Posted on July 25, 2016 in Weapons

It appears the violence in Chicago, a city plagued by gun violence, shows no sign of slowing down. Compared to this time last year, the number of people shot in the city of Chicago is up 50 percent, and officials are worried. Summer is traditionally the most violent time period for Chicago, and city police say they have stepped up their efforts of combating gun violence.

So far this year, there have been approximately 1,400 victims of gun violence, and at least 244 gun wound related fatalities. At this point last year, in comparison, only 904 people had been shot, and around 150 of those victims were shot fatally. That significant increase is alarming, considering violent crimes tend to increase with the heat of the summer.

Summertime Violence?

Researchers nationwide have long studied the correlation between increasing temperatures and greater numbers of violent crime. In 2001, a paper released by a University of Iowa professor titled “Heat and Violence” stated that there is a 2.6 percent increase nationwide in assaults and murders in the summer months, and that hotter summers tended to have more violence than cooler summers. A study on the city of Cleveland conducted in 2010  found that hotter temperatures do indeed correlate to increased amounts of aggressive crime, specifically domestic violence and non-aggravated assaults, or those involving no serious injury or weapon use.

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 Posted on July 18, 2016 in Expungement

Finding a job with a criminal record can be difficult. Many employers across the country require that applicants disclose if they have a criminal record, and often turn down qualified employees based on their past arrests and convictions. According to the National Employment Law Project, nearly one third of American adults today have some type of prior conviction or arrest, meaning there are millions of Americans struggling to find employment. Fortunately, it seems the expectation that those with a criminal record will be bad employees may not be true. A new study indicates that employees with criminal records are no more likely to perform poorly on the job than their counterparts without records, and in fact, those with a record may outperform those without.

A Record Does Not Indicate a Poor Employee

Researchers with Harvard University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst conducted the study, which examined the nation’s largest employer - the United States military. The research shows that employers across the country who deny jobs to potential employees with criminal backgrounds may be losing out on quality staff. Research like this is largely unprecedented, as no evidence is available to assess the performance of past criminals in the workplace. The United States military, however, has actively pursued and hired those with felony backgrounds for years, making it a prime employer to study.

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 Posted on July 11, 2016 in DUI

Illinois police statewide say they are doing everything they can to crack down on intoxicated drivers. According to the Illinois State Police, twenty five people have already been killed due to drunk drivers in the state of Illinois in 2016, and efforts are being taken to prevent further deaths. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol should be avoided at all costs, and those with DUI or DWI charges face serious, life changing consequences.

Reviving an Old Tactic

In District 16, police are reviving an old tactic in hopes of keeping drunk drivers on the road. We already know that a DUI can be a major financial burden, lead to loss of driving privileges, community service, and jail time, but now, a DUI conviction could cost you your reputation as well. District 16 officials has begun releasing a monthly list of all DUI offenders. Authorities in the district say it is a low cost method that may very well prevent intoxicated individuals from getting behind the wheel. “If that is something we can do that does not cost the State Police or the taxpayers any money, that might just keep one more person from making that bad decision, then it’s worth it,” says Illinois State Police Lieutenant Carl Heintz. If fines, jail time, and skyrocketed insurance rates were not enough to prevent DUIs, authorities are hoping potential embarrassment might do the trick.

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 Posted on July 04, 2016 in Domestic Violence

Can psychedelic drugs like LSD and mushrooms help combat domestic violence? Possibly, at least according to recently released findings from the University of British Columbia’s Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law. The researchers studied a group of male inmates from an Illinois county jail, and their findings may indicate a future potential for using psychedelic drugs as a tool to prevent domestic violence.

More Tripping, Less Violence?

The researchers followed a group of over 300 newly released Illinois inmates for over six years using FBI records, tracking any run-ins they had with law enforcement. Prior to their release, each of the inmates indicated they had histories of substance abuse, and 72 percent of the inmates had some type of violent crime in their past. The inmates were monitored over the course of six years after their release.

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 Posted on June 22, 2016 in Uncategorized

Many communities across the country utilize speed cameras to identify and fine those driving over the speed limit. The automated cameras use radar technology to catch speeding vehicles, capture the vehicle's license plate number, and a ticket is later sent to the driver. These types of cameras are also common at red lights, and are also used at rail crossings and toll stations.

