Criminal Law

Parents want their children to have more satisfying, financially stable lives than they do. The last thing they want for their kids is to see them commit crimes at an early age and get involved in the criminal justice system. These mistakes could haunt them well into their adult lives. However, parents can take steps when they see their children—often in their teenage years—starting down the wrong path.

It is true: each and every year, thousands of American people who appear to be upstanding and responsible end up serving time in federal prison. Why? Simply because they are unaware that they are in violation of federal law. This happens much more often than we care to ponder. In fact, federal law is criminalizing entire categories of activities which normal people would never suspect would send them to the big house.

According to the Innocence Project, anywhere between 2.3 to 5 percent of people who are currently incarcerated are innocent. That means that up to 110,000 inmates across the U.S. were falsely accused or framed for crimes that they did not commit. With such staggering statistics, it is essential that you know what to do if you’re framed or falsely accused of a crime that you did not partake in.

If you are stopped by the police, you can take steps to handle it properly and possibly avoid a routine stop escalating into an arrest. This could also help you if you need to challenge a ticket, DUI arrest, or an arrest for other crimes.

No matter the situation, we all rely on our local police forces to treat us with respect and dignity. Each person who is questioned, arrested, or searched by the police has rights, but it can be hard to remember them in the heat of a stressful moment. So here is what you need to remember and what you need to do if you’re ever stopped by law enforcement.