It is laudable, it sparks a feeling of accomplishment, and it is the foremost attribute of humanity: It is being a “HERO.” Our society’s fondness with the concept of heroism is very distinguishable. Many instances get media spotlight and thumbs up from social commenters. Heroic acts vary. It could be pulling someone from the smoking wreckage of an overturned car or spraying a gunman with pepper-spray and tackling him to the ground saving countless lives in the process. However, the bottom line is to be a good citizen and Good Samaritan if you are in a position to be of help in the event of an emergency. In the law, most of these acts fall under the purview of “citizen’s arrest.” The Term “Citizen’s Arrest” Citizen’s arrest, according to the law, refers to the act of a regular citizen intercepting another individual committing a crime, with the intention of catching the person and turning him or her to the police. Florida does not have any specific laws that dictate the practice. Nevertheless, guidelines and parameters do exist that detail how anyone should engage in the… Read More

The law and most people agree on the need to dole out punishments to individuals who commit crimes against other individuals. Going further, certain crimes of this nature tend to be graver, often because of the age, mental health, general health, and/or physical capabilities of the victim. In response, the law stipulates stiffer punishments for these crimes that appear to target certain populations. The reason for the stiffer punishments is twofold. First, to fulfil the basic tenet of justice that offenders face appropriate punishment. The second reason is to serve as a practical deterrent to those who may contemplate committing these graver crimes. Increased Protection of the Most Vulnerable The success of a crime hugely depends on the vulnerability of the victim. Knowing this, the law protects persons (or more accurately populations) who show overreaching inability to protect themselves. These populations include the elderly, the sick, and individuals with limited mental and/or physical capabilities.Furthermore, the law also protects individuals who belong to certain racial or ethnic populations that historically have disproportionately been victims of certain crimes. The legal terminology for crime against individuals in these… Read More

“Ban the Box” is seeking for ex-felons to have the right to be employed. This is argued to be one of the most helpful ways to keep them from going back to prison. In fact, when authorities talk about unemployment among convicted ex-felons, they also allude to recidivism. Recidivism is the act of a person committing the same crime again. It is directly proportional to the unemployment cases among those who have been in prison. Get A Job The answer is clear: For those who were sentenced to jail, find yourself a job and contribute to the good of society. However, it is not as easy as it seems. An ex-felon has hurdles that other job applicants with no criminal records don’t have. This is where the “Ban The Box” cry comes in. Whether Guilty or Not Guilty In America, more than 70 million have landed on the list of people who have violated the law, but not every one of them has been convicted. Many in the list were just arrested for having been implicated in a criminal case one way or the other.… Read More

It may be time for scorned lovers living in Florida to back off from toying with the idea of posting on the Internet, evidence of their once-heated moments. That practice should completely be done away with as the state’s governor, Governor Rick Scott, has already signed into law the Revenge Porn Bill, which makes it unlawful in the state to post “revenge porn” images and videos on the Internet. Florida became the 18th US state criminalizing the said offense. Currently, 23 states in the US have revenge porn laws. First Amendment People have different takes. To some, the bill allows encroachment into people’s business and privacy, particularly on the part of the violators. Furthermore, the bill may be limiting free speech enshrined in the First Amendment. Others think that the bill is good enough to limit harmful acts against unsuspecting ex-partners, stating that such acts can have longtime emotional, reputational, and psychological effects on the part of the victim. Many advocates lament the fact that the House session when the bill was put on the floor, ended too early for legislators to have a longer… Read More