Cameras like this are hot button issues in many states. While penalties for being caught by an automated camera are typically lighter compared to those from traditional police stops, opponents argue that defense against tickets from automatic cameras is difficult, and that the technology is not always reliable. Proponents, however, say the cameras encourage drivers to obey all traffic rules while freeing up police resources for other purposes. Three states, Oregon, Illinois, and Maryland, use speed cameras at highway construction zones, hoping to increase worker safety and reduce the number of construction zone crashes. Do these cameras really help?

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 Posted on June 15, 2016 in Sex Crimes

Illinois lawmakers and advocates are hoping that new, recently proposed legislation will encourage more victims of sex crimes to come forward and seek justice. Historically, victims of sex crimes, such as rape, are hesitant to come forward for a number of reasons. Many fear not being believed. Others fear retaliation from their abuser. Studies show how significant the problem is. Recent studies and surveys say that only a small number of rapes, somewhere between five and 20 percent of incidents, are actually reported, meaning many perpetrators walk free and are able to commit further crimes.

Additionally, sex crime advocates say that many of the cases that are reported are mishandled by authorities or are not investigated thoroughly enough. If passed into law, Senate Bill 3096, would help victims come forward and report their crimes, and ensure that police departments across the state handled each case appropriately.

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 Posted on June 08, 2016 in Fraud

In America, everyone is at risk of being a victim of financial fraud. For seniors, however, the risk is unfortunately higher. Seniors are easy targets for criminals pursuing financial fraud or identity theft, and nationwide there are five million financial fraud cases involving senior citizens each year. Criminals continue to target seniors because they often do not realize they are being taken advantage of, and a large majority of fraud cases involving seniors do not ever get reported. Below we explain why senior citizens are at serious risk of financial fraud, and the most common ways criminals exploit them.

Why Are Seniors at Risk?

Cases of financial fraud are often underreported, and many others are caught too late. Many instances of financial fraud are detected long after the crime has been committed, making it difficult for law enforcement officials to track down the perpetrators. In many cases involving bank fraud, banks will handle the situation internally, meaning that these types of cases do not get reported often. In other cases, experts say people do not know the proper channels to report the crime committed against them, and just accept their losses.

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 Posted on June 01, 2016 in Uncategorized

While heroin and opioids have received major media attention lately, the drug problem in America is widespread and involves many illegal substances. There is no denying that the heroin and opioid problem is an epidemic, leading to thousands of overdoses each year, as well as legal problems for many more. Opioids and heroin, however, are not the only substances causing problems. Below is recent data collected by the Centers for Disease Control on the growth of drug overdoses in America.

Opioids

The category of opioids consists primarily of medications prescribed to relieve pain. This includes hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, and codeine. When used as prescribed these drugs help patients manage pain, but when abused, they carry major potential side effects. Respiratory problems are common, and even a single large dose can lead to death. These substances are also extremely addicting. Deaths due to overdosing on opioids have skyrocketed in America. In 2000, the rate of fatal overdoses related to opioids was well under 5,000 individuals per year. In 2014, more than 15,000 people died of opioid related overdoses.

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 Posted on May 27, 2016 in Weapons

The new bill that lawmakers have introduced potentially will allow firearms on public transportation. Illinois representative, Jerry Costello, introduced the law to extend citizens Second Amendment rights to public transportation, citing that with the large percentage of the population relying on public transportation, they should be able to defend themselves. Although the bill has only been proposed and is awaiting the vote of the house, if it were to pass, those who wanted to carry would need to obtain their concealed carry license, or face firearm possession charges.

How to Obtain an Illinois Concealed Carry License

As of July 9, 2013, Illinois passed the Concealed Carry Act, requiring an Illinois Concealed Carry License in order to legally conceal carry within the state. With that being said, the process of earning one of those licenses is still relatively new to the state. In order to even begin the application process, citizens must meet a few eligibility requirements:

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 Posted on May 20, 2016 in Computer Crime

Did you know that law enforcement agencies across the country use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a variety of purposes? It should come as no surprise, considering data from a 2015 report from SocialTimes shows that the average internet user in America spends 1.72 hours daily on social media sites. In fact, the same survey showed that 28 percent of all online activity in the United States is social media related. In the Age of Technology, even authorities are using social media, sometimes for communication, sometimes for strategizing, and sometimes to solve crimes.

Sharing Information

Many people consume news through social media platforms, and law enforcement agencies nationwide have found sites like Facebook to be a great method for disseminating information. Officials can share any relevant information quickly and ask followers to help spread the news as well. Citizens expect news to be shared in an accessible way, and many agencies report that community members expect police forces to have strong social media presences. Sharing news quickly is especially important in dangerous situations, where authorities can use social media to inform followers of things like areas to avoid.

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