Blog 12: California Horror Stories and the 3-Strikes Law By BRENT STAPLES

On November 24, 2012 The New York Times reported about the “3 strikes” rule in California. The article talked about how in 1994 the original law was approved by ballot right after a harsh crime was committed by a prisoner right after he got out of jail. This law was supposed to keep killers, rapists and child molesters off the streets for good. Later the article talks about how the three strikes cruel criminal justice system that lost all sense of proportion just giving out life sentences disproportionately to black defendants. The 3 strikes law made it so that the third offense could result in a life sentence and that offense could be any number of low-level felony convictions such as stealing from a tow truck, shoplifting or even stealing small change forms a parked car. The new law keeps the three strikes concept but it enforces a life sentence only when the third felony offense is serious or violent enough defined by the state law. This revision lets the courts re sentence thousands of people who were sent away for low-level third offenses and who present no danger to the public. The re sentencing process is shaping up as a kind of poll on the state’s cruel treatment of mentally ill defendants, who make up a substantial number of those with life sentences under the three strike rule. It is likely that many were too mentally impaired to assist their lawyers at the time of trial.

This is a very important current event because it is showing the criminal justice system is willing to change to help those affected by the harsh way of the system. This shows progression in the system that they do not just want to lock everyone up for little crimes but that they want to get the people who are doing major crimes so the prisons will not be as over populated. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/25/opinion/sunday/california-horror-stories-and-the-3-strikes-law.html?hpw&_r=0

Blog 11: Ferocious Israeli Assault on Gaza Kills a Leader of Hamas

The New York Times reported on November 15, 2012 about the launch of missals on Gaza. Gaza launched rocket fire that hit at least 20 targets that killed the top military commander of Hamas, which damaged Israel's brittle relations with Egypt and worsened the risks of a new war in the Middle East. The report said the Israel Defense Forces doubled the intensity of the airstrikes with the threat of a ground invasion of Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces tweeted a very harsh tweet saying, ''We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead.'' It was known that Israel’s tension between neighboring Arab countries has grown. Border attacks have been made going both ways and fights have increases between countries. Israel has confronted chaos on its border with Sinai that has including cross-border attacks between the two. The military’s tactical analysts says that deterrence have to be used so other tactical plans can succeed. With all that is going on between the two nations and Israel just bombing Gaza and killing many Israel is preparing for retaliation from Gaza. The Israel government has instructed residents within a 25-mile radius of Gaza not to go to school or work on Thursday. Some on the residents have been moved into bomb shelters for the duration in all of this fighting going on towards the boarders.

These current acts between these countries are a big topic because it can eventually escalade to a bigger war that is not needed. This whole situation deals with the United States of America as an allied nation brings more people into the mix of things. If the United States of America came into help it could cause a massive war dealing with other countries that dislike the United States of America. 

 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/world/middleeast/israeli-strike-in-gaza-kills-the-military-leader-of-hamas.html?pagewanted=all

Blog 10: Voters Ease Marijuana Laws in 2 States, but Legal Questions Remain

The New York Times reported on November 7, 2012 about the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. These two states made it legal to smoke weed recreational without any prescription or medical reason. The Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado cautioned the citizens that it will be a matter of months until legalized marijuana will be in the books, and longer until for the states to write the rules, tax codes and other regulations for new state-licensed retail marijuana shops. The states are still the dispute with the federal government which still sees marijuana as illegal. The federal government still sees the drug as a Schedule I prohibition substance and has been cracking down on other states such as California and Montana that have voted to allow medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are two of eighteen states with medical marijuana laws but they are the first to approve of recreational purposes. When the laws are certified it will be legal under Colorado and Washington law for adults 21 years and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. In Colorado people will be able to grow as many as 6 plants but in Washington users will have to buy their marijuana from state-licensed providers.

This can affect more than just these two states in America because by legalizing the drug it will cut back of illegal drug trafficking to these states. If other states if an improvement from this law than it could possible cut out the drug trade in America. This would affect the drug trade from Central and South America to the United States making the drug trade get smaller and smaller. This will also give America another way to put high taxes on it so that America can start to make money off of the drug. This could start other countries to eliminate the drug trade as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/marijuana-laws-eased-in-colorado-and-washington.html

Blog 9: UK man charged after children given trick-or-treat cocaine bags

On November 2, 2012 CNN reported that a man was charged after giving cocaine out to trick-or-treater. The police in England came out to investigate the children and the snap-top bags of white powder that turned out to be cocaine. The bags were given to the police and after test confirmed it was in fact cocaine the police of Royton, Greater Manchester Police arrested the man that was responsible. Donald Junior Green who was 23 years old was charged with drug possession and is due before a magistrates' court in Oldham, near Manchester, on Friday.

