Criminal Law Blog & News
Check this page often for the latest in Florida criminal law info & crime history of the day!
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL CALLS FOR END TO MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES
On Thursday September 29. 2011, in an editorial entitled “ An Invitation to Overreach”, the New York Times joins the American Bar Association, the Judicial Conference of the United States , and every major organization focusing on criminal justice in opposing mandatory minimum sentences. The Times stated the rise in mandatory minimum sentences has damaged the integrity of the justice system , reduced the role of judges in meting out punishment, and has increased the power of prosecutors beyond their proper role.
Tougher Sentencing Laws Give Prosecutors Greater Leverage to Induce Plea Bargains
On Monday, September 26, 2011, the New York Times reported in a front page story that as a result of decades of passing laws to increase punishments, prosecutors have gained greater leverage to extract guilty pleas from defendants which has dramatically reduced the number of cases proceeding to trial. The Times examined statistics from the National Center for State Courts and the Bureau of Justice Statistics which illustrate this trend towards lower trial rates
