The story in the Daily News: The city’s crime rate for the first three months of 2009 was the lowest in more than 40 years, defying fears that the sinking economy might send the city back into the bad old days of rampant murders and rough streets. Through the end of last month, overall crime dropped 13.5% from a year…
Fewer Police Deaths
It surprises a lot of people to find out that fewer and fewer police officers are killed on duty than in the past. I guess it counters the natural inclination to assume that the world is going to hell and violence is out of control and kids these days… have you seen what they’re wearing? The top red line is…
Prison Cigarettes
Oh, Onion… how do you manage to keep being so funny? All joking aside, the price for a singlecigarette inside Rikers (last I heard) is $20. This black market was created, of course, after smoking was “banned.” Most of the supply comes from C.O.s. Hell, for hundreds of dollar profit per pack? I might, too.
Does Torture Work?
Two questions: 1) Does torture work? See FBI agent Ali Soufan’s column in the New York Times. 2) Does it matter if it works?
Talk Yourself to Jail
Two good posts by Pepper Spray Me. Talking Yourself to Jail. And Hire a Lawyer, Please.
$100 for taking out the trash
I got fined $100 for putting my trash out too early. And not all the trash. Just the recyclable cans and bottles. I thought I was doing the can-pickers a favor by giving them a few more hours of daylight to pick out can and bottles for the 5-cent deposit. I got the ticket at 3:30pm. They shouldn’t go out…
A bunch of old potheads?
Eight-term Iowa Republican Congressman Tom Latham is asked about LEAP, a group of former law enforcement agents who support drug legalization. He responds, “They’re probably a bunch of old potheads.” Don’t like the message? Disparage the messenger. That’s what they call an ad hominem attack. Maybe he should get to know us. Of well, you know what they say: any…
Arizona v. Gant
The court just ruled that police can no longer search a car incident to arrest… assuming the car isn’t within reach of the arrested person and there is no reason to suspect that the car contains evidence related to the arrest. Since New York v. Belton(1981), police have assumed that they can search a car any time the driver is…
Drug Decriminalization in Portugal
They say it’s a success. Here’s a report from the Cato Institute.
What if marijuana were legal?
I haven’t listened yet, but I assume it’s good. From NPR.