The war on drugs is a big thing in today’s world because of all of the ways the drugs are getting in countries and be dispersed within the countries to a high number of people that are being affected by the drugs. When children are targeted by older people it can cause a whole down fall for a generation. Drugs is a big battle for some to keep away from the youth so that they have a chance to do something better for their lives. This just does not affect the UK it affects the whole world because in some countries the drug war recruit the youth to do the dirty work to get the youth hooked young so the dealers have a life time clients. Dealing with this story and how a holiday where kids are going around and happy to get candy and eat it when they get home if a parent would not have checked the bag then a good number of children could have been killed by the drug. This also could have made it so parents do not want to let their kids take the risk of trick-or-treating in the worry of their kids being targeted with drugs of even something heinous. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/02/world/europe/uk-halloween-cocaine-arrest/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Blog 8: Executed Texan’s Family Seeks Pardon By ETHAN BRONNER

On October 25, 2012 The New York Times reported about and execution that is under review in Texas and people involved thinks that the man that was executed was not guilty. Cameron Todd Willingham was convicted of murdering his three young daughters by setting his own house on fire and eight years later a drive to prove his innocence failed to stop his execution. Mr. Willingham case is gaining so much interest because it seems as if a man was executed based on flawed science which the Texas fire marshal recently agreed to re-examine everything. The case was said to be based on testimony by the Texas state fire marshal who stated that the scene offered clear signs of arson. Research that has just come up has raised important questions about his conclusions. All of the research is planned to be presented to a panel of fire experts by January and all of this could overturn a number of wrongful convictions. Stephen Saloom said that Mr. Willingham’s last words were, ''Todd's last words were: 'Please clear my name. I did not kill my children.''. Stephen Saloom is the director of the Innocence Project which is the leader of the work on the Mr. Willingham case.

I thought this was a god current event because it goes with what we are talking about in class. Capital punishment is very has subject to talk about because of facts that have come up in this case. Cases that evidence comes too late and proves a man could be innocent or even having a trial that is based on a man’s testimony that is not certain. Capital punishment being the extreme deterrent could fail to let people know that the guilty are executed because facts come up and it is extremely hard to get a stay of execution. Capital punishment has its pros and cons but it is up to the justice system to make sure that when the death penalty is given it is given to the right person.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/us/willingham-family-seeks-posthumous-pardon-in-texas.html

Blog 7: Adolescents in Grown-Up Jails

On the 15^th of October the New York Times reported about the juveniles being jailed in adult prisons.  They reported that this practice of confining juveniles in adult jails and prison is counterproductive and inhumane. Juveniles that are locked up with adults are at more of a risk to be raped, battered or driven to suicide than those juveniles in the juveniles lock up. Also the trauma of the time done in adult lock up makes it so that the juveniles are more likely to return home damaged which makes them likely to commit violent crimes and end up back in jail or prison. By keeping the juveniles in the juvenile justice systems it will get the kids counseling and mental health services that will benefit then rather than destroy them as would the adult justice system. Prison officials say that they use solitary confinement to isolate inmates who need protection or could be dangerous to others which can help those juveniles that need protection from the adult inmates. Statistics show that tens of thousands of young people each year are charged as adults even for nonviolent offenses and property crimes that do not permit adult time. A new study by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union displays the extended isolation can lead to mental illness and other damage among emotionally immature young people.

This can be affiliated with the world because by imprisoning the young children with the adults it creates monsters to just clog up the prison system. By keeping the juveniles in the juvenile justice systems will help rehabilitate the young and cut down on crimes in the future. The world needs to work on the youth to make a different and by putting the time and effort in the young criminal will eliminate the adult criminal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/opinion/adolescents-in-grown-up-jails.html?_r=0  

Blog 6: Brazilian Corruption Case Raises Hopes for Judicial System By: SIMON ROMERO

The New York times reported on October 9, 2012 about the corruption in the judicial system in Brazil and how the courts are now coming down hard on those officials that are caught for corruption. The media in Brazil is what has pushed the water over the top by relentlessly pushing the problem and finally getting recognition for that fight against corruption in such a corrupted country.  The trail at hand is leading to some of the congressmen, members of the governing party and senior officials; many of which work with the very popular presidents. The Supreme Court has already found more than 20 of the 38 defendants in the case guilty of money laundering, misuse of public funds and accepting cash for votes. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva refused to admit that the vote-buying scheme giving no extreme certainty about what happened or could have happened. Some say the trial shows that Brazil’s organizations are functioning with strength and that the justices could have taken the easy way out by not saying anything or just pushing it out of the way so no one would know about the problems.  The Brazilian courts are more often to ridicule than to praise and also with their judges they pay handsomely and have great leeway to exert their influence.

