Today Florida will begin monitoring your prescriptions in an effort to deterdoctor shopping and physicians from overprescribing medication. The legislation that led to the data base has been mired in controversy. Advocates contend that it gives law enforcement the ability to monitor “pill mills” and is necessary to combat Florida’s growing prescription pill epidemic. Those in opposition, including Gov....
Continue ReadingFlorida’s “war on drugs” is something of a “cat and mouse” game. Law enforcement uncovers a new method of drug smuggling and uses its new-found knowledge to make as many busts as possible. However, the police are usually playing a game of “catch up,” as drug distributors find clever new ways to keep distribution channels open. The newest trend...
Continue ReadingAnyone arrested for domestic violence already knows the weight that such accusations carry. Even when the charges are baseless, the arrestee is already convicted in the court of public opinion. However, a recent domestic violence arrest appearing in national headlines could help to prevent some from jumping to conclusions when accusations of domestic violence are made. A few weeks...
Continue ReadingSome Question the Legality of Aggressive Law Enforcement Tactics A recent internet child predator sting created by Polk County’s Sheriff’s Department resulted in the arrest of 22 men. Authorities created advertisements on websites such as Craigslist, Backpage, MyYearbook and OKCupid, pretending that they were a concerned parent or relative who wanted someone to provide guidance to their young girl. Some...
Continue ReadingGov. Rick Scott just distributed a press release noting that Florida’s crime rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. Scott proudly delivered the news, but it comes at a time when Florida’s prisons are incredibly overcrowded, with 104,000 inmates in the state. If crime is the lowest it has been since the 1960s, then why is...
Continue ReadingProposed legislation seeks to make the current probation violation process stricter for repeat offenders accused of violating their probation. If signed into law, it would allow Florida law enforcement to hold the accused person in jail for probation violations when they have multiple felony convictions on their criminal record. In Florida’s present probation system, the person on supervised probation...
Continue ReadingThe challenges of overcoming a felony conviction for a Florida criminal charge have just been made harder by new changes passed by Florida’s Executive Clemency Board. Under the new rules even nonviolent offenders will have to wait five years before they may be considered for the restoration of their civil rights. More serious felony convictions now require a waiting...
Continue ReadingFor years we have heard that episodes of domestic violence dramatically rise on Super Bowl Sunday. Much like the common belief that hospital emergency rooms are busier when there’s a full moon, the truth of the Super Bowl violence matter is shrouded in mystery. Or is it? Many Believe There is No Link between the Super Bowl and Violence...
Continue ReadingThe Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority reported netting $251 million last year in toll collections – a $45 million increase from 2009. The toll revenue plays a crucial role, providing the funding necessary to maintain the Florida Turnpike. Unfortunately, some innocent SunPass users are playing the role of victim in this fund-raising endeavor. The SunPass transponder – also referred...
Continue ReadingWhile Orlando police have arrested people for prostitution-related crimes for decades, the enforcement methods have had to change with the times. In today’s world, law enforcement relies heavily upon the Internet in deciding who and how to arrest. Craigslist was the primary Internet source of prostitution information for police, but Backpage has now replaced it. Internet Prostitution and Solicitation...
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