New York Criminal Defense Blog

Likely a trend across the country, officials in the borough of Queens have discovered that although the overall crime rate in the city has dropped, it has dropped far less significantly or even risen in areas of high foreclosures. With foreclosure rates at all time highs, neighborhoods are filled with vacant homes and less watchful neighbors.

The Daily News reports that in all but two areas of high foreclosure crime rose between 2006 and 2008. The majority of the city, however, saw declines in criminal activity. 2008 saw a jump of 150% in criminal incidences in high-foreclosure areas. This is quite a dramatic increase.

These abandoned homes are ripe for the picking when it comes to thefts and break-ins. Many of these buildings have also become the scene of more violent and sinister offenses. Serial rapists plagued the city last summer, carrying out their dirty deeds in empty buildings. [Read More...]

A few months ago we posted an entry about how the N.Y. Criminal Sentencing Commission came up with nothing remarkable in their analysis of the archaic Rockefeller Drug Laws. Their input, it seemed, would do little to change the laws on the books. Now, however, things are looking quite different.

Last week, according to this report from the Washington Post, New York Governor David A. Patterson and leaders in the state legislature came to agreement that changes must be made to the disaster that has become New York drug policy. Sweeping changes are expected over the next year, making treatment more widely available and prison time a slim chance for non-violent and particularly first-time drug offenders.

Currently, New York has some of the harshest drug laws in the nation, often putting non-violent drug addicted offenders away for lengthy sentences that only contribute to recidivism. Now, however, states across the country realize the importance of treatment and rehabilitation if we are to keep drug offenders clean and out of trouble on a long term basis. [Read More...]