This is related to the world because corruption is a big problem in many countries judicial system and even though these counties try to push it all under the carpet it always comes out. By Brazil stepping up and knuckling down on corruption they are trying to get to a better judicial system. Brazil is known for its corrupt ways and by them starting to work on it will go off to others to start the works on corruption. Corruption is the leading reason why judicial systems are not trusted and by eliminating it the trust will eventually come back into the system.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/world/americas/brazilian-corruption-case-raises-hopes-for-judicial-system.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Blog 6: Radical Muslim cleric loses appeal against extradition to the U.S. By: Henry Chu

Reported on October 5, 2012 a Muslim cleric who supported the Sept. 11 attacks and had nonbelievers put to death. The cleric lost his final legal attempt Friday in a long court battle to making it so that he would get shipped back to America to face serious terrorism charges. The British court denied the Muslim cleric, Abu Hamza Masri, last appeal to make it so he could not get extradited for medical reasons.  The U.S. and the U.K. are eager to put Abu Hamza Masri on trial for his involvement with the making of a insurgent camp in Oregon and his actions in a kidnapping of a tourist in Yemen. This extradition has brought numerous others dealing with four other terrorist suspects and their involvement with a bombing of the Kenya and Tanzania embassies. Abu Hamza Masri’s case attracted a high level of attention because the he is notorious for his militant sermons and distinctive look. Masri has only one eye and a hook for one of his hands giving him the plea of mentally unsuitable to be extradited. Masri is in a British prison serving a seven-year sentence for inciting racial hatred. The two judges on the case expressed lightly indirect doubt over Masri’s claims of illness, but questioned why he had not raised the issue in previous court hearings.

This is a global issue because right now in today’s world the affect of terrorism is at a grand scale because terrorism is not just affecting the US but other major nations. Another view is that the world is making those that think they can just run to another country and not pay for their crime; countries are starting to make people be accountable for their crime with the extradition laws in place. Extradition of criminals will make it so that criminals cannot just run from their crimes they pay for them to the fullest. 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/10/radical-muslim-cleric-loses-appeal-against-extradition-to-the-us.html

Blog 5: A Smart Step for Justice

September 28, 2012 4:57

On the 24th of September a significant law enforcement break through surfaced with the NYPD. The NYPD will embrace a new policy of videotaping protective interrogation in murder, serious sex crimes and felony assault cases. This significant breakthrough will help keep the innocent out of jail by giving a source to be analyzed and tell whether the person in telling the truth or not. This will also help the prosecution with confessions and with details need in the court room. Videos will be able to re-enforce the fact of the case to the court.  This new method will not only help out the innocent and prosecution but also the defense by safe guarding the defense so the truth of the interrogation room will be able to be used in court the right way and not miss any important details. This will raise the confidence in the criminal justice system by adding clearness to what was said and done in the interrogation room.

This is connected to the world because it give more support to both sides of the law, the officers and the allege criminal. This will put support back into the criminal justice system making people more will to trust the police and know that the police officers cannot do anything of extreme measures in the interrogation rooms. This will help trials have a source to tell whether the alleged criminal in telling the truth or not from analyst on the subject of human behavior and others.  This also connects to the world because it is putting the bar higher on the judicial system to look more into crimes so that they will not keep putting innocent men, women and children in jail for things that have not done. If the world would incorporate these methods into their judicial system it would cut back on a lot of civil suits.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/25/opinion/smart-step-for-justice-in-new-york-city.html?_r=0

Blog 4: Fewer Children Are Found Exposed to Violent Crime By ERICA GOODE

Derryk Scarvers 4:34 September 21, 2012

On September 19, 2012 reporter Erica Goode reported about the decrease in children exposed to violent crimes. When children are exposed to violent crimes they are more likely to have problem emotionally such as depression and anxiety. Also being exposed to violent crimes increase the chance for the children to either commit or be victims to violent crimes. These studies reported by Goode showed that the number of children in homes that is led by a victim of a nonfatal crime has also decreased these nonfatal crimes include domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and robbery.  Goode said that the cause of the drop was the policing techniques and incarceration polices are what played the big role in the decrease. Another big helping role was the outside prevention programs that let people know about everything to help stop more and more. Goode also reported about the advancement in cellphone help lines to get help when crimes might be occurring and the different medications to treat the emotional problem so people can get help to prevent the violent crimes from happening. The biggest point was that the help for the victims increase so more victims got help so that they could be educated and better there life for them and their children.

