Eyewitness misidentification has led to the wrongful incarceration of many people, some of whom have been exonerated from prison. Contrary to what some New Jersey residents may think, not all people being held in prison are guilty of the crime they are accused of committing. This was true for a Newark man, who was released […]
If you have been arrested or convicted of a crime in New Jersey, you may simply want to move on with life without a criminal record haunting you in the future. It is true in many respects that decisions made earlier in life are not reliable indicators of future behavior. Unfortunately, many people still see […]
On January 11, 2011, modifications to the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) took effect. The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued the modifications “to provide guidance and assistance to jurisdictions in implementing the SORNA standards.” The modifications are intended to address issues that some jurisdictions were having putting SORNA into effect. SORNA Part […]
The economic downturn, the housing market crash, and the persistently high unemployment rates have been weighing heavily on the majority (arguably 99%) of the American people. As to determining the method needed to bring the economy out of this slump; well, that can be debated between economists. As the news media covers the differing perspectives […]
Beyond the consequences of Megan’s Law (registration with local authorities, Internet registration), those who are convicted of certain sex offenses in New Jersey face another onerous consequence, the special sentence of Community Supervision for Life (CSL). CSL – also referred to as Parole Supervision for Life (PSL) – is a condition of parole that is imposed […]
The United States and New Jersey Constitutions both protect against unreasonable searches and seizures. In determining whether an individual’s rights have been violated, a court may consider whether government action abused the individual’s reasonable expectation of privacy. However, the tools available for “searching” change over time due to technological changes, such as the widespread use […]
On June 24, 2013, the New Jersey State Senate unanimously passed bill S2493, which now awaits Governor Chris Christie’s signature prior to becoming enacted as law. The bill, which addresses child sexual abuse and child pornography, aims to completely restructure criminal statute N.J.S. 2C:24-4 (Endangering the Welfare of a Child) to clearly distinguish between acts […]
One of the major challenges that people face when being released from jail is finding a job. A bill that has passed the New Jersey Senate would make it easier for people convicted of moral turpitude crimes to find work. Under current law, people who have been convicted of crimes involving dishonesty, depravity or fraud […]
Last month, a New Jersey lawmaker introduced a bill that would forbid prosecutors from entering into plea bargains with those accused of New Jersey Megan’s Law offenses if the plea bargain would result in the accused not be required to register as a sex offender – effectively taking away some of the discretion afforded to prosecutors in […]
A man convicted of sexual assault may receive a new trial. The matter hinges on whether or not a judge finds the man’s confession was a result of coercion. In the case, a man allegedly confessed to sexual relations with his 17 year-old daughter. The charges were issued after both the daughter and the man’s […]