theft Charges Come In Many Varieties
As a society we have a picture of what “theft” is. When you ask someone to picture a theft, they may see someone shoplifting or robbing someone else. Theft offenses are far more varied than that. [Read more…]