The effects of drinking and driving are well understood. Alcohol decreases a person’s ability to make split-second decisions behind the wheel. By impairing one’s reflexes and slowing down reaction time, it makes it difficult to respond to sudden changes in traffic. Having too much alcohol in one’s system can reduce concentration and induce drowsiness. It…
A string of murders in Seminole Heights led investigators to arrest Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III. The 24-year-old was the primary suspect in the killing of four people in the Tampa neighborhood. Police arrested Donaldson on November 29, 2017 after he had asked a coworker at the fast food joint where he worked to take a…
Anyone who has ever been arrested for any reason has a criminal record staining their reputation. If you were arrested and charged with an offense, your criminal record is public information that anyone can access by making a trip to the courthouse or reviewing court records online. Whether you were guilty or innocent, or somewhere…
If you live in Palm Beach County, sources estimate that you likely live within ten miles of a human trafficking victim. Sex trafficking is on the rise; having outpaced the illegal weapons trade, it is projected to overtake the illegal drug trade as the most widespread criminal enterprise in the world. As a hotspot for…
Under federal law, marijuana possession remains a criminal offense. Several states throughout the nation, however, have legalized both medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. In Florida, some medical patients can use marijuana to help them cope with a debilitating condition, while those who wish to use marijuana recreationally can still find themselves in trouble with…
In the wake of the school shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, communities nationwide are reevaluating their gun laws and urging their politicians for gun reform. Florida’s governor Rick Scott claimed that “everything is on the table” when it comes to reforming state gun laws, though he stresses that he will…
A DUI is a considerable legal hurdle for the everyday person; however, if you are a college student and an athlete, the repercussions of a DUI extend far beyond the scope of the sentence. As a college student, you will likely face both legal and disciplinary actions from the school you attend following a DUI…
As adolescents blossom it’s natural to expect that they will make mistakes that can possibly have negative consequences; however when these mistakes extend to criminal matters, a minor’s bright future can take a turn for the worst. These days, a typical school yard fight can lead to an arrest for assault and battery. What was…
While there have been fewer arrests of juveniles for minor crimes overall, the use of civil citations throughout Florida has been sporadic and sparse. Fifty of the sixty-seven counties in the state used civil citations in the past year less than 60% of the time, earning the state an “F” by the report “Stepping Up:…
Throughout the country, an accidental shooting ends the life of a child every other day. According to the Tampa Bay Times, a child 17 and under dies every 17 hours in Florida alone. Firearm shootings killed or injured nearly 3,200 kids between 2010 and 2015; the number of deaths and injuries children have sustained since…
