Punishment

Press release - European Parliament Press Kit for the Special European Council of 17 and 18 April 2024

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024

In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Key Points: 


In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

C.K. McWhorter Patronage “Dignitas Infinita” Pope Francis's Message of Human Dignity & Christian Love

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

McWhorter expresses Patronage for Pope Francis's "Dignitas Infinita," emphasizing the infinite dignity of all individuals.

Key Points: 
  • McWhorter expresses Patronage for Pope Francis's "Dignitas Infinita," emphasizing the infinite dignity of all individuals.
  • Recognizing his own journey, McWhorter admits to the human tendency to judge others, a misstep he believes all share.
  • This verse underscores the Christian call to view and treat every individual with equality, respect, and love, transcending religious and cultural differences.
  • This stance is not about compromising beliefs but about reaffirming the essence of Christian love and grace as the foundation for interactions with all individuals.

Wyoming Residents Outraged by Wolf Tortured at Bar; Crime Must be Prosecuted Under State Anti-Cruelty Law, Welfare Groups Say

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024

Two groups, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, sent a letter to Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich and Sublette County Sheriff K.C.

Key Points: 
  • Two groups, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, sent a letter to Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich and Sublette County Sheriff K.C.
  • Lehr, urging them to prosecute Cody Roberts of Daniel, Wyo., and seek felony-level penalties under the statute.
  • The groups sent out a press release Friday and have been receiving a constant stream of calls from outraged Wyoming residents.
  • Currently, Roberts, owner of C. Roberts Trucking, LLC, has faced only a $250 fine for possession of live wildlife.

TIMC-driven Modular Blockchain - Axiomesh: Dedicated to Building a New Paradigm of 'Mass Commercial Adoption'

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 18, 2024

This development is a significant leap forward in integrating blockchain into a wide range of commercial applications within the Web3 domain.

Key Points: 
  • This development is a significant leap forward in integrating blockchain into a wide range of commercial applications within the Web3 domain.
  • This approach ensures the provision of customized blockchain solutions, effectively aligning blockchain functionalities with the specific demands of different industrial sectors.
  • These challenges encompass high barriers to user entry, insufficient privacy protection for users, and scalability constraints within public blockchain networks.
  • With the expansion of Axiomesh's commercial application suite, the variety and potential worth of these assets are expected to increase.

Springtime Blooms Authentic, Cultural Experiences in Tuscany

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 18, 2024

While summertime and Italy go hand in hand, some of Tuscany’s most renowned hotels and resorts celebrate springtime festivities with unique experiences.

Key Points: 
  • While summertime and Italy go hand in hand, some of Tuscany’s most renowned hotels and resorts celebrate springtime festivities with unique experiences.
  • When she opened her apron upon being questioned, it had miraculously turned into flowers, sparing her from punishment.
  • Now, the city of Lucca celebrates with the Festival of the Flowers on the anniversary of her death, April 27.
  • Overlooking the church and town of Barga is Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa , an ideal home base to celebrate all Easter celebrations.

What Is the Age of Consent in Kansas? | Sex Crimes Lawyers, Wichita

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Our team of sex crimes lawyers in Wichita at the McConnell Law Firm have years of experience defending clients falsely accused of sex crimes and are breaking down what you need to know about consent laws in the state.

Key Points: 
  • Our team of sex crimes lawyers in Wichita at the McConnell Law Firm have years of experience defending clients falsely accused of sex crimes and are breaking down what you need to know about consent laws in the state.
  • Legally speaking, consent refers to the voluntary agreement to engage in a particular activity, oftentimes of a sexual nature.
  • If you have been accused of violating age of consent laws, we encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm as soon as possible.
  • While every case is different, and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting one of our sex crimes lawyers in Wichita

Press release - European Parliament Press Kit for the European Council of 21 and 22 March 2024

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Key Points: 


In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ priorities for topics on the summit agenda. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Tackling the causes of crime, not sending more people to jail, is the only way to fight it

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

It requires becoming not “tough on crime,” but “smart on crime” before it happens.

Key Points: 
  • It requires becoming not “tough on crime,” but “smart on crime” before it happens.
  • This approach requires governments to invest in enough proven prevention measures to greatly reduce injuries, trauma and loss of life stemming from violent crime.
  • The city’s community safety plan diagnosed the risk factors and focused proven prevention initiatives on those most vulnerable to violence.

Horner recommendations

  • Thirty years ago, Bob Horner, a staunch Conservative and former RCMP officer, chaired a parliamentary committee on crime prevention in Canada.
  • He was blunt: “If locking up those who violate the law contributed to safer societies, then the United States should be the safest country in the world.” But Horner did not just criticize, he made recommendations on how to prevent crime.
  • He correctly called for an official at a senior level to be solely tasked with putting effective prevention into action.
  • Horner also called for an annual investment in crime prevention equivalent to five per cent of the expenditures spent on policing and criminal justice.

Preventing violence

  • That evidence is publicly available from various sources, including the United States Justice Department’s Crime Solutions platform.
  • As part of our analysis, we examined Crime Solutions and several similar platforms to explain to decision-makers how these programs are proven to stop violence and how to implement them.
  • Key components of these proven solutions include: • Hiring and training social workers and mentors to reach out to young men prone to involvement in violence and to assist with trauma; • Recruiting case workers to join surgeons in hospital emergency rooms to ensure that victims of violence do not make repeat appearances; • Helping young men with problem-solving skills and emotional regulation to control the anger that can lead to injuries to others; • Providing opportunities for job training, mentoring and jobs in areas where the violence originates; • Participation in courses that prevent sexual violence by shifting social norms about consent in schools and encouraging students to take action as bystanders at universities.

