Capitol Hill Voices Calling For Criminal Sentencing Changes

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Some changes, yes, but not quick enough or significantly sufficient to satisfy a broad swath of critics in Missouri and across the United States. That about sums it up for individuals and groups who ardently oppose what they claim have been widespread injustices that have occurred over many years owing to harsh federal sentencing guidelines and judicial mandates. We concede on our criminal defense website at the proven St. Louis law firm of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry that reform demands in recent years have produced some positive changes …

Missouri Judge In Pot Case Laments His Imposed Sentence

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, October 12, 2017. We note on a relevant page of our website at the St. Louis criminal defense firm of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry that state and federal authorities have pulled back a bit in recent years from notably harsh sentencing guidelines in some drug cases. Although that has promoted both logic and fairness in select criminal matters, drug crime defendants — even nonviolent offenders — continue to receive notably stringent prison terms in legions of cases. As we stress on our site, “Despite some progress, individuals in Missouri who face …

Should Police Stops In Missouri Copy This Approach?

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Allegations of racial profiling and other types of unlawful conduct featuring in stops initiated by police officers in St. Louis and other communities across Missouri are hardly novel occurrences. In fact, high numbers of pedestrian and traffic stops across the state that allegedly result from cops’ reasonable suspicions regarding things like ongoing drug activity, weapon concealment and violent crimes bring community-based complaints charging pretense and other unlawful motives for questioning and searching select individuals. Given a rash of highly publicized adverse police/citizen encounters and materially unfortunate outcomes stemming …

Why Rehabilitation So Strongly Features With Teen Crimes

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Friday, August 11, 2017. A blank slate. If you’re the parent of a juvenile — say, a young teen — in St. Louis or elsewhere in Missouri, you might intuitively and immediately understand that depiction of a comparatively younger person who is not yet an adult. And that is the key disclaimer — not yet an adult. That is a fundamental distinction accorded juvenile offenders who find themselves interacting officially with authorities in the criminal justice system. Judges, attorneys, police officers, psychologists and counselors and additional parties who work with children know …

Why You Should Always Fight Drug Charges

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Monday, July 3, 2017. If you recently received drug charges, you may think that it is not worth it to fight them. Maybe you believe that the evidence against you is quite strong, or maybe you feel that a simple charge like drug possession is no big deal. In reality, neither of these are very good reasons to opt out of building a strong legal defense against drug charges. Even if you believe that the evidence against you is particularly strong, a skilled attorney can find ways to fight for your freedom …

Do Tougher Penalties Require New Drug Crime Defense Strategies?

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Monday, June 5, 2017. Drug distribution laws penalize selling or transporting controlled substances. Both federal and state distribution charges vary based on the type of drug and the amount sold. Charges also vary based on whether minors were involved or targeted. Yet politics also impact drug enforcement. Readers may be familiar with the slogan, America’s War on Drugs. In conjunction with that aggressive stance, the U.S. Sentencing Commission issued mandatory minimum sentencing rules. Federal Prosecutors Are Seeking Tougher Drug Penalties The new administration is reviving this older approach to drug enforcement. Attorney …

Federal Sentencing Reform: One Step Forward, One Step Back

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. How big and bloated is the prison system in the United States? Short answer: Essentially, there is no other national counterpart anywhere in the world to compare with it. In fact, myriad reports and studies routinely confirm that, in both per-capita and absolute terms, more individuals languish behind bars in American jails and prisons than in any other country on earth. Oh, and then there’s this: Reportedly, American taxpayers spend approximately $87 billion annually on the criminal justice system. There has been a staunch criminal sentencing reform movement underway …

Asset Forfeiture: Unobjectionable Or Seizure Without Due Process?

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. Is it an above-board police tactic or essentially just a grab of citizens’ property that nets funds for short-on-cash law enforcement agencies in Missouri and other states across the country? If you haven’t personally heard of asset forfeiture, maybe a friend or acquaintance of yours has had a close encounter with this often employed and much misunderstood state and federal enforcement tool. Fundamentally, asset forfeiture is a government program that is expressly designed to take away the unjust spoils of crime from those who commit unlawful acts. Its …

Do Drug Charges Miss The Real Issue?

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Friday, May 5, 2017. You’re arrested for heroin possession and facing a long jail sentence. Throughout the entire process, the authorities act like this is just a simple choice you made, something you brought upon yourself. They treat it the same as the decision to steal a car or commit fraud on your taxes. That’s often how drug crimes are viewed in the United States, and it’s fueled by the so-called War on Drugs. However, some experts believe that this approach completely misses the mark. The problem, says one counselor with the ACLU Center for …

Two Sides To A Criminal Case: MD’s Defense Could Be Compelling

In Drug Crimes by RSFJ

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, March 30, 2017. In the realm of American criminal law, certain principles stand as inviolable and absolutely crucial to the notion of fundamental justice. The presumption of innocence, for example. No criminal conviction in the absence of a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The right of an accused to secure legal representation and defend against criminal accusations. And this: the need to mitigate the downside consequences of criminal sentencing when compelling circumstances are presented that reasonably indicate strong reasons for adjustment. We ask readers in St. Louis and across …