Drug addiction is a severe problem in the nation and a growing crisis on local college campuses. Since 1999, Indiana is one of the four states seeing fatal drug overdoses quadruple—an alarming rate that doesn’t show signs of slowing down. The Indiana University (IU)...
What are enhancing circumstances for drug offenses?
Among the things that can have major implications for people accused of drug crimes here in Indiana is whether the alleged offense is claimed to have involved “enhancing circumstances.” Under Indiana law, for certain drug crimes, such as cocaine possession offenses,...
Capitalizing on opioid addiction
Many illegal drug-dealing operations are highly sophisticated business enterprises. National and even global in scope, they employ many employees and generate millions, if not billions of dollars. That healthy bottom line is evidenced in the “free samples” they now...
The long-lasting ramifications of drug convictions
Drug possession convictions impact lives on many levels. A felony conviction of possession or distribution may result in years of incarceration and subsequent loss of work and educational opportunities. A misdemeanor drug charge may have equally damaging effects. A...
Alternatives to incarceration for Indianans facing drug charges
Indiana residents charged with low-level drug crimes likely reflect on the choices that they made that led to life-changing legal problems. Thanks to a new diversion program, they now have chance at one more choice. Prison or freedom. The Wayne County Drug Diversion...
New laws addressing Indiana’s drug problem
A litany of new Indiana laws took effect on July 1. The set of recently enacted regulations range from ramped-up online sales tax collections to protections for pets left in hot cars. Two new bills recently passed deal directly with the state’s growing drug abuse...
Important steps in addressing Indiana’s opioid epidemic
The drug epidemic in Indiana has become a growing problem in search of a solution. Yet, few saw it coming. What started for many as prescription opioid use for a valid medical reason became life changing and, for some, life-ending addictions. According to the state...
A return to mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes?
A few months into his tenure, Jeff Sessions has launched a new era in the ongoing war on drugs. The attorney general recently issued a memo to the 94 U.S. attorneys nationwide to pursue “the most serious” charges against suspects. His directive replaces a memo by...
A ban on sending the very best
Passing contraband of all forms into a prison from the outside world is nothing new. Old movies revealed the tried and true tactic of baking a cake with a file in it to aid an escape. Indiana offenders looking to get their hands on narcotics have employed creative...
A giveaway gone bad
In the famed cartoon, “One Froggy Evening,” an unnamed construction worker discovered a singing and dancing frog. However, getting the anthropomorphic amphibian to perform in public presented challenges. His strategy of booking a large venue failed to attract anyone...