In our previous post, we began a discussion about proposed mens rea reforms in bills being considered by Congress. The concept of mens rea - a term often translated as "guilty mind" - is an important component of criminal justice. Traditionally, in order for an act to...
Month: January 2016
New legislation looks at ‘mens rea’ in criminal justice: Part I
Most of us would consider ourselves law-abiding citizens. But can we be sure? By some estimates, there are approximately 4,500 or more crimes on the books, and that's just at the federal level. And because there is no central database (which would seem like a...
Civil rights & the fight over new police surveillance technology
It has often been said that technology evolves faster than our ability to regulate its use. You might think the danger in this equation comes from consumer products that are released to the general public without proper testing and rules governing use. But in many...
Implicit bias training may help reduce police-community tensions
We have written several times in the past year about the growing distrust between American communities and the police officers who work within them. This anger and distrust has been sparked, in large part, by the numerous fatal shootings of unarmed African-American...
Rare medical condition was to blame for woman’s drunk driving
Over the years, DUI defendants here in Wisconsin have presented some pretty creative explanations for why the charges against them were erroneous. While some of these explanations are fictitious, others are true. And sometimes, the most outrageous sounding stories...