Los Angeles Criminal Attorney Blog

A study released earlier this week shows that crime increased when hundreds of Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries were closed in 2010 after the implementation of a new ordinance, according to CBS News. Crime in the neighborhoods surrounding the dispensaries went up after they closed, contradictory to law enforcement claims that the operation of such clinics encouraged crime.

The research study was conducted by the objective nonprofit RAND Corporation, who reviewed crime reports from the 10 days before the medical marijuana clinics were closed and from 10 days after. The resulting analysis showed a 60 percent increase in crime within three blocks of a closed dispensary. If it is true that the dispensaries are causing crime, then there should have been a noticeable decline in crime once they were closed, which was not the case. Specific dispensaries may attract crime but there is no evidence that proves that, in general, the operation of medical marijuana clinics increases crime rates in the area.

The City Council had passed a new ordinance last summer, placing stricter guidelines on the dispensaries and causing many to shut their doors. Crime was one of the leading reasons for this new ordinance. In fact, two workers were killed during dispensary robberies in June 2010. Ultimately, however, the research analysis shows no concrete correlation between crime and medical marijuana dispensaries. It is more likely that crime rates drop around active clinics due to the security cameras and security guards.

Crime rates continuously fluctuate, but crime never disappears altogether. If you have been charged with a crime in Southern California, the most effective way to avoid a conviction is to retain the services of an aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. At The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf, our experienced defense lawyers will protect your legal rights. Call us today for a consultation at 1-800-968-2734.

According to FBI statistics, as reported by The Los Angeles Times, approximately 10.3 million crimes were reported in 2010. Of these, 9 million were property crimes and 1.2 million were violent crimes. Although these are very large numbers, both violent crime and property crime rates declined from previous years. Violent crime decreased by 6 percent from 2009, continuing its declining trend for a fourth consecutive year. Property crime dropped 2.7 percent from 2009, making 2010 the eighth consecutive year it has decreased.

The data used for the FBI’s 2010 “Crime in the United States” report was compiled from over 18,000 federal, state, tribal, university and college, county and city law enforcement agencies. Other notable statistics for 2010 include:

• Aggravated assault was the most common violent crime at approximately 62.5 percent;
• Larceny-theft was the most common property crime at 68.2 percent; and
• There were 13.1 million arrests made for crimes, excluding traffic violations.

In Los Angeles, there were 21,484 violent crimes, although, unlike the national statistics, robbery was the most common violent crime in 2010 with over 10,000 incidents. Aggravated assault was a close second, however, at over 9,000 incidents. In addition, Los Angeles had a total of 89,704 property crimes, the most common being larceny-theft.

Being arrested for a violent crime can be very confusing and overwhelming, especially when the alleged crime occurred under especially vague or convoluted circumstances. The aggressive violent crime defense attorneys in Los Angeles at The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf can build a strong defense on your behalf and ensure the protection of your legal rights. Contact us today for a consultation at 1-800-968-2734.

Thousands of female prisoners who have children, and were not incarcerated for serious or sexual crimes, may be released before October, according to The Los Angeles Times. They would serve the remainder of their sentence at home where they will be required to wear a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet and report to a parole officer. The new program was initiated to meet a court-imposed deadline to relieve congestion in California’s chronically overcrowded prisons. Although the program initially only affects female inmates who are mothers, it is expected to extend to male prisoners as well.

The new policy is the result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled the overcrowding and resulting lack of medical care in prisons as cruel and unusual punishment. Now the state must meet a strict timeline, reducing the inmate population by over 30,000 before July 2013. Since the majority of California’s inmates are men, the new program will likely expand to male prisoners who are fathers. If a male inmate can be considered the “primary caregiver” of their child or children, was not convicted for a violent or sexual felony or for child abuse, has not made an escape attempt in the last 10 years, does not belong to a gang, and does not have an active restraining order, they may receive parole.

Skeptics believe that many female prisoners were not good mothers to begin with and that the new program may actually increase crime rates. However, state officials have high hopes that reuniting inmates with their families will not only help their rehabilitation but also help keep their children from following the same path.

If you have been arrested for a crime in Southern California, you still have legal rights. Contact the experienced criminal defense lawyers in Los Angeles with The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today at 1-800-968-2734 to learn how we can help you protect your future.

Almost 11,000 people are killed in alcohol-related each year and Labor Day weekend has historically had a high number of DUI accidents, which is why many states and local law enforcement agencies will be doing their part for the end of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign for the holiday weekend.

California will be increasing DUI enforcement during the last weekend of this national campaign, which ends on September 5. During the almost month-long campaign, 41 Avoid DUI task forces and more than 100 individual local jurisdictions conducted extra sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols across the state. The campaign also included media and press events. For the final weekend of the “Drive Sober or Pull Over” campaign, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be conducting a “Maximum Enforcement” campaign, which will increase the number of officers on state roads.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous and illegal; there is no question as to its legality or devastating consequences. But with increased enforcement campaigns comes an increased focus on drunk drivers. Officers may be so intent on taking dangerous drivers of the road that they see impairment in sober drivers. If you have been arrested for a DUI in Southern California, the skilled Los Angeles drunk driving defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf can protect your legal rights. To learn more about getting your charges reduced or entirely dropped, contact us today at 1-800-968-2734.