Crime News
The Daily Signal reports on crime news with analysis and commentary on policies, crime rates, and policing debates.
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- Opinion
Sen. Mike Lee Attempts to Restore Fundamental Fairness to Federal Criminal Laws
Before he retired in 2018, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, was a tireless champion for reforming criminal law. Now, it seems as though Republican Sen. Mike Lee, now the senior senator from Utah, is picking up where Hatch left off, by introducing the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2021, which is being co-sponsored by Sens. Rand…John G. Malcolm -
- News
Biden Administration Locks Twitter Account for Alerts on Criminal Aliens
The Twitter account for Immigration and Customs Enforcement alerts—which notified the public about criminal illegal immigrants—has been locked by the Biden administration. In a statement to The Daily Signal, Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., said that the locking of the ICE Alerts Twitter account, which appeared to have occurred on Tuesday, is bad news for the…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
7 Highlights From Oversight Hearing on FBI and Capitol Riot
FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol was a planned act of domestic terrorism, but didn’t have definitive answers in his Senate testimony for why security broke down during the riot. Wray was testifying at a congressional hearing for the first time since a mob breached the Capitol,…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Biden’s Assault on Gun Owners
For the duration of his 2020 presidential campaign—which at first appeared to be a long shot, especially given the far left’s vocal disdain for “old, white men”—Joe Biden ran on the promise that he would unite the country. He repeatedly spoke about the importance of America’s institutions and norms, and to the many who ultimately…Armstrong Williams -
- Opinion
He Spent 14 Years in Prison. Here’s Why He’s Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform
Louis Reed spent nearly 14 years in prison on bank fraud and other charges. Since then, he has become an advocate for criminal justice reform and supported the First Step Act, a bipartisan measure to improve criminal justice outcomes, which was signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in December 2018. Reed joins “The Daily…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
7 Takeaways as Merrick Garland Gets Hearing for Attorney General
Merrick Garland, whose nomination five years ago to the Supreme Court was doomed, finally got a hearing Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee—as President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general. Judging from their statements, the panel’s Republican senators seemed likely to confirm Garland. After President Barack Obama nominated Garland for the Supreme Court in March…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
State, Local Police Should Keep 287(G) Partnerships With ICE to Protect Us From Criminal Aliens
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers earlier this month urged the Biden administration to terminate the cooperative agreements between the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their state and local law enforcement partners under what is known as the 287(g) program. Such a reflexive policy decision, if pursued, would be a dangerous and reckless…Scott Erickson -
- News
Justice Department Won’t Oppose Arizona Election Reform Before Supreme Court Hears Case
On the cusp of Supreme Court arguments about Arizona’s ban on the controversial practice of ballot harvesting, President Joe Biden’s Justice Department pulled a surprise maneuver—inaction. The Biden administration in effect maintained the same position, for now, as the Trump administration regarding a major election integrity case. In a carefully worded letter to the Supreme…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
With Super Bowl, Tampa Braces for Surge in Sex Trafficking. Here’s How It’s Combating It.
Expect human traffickers to exploit the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, this weekend. While current COVID-19 restrictions will limit game attendance, there will still be 22,000 fans there, and with Tampa as the home city of the Buccaneers, one of the participating teams, there will be many more in town. Traffickers are criminal economic enterprises who target…Clare Morell -
- Opinion
The Connection Between Porn and Human Trafficking
Pornography usage is increasing all over the world. It is estimated that 79.5% of women and 98% of men have watched porn. But why is this an issue, one might ask? Pornographers are just sexually liberated people, right? Unfortunately, many people featured in porn are being sex-trafficked, and viewers are unaware that the people they…Maria Lencki -
- Opinion
Trump Delivers Long-Awaited Triumph for Criminal Justice Reform in Last-Minute Executive Order
The last few days of an administration often see a flurry of executive orders. The Trump administration is no exception, and former President Donald Trump is making the most of this tradition. In one of these twilight executive orders, Trump has delivered an important criminal justice victory in the area of “mens rea” reform, which scholars at The Heritage Foundation have been urging for years (see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for more information). …John G. Malcolm -
- Opinion
Unrelated Amendments in COVID-19 Relief Bill Only Add to Overcriminalization
Congress is very good at two things: spending money and thinking up duplicative—and, therefore, unnecessary—ways to criminalize many aspects of our daily lives. The latest COVID-19 relief bill does both. >>> What’s the best way for America to reopen and return to business? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled…GianCarlo Canaparo -
- Opinion
As Biden Attorney General, Merrick Garland Will Face Political Pressures
With President-elect Joe Biden’s choice of federal Judge Merrick Garland as his new attorney general last week, the question arises: Will Garland carry out his responsibilities in a nonpartisan manner, or will he return the Justice Department to the days of the Obama-Biden administration — when, as I have argued, Eric Holder politicized the department more than…Hans von Spakovsky -
- News
FBI Seeking Tips to Identify Members of Mob Who Stormed Capitol
The FBI’s office in Washington, D.C., is seeking the public’s help to identify members of the pro-Trump mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday. “The FBI is seeking information that will assist in identifying individuals who are actively instigating violence in Washington, D.C. The FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting rioting…Chuck Ross -
- News
California Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Assaulting Man Wearing MAGA Hat
A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to assaulting a bar patron who wore a “Make America Great Again” hat inscribed in Russian, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas Sokolov sentenced David Delgado to four years in jail, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. Los Angeles…Mary Rose Corkery -
- News
Pressured by Lawmakers, ATF Withdraws Gun Regulation Opposed by Manufacturers
Under pressure from dozens of congressmen, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives withdrew guidance on a proposed regulation that gun industry leaders warned would cost them billions. The ATF’s decision to pull its regulation regarding pistol braces follows a cooperative effort from 90 House members who demanded that the agency cease its “alarming” determination that…Jake Dima -
- News
Stacey Abrams Staffer Helping Biden Pick Justice Department Team
After winning the vote in the Electoral College last week, former Vice President Joe Biden said the election process “should be celebrated, not attacked.” Biden derided what he called “baseless claims about the legitimacy of the results” of the presidential election and said, “Respecting the will of the people is at the heart of our…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Media’s Hunter Biden Failure
It isn’t that the alleged exploits, profits, and questionable business deals involving Hunter Biden and his father, Joe Biden, were not known for most of this election year. Much of mainstream media either ignored it or put it down as right-wing extremism. Until now. We’ve recently learned that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware is…Cal Thomas -
- News
Grassley Hammers ‘Liberal Media’ for Ignoring Hunter Biden Investigation
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, blasted Democrats and the “liberal media” in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, saying that both groups ignored his committee’s report regarding Hunter Biden’s suspicious business dealings, aspects of which were seemingly validated Wednesday when the president-elect’s son confirmed that he is under federal investigation. “We showed our work…Chuck Ross -
- News
4 Points About the Federal Prosecutor Investigating Hunter Biden
The Justice Department’s investigation of Hunter Biden's financial dealings is being led by a federal prosecutor who was appointed by President Donald Trump with the endorsement of two Democratic senators. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s son announced Wednesday that he had just learned he is under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware for…Fred Lucas