The “first foray.” That is how an in-depth piece on American criminal law reform describes the value of so-called executive actions as tools employed by the federal government to promote a more rational and fair justice system. Executive actions have prominently gained traction in recent years from their progressively increasing
You might know a thing or two about grand juries even if you have never been tasked to appear before one. Movies and television crime dramas often refer to or feature grand juries in action. They play a key and distinct role in the American justice system, and certainly in
Here’s a bit of number-crunched data relevant to Colorado’s penal system that is immediately notable and concerning: Reportedly, more than 1,200 inmates are over 60 years of age and at heightened risk from Covid-19. That is serious news, given that 8,000-plus incarcerated individuals in the state have already tested positive
Talk is, well, cheap. State and federal proponents of criminal law reforms – and there are legions in a progressively expanding camp – voice growing frustration with pro-change rhetoric they say is long on generalities and short on details. A principal with the nonprofit group Sentencing Project duly concedes that
“Unimpeachable and always reliable.” That is the broad public perception of forensic evidence introduced into a criminal law case in Colorado or elsewhere. We noted in a recent Shazam & Kianpour blog post (please see our December 9 entry from last year) the “it must be true” presumption routinely accorded
Criminal charges against Colorado residents are challenging for a number of reasons. We duly note at the long-established Denver criminal defense law firm of Shazam Kianpour & Associates that individuals routinely face charges “that threaten their livelihood, their reputation, their family and their freedom.” And we underscore this on our
Colorado prosecutors often search for criminal charges they can file that will yield maximum penalties for defendants. Sometimes they struggle to link an individual’s specific conduct to any particularized wrongdoing. Wouldn’t it be nice for them – even if arguably objectionable – if they could simply apply some generalized and
Lock them up and throw away the key. Readers of criminal law blogs and other justice-themed articles and reports have heard that refrain before. In fact, they’ve been hearing it or other similarly conveyed utterances for decades. A tough-on-crime approach has been the central mantra for the country’s well-entrenched War
You’re sitting on the couch watching a CSI crime drama and note that it’s just about 7:50 p.m. The show is close to concluding, with no real promise that the guy who you can see is clearly guilty of a heinous crime will be identified and held accountable. Wait a
It was a normal weekend day. You bought a few things at the grocery store. You visited a bookstore. You deposited a check at the bank. You went to a church meeting. Did you know that law enforcers in Colorado and nationally can potentially track all those movements with precision
