For Orlando-area police officers, domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous situations they face. What starts out as a verbal argument between two people quickly escalates into threats of physical violence. And when one of the parties has a gun, these threats may turn into deadly action–exposing not only the other person but any law enforcement first responders...
Continue ReadingAlthough marijuana has gained greater social acceptance in recent years–particularly as a medicinal drug–it remains a dangerous controlled substance under federal and state law. And while Florida voters approved the limited manufacture and use of medicinal cannabis as part of a statewide constitutional amendment, that does not mean you can simply smoke a joint in public whenever you feel...
Continue ReadingOur society has been conditioned to think of drug addiction as a legal problem. Every year thousands of people in Florida and throughout the United States are charged with drug crimes ranging from possession of banned substances to prescription drug fraud. But in our political rush to judge and condemn drug users, we often forget they are suffering from...
Continue ReadingIf you ask the typical Orlando-area police officer what scenario they fear most while on-duty, their answer probably will not be “taking down a drug dealer” or responding to a mass shooting. Instead, the officer may tell you their greatest fear is responding to a domestic violence call. And with good reason: According to the FBI, 136 police officers...
Continue ReadingDrunk driving has been around as long as there have been cars. The first DUI charge in the United States occurred in 1910 when New York became the first state to prohibit drunk driving. Although no specific individual is recorded, this marked the legal beginning of DUI enforcement in the U.S., 13 years after the world’s first DUI charge...
Continue ReadingMany Florida residents are accustomed to sharing their daily activities with friends via Facebook and other social media networks. But the darker side of this phenomenon was on display recently when a 22-year-old Tennessee man took to his Facebook page to confess to the murder of two people, including his own mother, shortly before taking his own life. According...
Continue ReadingA DUI conviction can affect your life in many ways. It can cause you to lose your driver’s license and spend time in jail. Even if you avoid jail time, you may be placed on probation. You may also have to pay a fine and be ordered to take alcohol education classes. In addition, you may lose your job,...
Continue ReadingMany relationships are based on love and trust. The two parties involved respect each other enough to not physically or emotionally hurt one another. They do not forcefully push, shove or hit each other, and they do not use or threaten any other type of violence. Some relationships, however, become violent. While men are often the ones accused of...
Continue ReadingDrugs are widely used in the United States, but it’s not just illegal ones that are leading to criminal charges and deaths. Prescription drugs have become an epidemic in the country over the past decade. People are living longer and relying on painkillers to help them feel good. The problem with prescription drugs, though, is that they stop working...
Continue ReadingWe have all heard about the “black boxes” used in airplanes to record flight data. In the event of a crash, safety officials use the black boxes–which are actually orange in color to enable easier recovery–to assist in their investigation of the accident. Along those same lines, most new automobiles sold in the United States have their own black...
Continue Reading