Well over 1 million excited people cross through the gates of the Iowa State Fair every August. It's a time to celebrate the state's culture, get some delicious food and drink and check out the variety of entertainment.Of course, all the crowds can invite extra...
Month: July 2019
Can police search someone’s backyard without a warrant?
The 4th Amendment protects you from "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government. Generally, this means police must have a warrant or probable cause to search you or your property. Many people likely know that police need a warrant in most situations to...
What could prevent racist bail-risk-assessment outcomes?
When someone is charged with a crime, bail is determined in part based on a risk assessment. The court decides whether the defendant, if allowed to go free, will fail to appear for trial or will commit another crime.Unfortunately, defendants of color have historically...
How your prescriptions can lead to an OWI charge
When most people think of driving while under the influence, they first think of drunk driving. However, many do not realize the government might attempt to prosecute you for driving while taking prescription drugs. Because of Iowa's broad approach to controlled...
Study: Asset forfeiture does little to reduce crime, drug use
A recent study released by the Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leading public interest law firm, calls into question a number of justifications for civil asset forfeiture. Contrary to claims by law enforcement, seizing property from criminal suspects does not...
SCOTUS allows warrantless blood draws from unconscious drivers
If you are pulled over for OWI, stay awake. You lose some of the constitution's protection if you pass out, according to a new ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. If you remain awake, law enforcement officers must obtain a warrant before drawing your blood for a...
22% of new Iowa prison entries are for minor supervision breaches
The idea of parole and probation was to reduce the number of people in prison, but states are spending millions on incarcerating people for technical violations of their supervision agreements. In Iowa, for example, 40% of the prison population is made up of parole...