Community safety planning

  • Ontario changed the name of its policing law in 2019 to the Community Safety and Policing Act with a new section that requires municipalities to develop community safety and well-being plans.
  • Ottawa must also develop professional community safety planners, raise awareness nationally about proven solutions and provide tools to achieve and track results.


Irvin Waller made a donation to the federal Greens and Ontario NDP in 2023. Jeffrey Bradley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Why cocaine is considered performance-enhancing for athletes, and why it matters when the athlete took it

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Last year a Melbourne Demons player, Joel Smith, and two Sydney Swans AFLW players were caught with cocaine.

Key Points: 
  • Last year a Melbourne Demons player, Joel Smith, and two Sydney Swans AFLW players were caught with cocaine.
  • So how is cocaine considered performance enhancing, and why does it matter when they took it?

What is cocaine and is it performance enhancing?

  • Once consumed, cocaine increases the level of a chemical in the brain called dopamine – a messenger molecular that is associated with pleasure and reward.
  • A surge in dopamine is responsible for feelings of euphoria, heightened energy, and alertness, which makes cocaine highly sought-after for recreational purposes.
  • When used during sport, cocaine is considered to have performance enhancing effects and is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code and listed under the Substances of Abuse Category.

Recreational (out of competition) vs performancing-enhancing (in-competition) use

  • As a result, instead of a ban from competing, the court gave them 12-month conditional release orders, with no convictions recorded.
  • Under the AFL’s anti-doping code, a finding of using cocaine for performance enhancement could come with a four-year ban.
  • If he was found to have used it for only recreational purposes, not on game day, the ban would instead just be one or three months.

Can urine testing determine when someone took cocaine?

  • Intact cocaine can remain detectable in urine for periods up to 15 days, and BZE can be detectable up to 25 days.
  • To determine the date of cocaine use, the concentration of intact drug in the athlete’s urine, and possibly the BZE concentration, need to be considered.
  • But there are fundamental flaws in making these comparisons to determine when an athlete took cocaine.

Why is cocaine still considered performance-enhancing?


While it’s unlikely an athlete can genuinely get an athletic edge on their rivals by taking cocaine, it is still on Sports Integrity Australia’s Prohibited List because “all prohibited substances are added to the Prohibited List because they meet two of the three following criteria”:
Athletes really are risking a lot for minimal (if any) athletic reward when they take cocaine – not just the health risks, but the possibility of getting caught with a substance that is extremely unlikely to improve their on-field performances.
Nial Wheate has previously appeared as an expert witness for an athlete accused by Sport Integrity Australia of in-competition cocaine use. Shoohb Alassadi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Pennsylvania overhauled its sentencing guidelines to be more fair and consistent − but racial disparities may not disappear so soon

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Pennsylvania’s new sentencing guidelines went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Pennsylvania’s new sentencing guidelines went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
  • They mark the eighth iteration since the state first introduced such guidelines in 1982 and are perhaps the most comprehensive revision to date.
  • Since Philadelphia has by far the largest share of incarcerated people in the state, the new sentencing guidelines affect many Philadelphia residents.

How do judges determine a person’s sentence?

  • This means that judges are required to consider what the state guidelines suggest a criminal sentence should be, but they are not required to comply with the guidelines.
  • That’s different from other states such as Minnesota and Oregon that have mandatory sentencing guidelines.
  • In Pennsylvania, judges primarily consider what crime the person is charged with along with their prior record or criminal history.

What’s new in the 2024 sentencing guidelines?

  • Probably the most significant change is re-weighting the two categories in the matrix — offense severity and criminal history.
  • These categories are officially known as the Offense Gravity Score and the Prior Record Score.
  • Lapsing policies, for example, have been expanded to reduce the impact of criminal history on sentencing for less serious offenders.

What’s the goal of the new guidelines?

  • The guidelines themselves were created by the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing with the the goal of promoting fair and uniform decisions on the severity of people’s punishment.
  • These commission members provide direction and oversight and are unique from commission staff, who collect, analyze and monitor the sentencing data for the state.

What’s been the reaction so far?

  • The new guidelines mirror the federal sentencing guidelines in that there are many offense gravity categories.
  • One critique I’ve heard is that the Offense Gravity Score now has too many categories and adjustments, and that this might complicate things such as plea negotiations.
  • Having more Offense Gravity Score categories could lead to more complicated and slower plea negotiations.

Will the guidelines reduce racial disparities in Pa.’s criminal justice system?

  • For example, a December 2023 analysis by the Rand Corporation, a nonprofit global policy think tank, looked at racial disparities within the criminal justice system in Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania’s second-most populated county after Philadelphia.
  • It found that significant racial disparities exist at each of the key stages of people’s encounter with the criminal justice system, from having charges filed against them to having their parole revoked.
  • Courts to some degree inherit disparities from police and prosecutor decision making, though the new guidelines may help to reduce them at later stages, such as sentencing.
  • Racial and ethnic disparities in sentencing are widespread in the U.S. and are almost never entirely explained by legally relevant factors such as type of crime committed or criminal history.


C. Clare Strange receives funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).