Prison reform social justice concept and prisoner rehabilitation to reintegrate into society and inmate recidivism concept or correction services legislation with 3D illustration elements.

It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism

It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism

May 19, 2025

It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism

By: Sara Dalsheim

Government efficiency and spending is a hot topic of controversy in the United States. But even in the context of heated “DOGE” fights, there are proven examples of government efficiency and reduced spending that are clearly working—the passing of measures like the Second Chance and First Step Acts in an effort for mass incarceration and recidivism reduction. The U.S. government spends a total of $80.7 billion on public prisons and jails, and $3.9 billion on private prisons and jails.[1] The government (federal and state) can reduce their spending on incarceration and correctional facilities if efforts are made to remedy the mass incarceration crisis and to combat recidivism. A decline in recidivism saves the government money, makes society safer, and allows…

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A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial

April 15, 2025

A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial

By: James Trusty

The Attorney General’s recent announcement that DOJ will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione raises a host of interesting legal and philosophical issues, and it almost certainly reflects a dramatic about-face from the Biden administration’s approach towards federal prosecutions for death-eligible offenses. Aside from having personally prosecuted three death penalty trials while I was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Maryland and when I was…

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Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach

April 14, 2025

Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach

By: Abbey Block

Last Sunday, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the season finale of White Lotus – a widely popular show that centers around the week-long vacation of several ultra-wealthy patrons of the fictional “White Lotus” resort in Thailand.[1] The show follows a dynamic cast of quirky characters as they navigate their opulent getaway. One of those characters in this most recent season was Timothy Ratliff…

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Judge Weighs In on DOJ ‘Side Agreement’ With Bank

June 8, 2010

Judge Weighs In on DOJ ‘Side Agreement’ With Bank

By: Ifrah Law

In a rare occurrence, a so-called deferred prosecution agreement entered into by the U.S. Department of Justice with a target of a criminal investigation has been subject to scrutiny by a federal judge, and the result wasn’t favorable to the government. In fact, a judicial ruling in the case of a fired Miami bank executive appears to be a signal from the bench to the…

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Is Google Ready to Protect Our Legal Rights?

June 7, 2010

Is Google Ready to Protect Our Legal Rights?

By: Ifrah Law

Is the government reading your e-mail messages? A routine law enforcement technique of using subpoenas instead of search warrants to obtain e-mail from internet service providers (ISPs) means that literally anyone who uses the Internet risks intrusion from unlawful government surveillance practices. Subpoenas can be issued under a much lower standard than the probable cause standard used for search warrants. They require only a reasonable…

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Heritage, NACDL Session Weighs In on Criminal Intent

June 3, 2010

Heritage, NACDL Session Weighs In on Criminal Intent

By: Ifrah Law

An unusual coalition of the conservative Heritage Foundation and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) recently issued a study entitled “Without Intent: How Congress Is Eroding the Criminal Intent Requirement in Federal Law.” See this blog’s discussion at Crime in the Suites: Has Congress Eroded the Intent Requirement in Criminal Law? and the discussions on the Letter of Apology and the Sentencing Law and…

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Is Virginia Real?

May 26, 2010

Is Virginia Real?

By: Ifrah Law

U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia has been in the news of late. Last week, he announced plans to pursue prosecutions of high-profile securities-fraud cases in his district. For years, securities-fraud cases have been, with rare exception, primarily handled by the Southern District of New York. MacBride takes comfort in a December 2007 Fourth Circuit case that held that the Eastern…

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Is Craigslist Eligible for Immunity?

May 22, 2010

Is Craigslist Eligible for Immunity?

By: Ifrah Law

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and a coalition of 39 attorneys general have long accused Craigslist of furthering prostitution and human trafficking. Blumenthal’s May 3, 2010, subpoena to Craigslist has reignited the debate over the online bulletin board’s responsibility for prostitution ads posted on its site. Craigslist is clearly fighting back. Its CEO, James Buckmaster, recently wrote on the official Craigslist blog, “As AG Blumenthal…

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Articles and Presentations by Our Firm Attorneys

It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism

It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism
By: Sara Dalsheim

A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial

A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial
By: James Trusty

Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach

Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach
By: Abbey Block

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