These studies show that there is a drop in violent crimes which is a plus in all aspects meaning less people are getting hurt and also criminals are decreasing. By the drop of violent crimes exposed to children means that fewer children will be affected by emotional problems and these children will not have the chance of being a victim to a violent crimes or worst committing the violent crimes. Children are our future and by having the children exposed to less violent crimes meaning less crime in the future. This affects the world because children hold the future of the every country and to have less exposer means less crime.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/us/number-of-children-exposed-to-violent-crime-drops.html

Blog 3: Latest Mexico drug arrest may cripple Gulf cartel By: Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times

Sept. 14 2:00pm

On September 13 the Los Angeles Times reported that one of the top leaders on one of the top drug cartels in Mexico had been brought to justice being one of two big busts in the past 10 days. The whole thing started with the arrest of Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez. Before the arrest the reporters said that his bodyguards were involved in a gun fight and when some fled they led troops right to Costilla’s hide-out. Masked marines then raided the hide-out and subdued Costilla who came easily when he was revealed to the news he was straight faced in front of a table with ammunition and some high-priced jewelry all captured during the raid. Costilla was one of the most-wanted in Mexico and had a reward of $2.3 million and across the border the US had a $5 million bounty on his head. Costilla is in link with the Sinaloa cartel, another major Mexican cartel, which helped Costilla in the cartel battle against the Zetas paramilitary force. This fight spreading over Mexico’s land with bloodshed including beheadings and massacres of migrants. These violent acts do not just affect the members in the cartels innocent civilians are kill throughout the time the cartels are fighting for turf.

While reading this article it made me think of not only the people in Mexico or America involved but the others not mentioned in the article. The Mexican drug cartel is the source for most drugs going in to not only the US but most of Central America who then exports it further than the Americas making it a worldwide business. The leads from one drug case to another then give anti-drug agencies the ammunition to capture the members. By capturing one leader at a time the cartel then gets weaker and weaker soon to be then dismantled.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-gulf-cartel-20120914,0,3376850.story 

Blog 2: A Venezuelan Diplomat’s Swift Rise Ends With a Murder in Kenya - By: William Neuman

Sept. 7, 2012

On September 7, 2012 The New York Times reported on a murder that occurred in Kenya dealing with a two Venezuelan Diplomats. William Neuman reported that Dwight Sagaray was a diplomat for the Venezuelan Embassy and he quickly moved up in the chain of command becoming the number 2 post in the embassy in Nairobi. Then after the head of diplomatic mission lead under some investigation of a sexual harassment charge; Mr. Sagaray was then appointed to be the head of the diplomatic mission in Nairobi. After being appointed Mr. Sagaray was then given all of the perks of the job such as moving into the embassy residents. Shortly after officials would then send Olga Fonseca Gimenez to take over and this moving Mr. Sagaray out of his position and back to his old removing him from the perks of the job. Twelve days after Ms. Gimenez took office she was found brutally murdered in her house in the embassy resident. Mr. Sagaray was then arrested by the Kenyan authorities and charged for murder after being charged Mr. Sagaray was then told that his diplomatic immunity that would save him from the charges was stripped. This strip of immunity raised a couple of eyebrows on how his immunity could be stripped so quickly and by whom. Later reported was that Mr. Sagaray was stripped of his immunity because Venezuelan officials did not have enough time to do an investigation on the matter. 

Reading this article showed me how greed will never pay. This article shows how perks of a prestigious job can make people do ferocious things to others who actually deserve the prestige. What sparked some interest was the diplomatic immunity which saves a lot of diplomats from crimes worldwide and having the tables turn on one so quickly can kind of put it in perspective that diplomats have consequences. This also shows the global connection between crimes the Kenyan authorities arrested and then found out if the immunity would apply and then charged Mr. Sagaray doing everything in due time and the right way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/world/americas/venezuelan-diplomat-faces-murder-charges-in-kenya.html?_r=1&ref=world

Blog 1: Gangs' Truce Buys El Salvador a Tenuous Peace By: Randal C. Archibold

Aug. 30 1:30pm

On August 28, 2012 in The New York Times reporter Randel C. Archibold had a story about two major gangs that are based out of Los Angeles, California and has strong ties in El Salvador. These two gangs, Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, come to a peaceful truce to end the violence between the two. While both leaders of the gangs are incarcerated they decide to come to a truce after leading their gangs from the prison walls in fear that the gangs are getting out of hand and becoming too violent.  The two gang leaders discussed the truce over a long period of time to come to a final truce. US officials feel that the truce will lower crime rate in violent street crimes, extortion and kidnapping. While the truce did in fact lower these aspects it is steadily coming back up because of some member not able to adapt to the change and just drop the violent rivalry between the two gangs. On the other side the gang member going with the change are now calming down and looking for jobs but the job hunt is hard having been a gang member.

Reading this article made me think of how the world is in constant change and if people are willing to go with the change the world can one day be a peaceful place. On the other hand this article shows the people that cannot cope with change and rebel and pushed the change backwards. The fact that the gang members willing to change are trying to get work to change their live and get away from the “gang life” they should not have a hard time trying to change for the good. Programs such as Homies Unidos should have a wider support group to get the member of the streets and in to making the member assets to the communities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/28/world/americas/in-el-salvador-gang-truce-brings-tenuous-peace.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all