Most people think of the bail system as one where people who get arrested can post bail money to get out of jail until their trial begins. People who don’t have the cash for their bail can find a bail bonds agent to put up the funds. In Louisiana, though, the commercial bail industry has…
It’s been an ongoing debate in Louisiana that the state will benefit from reforming its system of juvenile justice. Last year, the state opted to have 17-year-olds arrested for nonviolent crimes viewed as juveniles in Louisiana’s criminal justice system. Known as the Raise the Age Louisiana Act, it was part of a package of juvenile…
Television news coverage showing teens getting arrested often focuses on violent incidents like robberies or sexual assault, heightening the public’s fears about juvenile crime. Studies, though, indicate that most juvenile offenses are actually non-violent, which is one reason why Louisiana has started taking a different approach to how youthful offenders are treated in the state’s…
Many criminal charges are the result of people making a serious mistake. Unfortunately, some people make the same mistake more than once. Now imagine you’ve made a serious mistake that results in criminal charges, and you’re realizing that your chances of avoiding long-term incarceration are slim-to-none. That scenario is a reality for habitual offenders in…
With summer in full swing, it’s hard to believe that fall and football season are right around the corner. In the state of Louisiana, if there’s one thing people love in the fall, it’s cheering on the Saints and the Tigers. Still, on game day for either team, which is a major event, it can…
Laws in the state of Louisiana prohibit drivers from operating a motor vehicle if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is greater than .08%. For the average person, it only takes approximately 3-4 drinks to reach that limit. Those who are found operating a motor vehicle above the legal limit can face a charge of driving…
When you’re out with friends and had too much to drink, many know that driving drunk in the state of Louisiana is illegal. As a solution, some decide to just sleep off their drunkenness in their car and drive home the next morning. While this practice alone can create complications, what many don’t realize is…
Louisiana residents know all too well how strong the state’s drunk driving laws have become over the past few years to combat the growing epidemic. Incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol caused roughly 10,847 fatalities nationally that same year, according to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA has…
With most Americans living paycheck to paycheck, unexpected changes in their employment can lead people to need public assistance now and then to get by. Government assistance, particularly food stamps and other subsidized programs, allows people to get the food, care, and housing they need when times get rough. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop some folks…
Drug possession constitutes the vast majority of non-violent drug arrests. From marijuana and cocaine to heroin, any illegal narcotic found to be in your possession constitutes probable cause for a drug arrest. There are different types of possession charges, and among them, the most often misunderstood is constructive possession. With a better understanding of constructive…