Crime News
The Daily Signal reports on crime news with analysis and commentary on policies, crime rates, and policing debates.
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- News
ISIS’ Crimes Against Christians Detailed in New Report
“‘How is the life there in Iraq?’” That’s what people ask, said Father Douglas al-Bazi, a priest at the Mar Elia refugee camp in Erbil, Iraq. “Actually, the easy answer is, there [is] no life in Iraq.” Al-Bazi, a former hostage of terrorists, talked about his own treatment at their hands. He said he saw…Kristiana Mork -
- Opinion
Attorney General Lynch Looks Into Prosecuting ‘Climate Change Deniers’
In news that should shock and anger Americans, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that not only has she discussed internally the possibility of pursuing civil actions against so-called “climate change deniers,” but she has “referred it to the FBI to consider whether or not it meets the criteria…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
4 Lessons the Government Didn’t Learn After Solyndra Scandal
The lessons of Solyndra have clearly not been learned. The Department of Energy’s loan programs have been fraught with failures and corporate welfare, which have cost taxpayers millions. The problem is not just in the apparent abuse of taxpayer dollars, but more broadly that the government has continued to play venture capitalist The need for…Katie Tubb -
- News
Conservatives Make Their Case for Criminal Justice Reform
Conservative criminal justice reform advocates are making the case that reducing the prison population, treating drug addiction, and giving a second chance to lawbreakers are policy prescriptions that mesh with conservative ideals. While advocates cite polls that show that most conservatives support ideas like providing alternatives to prison for low-level drug offenders, GOP leaders on…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Sheriff David Clarke on ‘3 Big Lies of Criminal Justice Reform’
Proposed reforms to the criminal justice system at the state and federal levels won’t do what advocates say it will, an outspoken county sheriff says, citing “the three big lies” of some proponents who want to reduce prison sentences. “I can’t figure out where coddling criminals and having sympathy and empathy for the hardened criminal is a conservative issue,” David…Genevieve Wood -
- News
Apple iPhone Decryption Could Set Precedent, FBI Admits
FBI Director James Comey conceded Tuesday that the government’s demand that Apple decrypt an iPhone used by a San Bernardino terrorist could set a precedent for succeeding cases. Comey’s nearly three-hour testimony before the House Judiciary Committee backpedaled the Justice Department’s previous assurance that the government would compel the tech giant to unlock only a single…Natalie Johnson -
- News
Law Enforcement Seized This Oklahoma Man’s Truck Without Charging Him With a Crime
GRADY COUNTY, OKLA.— When Stephen Mills learned that the Grady County Sheriff’s Department seized his Ford F-250 back in 2010, he figured it would be a matter of days before police returned the vehicle to him and his wife. It wasn’t. Watch our video to learn about Mills’ efforts to get his truck back—and what…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Mike Lee Believes Supreme Court Fight Helps Chances for Passing Criminal Justice Reform in Senate
Sen. Mike Lee believes that the Senate fight over the next Supreme Court nominee will help the chances of a criminal justice reform overhaul passing Congress this year. In an interview with The Daily Signal, Lee, a conservative leader on the issue, suggested that Republican leaders may be more eager to achieve a bipartisan deal…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Obama Administration Looks to Erase Castro’s Worst Crimes
Even before President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba next month, his administration has looked to rewrite the history of the Castros’ worst crimes. An example of this was in 2014, when the Obama administration commuted the double life sentence of Gerardo Hernández. Hernández had been in jail for conspiracy to commit murder through his actions…John Suarez -
- Opinion
What’s Behind the Battle Between FBI and Apple
A recent court order against Apple compels the company to help the FBI gain access to a locked iPhone 5C used by San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook. While Apple has helped law enforcement access data on other iPhones on at least 70 other occasions, new security protections make it increasingly difficult to do so with…David Inserra -
- News
Apple Fight With FBI Raises Questions About Balancing National Security With Privacy
Apple’s refusal to bow to a federal court order demanding that the tech conglomerate help the FBI access encrypted information on an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers is amplifying tensions between the government and Silicon Valley. Experts warn that heeding to the FBI’s call for Apple to create a “backdoor” reversing…Natalie Johnson -
- News
Why Proponents Are Struggling to Salvage Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform
Republicans in the Senate are divided over how to overhaul the nation’s criminal justice system, posing a potential setback to lawmakers who hoped to enact major bipartisan changes this year. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, remains a key player in reform efforts, actively promoting legislation that would scale back the nation’s high incarceration rates and reduce a ballooned prison population…Natalie Johnson -
- News
GOP Senators Push Attorney General to Investigate EPA Over WOTUS
Two Republican senators opened up a broadside assault against the Environmental Protection Agency last week in the ongoing battle over President Barack Obama’s controversial “Waters of the U.S.” rule (WOTUS), a regulation that extends federal authority over smaller waterways. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Sens. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Ben Sasse…Philip Wegmann -
- News
Sexual Assault Victims Speak Out Against Washington’s Transgender Bathroom Policies
OLYMPIA, Wash.—A group of women who say they are former victims of sexual assault are making an emotional plea to Washington state legislators to reverse a bathroom policy that they say leaves them and their young children vulnerable, exposed and unsafe. “It started when I was in diapers and went through until I was 10,”…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
How the TSA and Drug Enforcement Administration Joined Forces to Seize Cash at Airports
A new report from a government watchdog criticized the Drug Enforcement Administration for working with a Transportation Security Administration security screener to flag bags containing large sums of cash, which the drug agency could then take. According to the investigation from the Department of Justice’s inspector general released earlier this month, the TSA agent was registered…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Court Ruling Undermines Justice Department’s Use of Fines as Slush Funds
Should individuals be allowed to turn criminal fines into donations for their favorite charities? U.S. District Judge Janet Arterton recently faced this question and correctly said no. But scholars have raised the question before in response to prosecutors’ use of settlement funds reached in criminal prosecutions of major companies—some totaling billions of dollars—as checks to…John-Michael Seibler -
- News
This 71-Year-Old Woman Didn’t Commit a Crime. But She Fought the Government to Get Her Seized Jeep Back.
A 71-year-old woman in Rock Island County, Ill., found herself in the middle of the complex system of civil forfeiture laws as she successfully fought to have her Jeep Compass returned after it was seized by law enforcement for a crime she didn’t commit. Judith Wiese’s car was seized under Illinois civil forfeiture laws after…Melissa Quinn -
- News
Mike Lee Assures Prison Reform Dispute Over Criminal Intent Can Be Resolved ‘Relatively Easily’
Seeking to settle a dispute that threatens to block bipartisan progress toward a deal on criminal justice reform, the Senate’s conservative leader on the issue is downplaying the hurdles to reaching an agreement. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the influential Judiciary Committee, declared Tuesday that the House won’t pass legislation unless it contains a controversial…Josh Siegel -
- News
House Republicans Not Backing Down From ‘Criminal Intent’ Addition to Prison Reform Debate
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver a State of the Union address that is certain to include a nudge for Congress to act on its pledge to reform the criminal justice system, some outstanding roadblocks remain. That was made clear Tuesday, when the chairman of the influential House Judiciary Committee said legislation won’t pass…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
How Lawmakers Stopped Part of Obama’s Assault on First Amendment
There is no question that the omnibus appropriations bill that Congress passed just before its holiday recess is full of wasteful spending. Even worse, it completely funds Obama’s unilateral, above-the-law executive actions in almost every area, from his immigration amnesty program to his overregulation of power plants. However, there is one area where Congress acted…Hans von Spakovsky