Officer what did I do?

The recent Supreme Court ruling, 6-0, that allows the police to run a criminal history check on passengers in vehicles will serve as a victory for the law enforcement community. In past years, the Supreme Court has been accused of as being very liberal. However, have the courts gone too far? The post 9/11 era undoubtedly played a roll in this decision, but what will this mean for citizens?

"Your courage is shown in the face of adversity." Dr. BLR

Corruption within law enforcement

Not enough can be said for the fine men and women that put on a police uniform and swear to uphold the constitution. However, recent events regarding police corruption has caused concern in mainstream society. If it was an isolated incident then there would not be a problem. Yet, it appears that we are reading about this almost on a daily basis. Is this just a microcosm of society or a sign of the times?

http://www.badcopnews.com/category/new-jersey/

"Make sure you define what others will say about you when you are no longer here." Dr. BLR

Do we have to have crime?

Criminologist and theorist will have us all believe that crime is good for society. Some will posit that it creates jobs in the criminal justice profession thus making it good. However, I cannot find one person who would not rather live in a crime free society. Can't we (society) find other jobs to employ people other than law enforcement? How about employing better teachers? Also, fire fighters is another profession that comes to mind. Is there a reason that law enforcement and crime is inexticably link other than the obvious? If you scratch the surface you can come up with many reasons.

"Get into the habit of listenng to your inner voice; it probably knows what's best." Dr. BLR

New Jersey and the death penalty

Within the past few months the State of New Jersey did something controversial and monumental in the same vain. Governor Corzine signed legislation against the death penalty. The rippling effect of this courageous act was felt in Rome by the Pope, who publicly acknowledged the courage of the State of New Jersey to take such a stance. It has been a long time coming to actually admit that taking a person's life is morally wrong.

Will this open the doors for more violent criminals to commit acts of violence against citizens of New Jersey? Will this increase the population of the jails and prisons? Or will this set in motion reforms to look at other aspects of the criminal justice system that are inherently wrong? Only time will tell, but you can express your views now.


"Careful planning negates burning bridges" Dr. BLR

Will the New Year change anything?

The year 2007 is now behind us; so what will the new year bring? Unfortunately, history has shown us that not much will change. The crime rate will continue to fluctuate. Politicians and police directors will applaud the progress that their police departments have made.They will justify their tactics and policies that made the crime rate drop from previous years. However, how safe will the American public really feel? Does five less murders consider a city or town safer to live in? Can the fact that robberies and car thefts are also down, make a community lower their guard? These statistical games have been continually played, but who are the true losers? What can the average "JOE" do to take control of his environment? Chime in if you have any solutions.


"Make sure the sum total of your knowledge is eclectic and not singular in nature." Dr.BLR

The Mall Shooting

The mall shooting that recently occurred is a sign of the times and does not seem to phase our society. This event will undoubtedly play itself out at a mall near you in the future. Kids are always going to have difficulty coping in a society that values material objects over a human being. The pressure that a lot of these kids are under seems to them to be insurmountable. Unfortunately, it probably is and they have no way of dealing with it. From the news reports, the shooter was raised in the juvenile justice system for his past transgressions. It appears that his problems were not resolved and thus he took his anger out on several innocent people. To those of you that think that mental health issues are isolated, just look at the faces of the family members of the fallen victims and tell me if you still believe that it is isolated. Wake up people, it could happen to anyone one of us, but what are we to do?

"Introspection is a useful way of getting rid of mental garbage." Dr. BLR

NYPD at it again, but who's at fault?

If your mother calls the police and tells them that you are out of control and is threatening her with a gun, what are the police supposed to do? This shooting, not doubt, will call for more scrutiny for the NYPD. However, is it warranted? The police officers that responded to the scene were under the assumption that the person who they were coming to apprehend had a weapon, which was corroborated by the alleged victim's mother. The stress that the police officers must have been under could only be imagined. Is it safe to assume that the police were justified in opening fire on an individual that has mental health problems, coupled with the fact that he may have had a gun? The family of the victim will have to come to grips with their personal role that they played in the killing of their loved one. What are we as a society to do to stop this type of behavior? Moreover, why does this type of tragedy always seem to happen in the poorer communities?


" Manage your internal confliction before it is managed for you." Dr. BLR