Indiana is preparing to execute yet another resident of Death Row. Tommie Smith. I know little about Smith. and I leave to theologians, and moral philosophers consideration of the morality of the death penalty. My…
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Category Archives: Criminal Justice
Time to Trust the Community
Last August, in the wake of the so-called "police brawl," citizens of this city took a hard look at the Indianapolis Police Department and saw much that needed to change.
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The Envelope, Please…
Sometimes, the legislature passes a law so breathtakingly goofy, so incredibly weird, that any issue of its constitutionality pales by comparison.
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The Oklahoma Tragedy and Civil Liberties
Not too many days after the tragedy in Oklahoma, the inevitable calls from the media began. Isn’t it time, most callers asked, to grant broad powers to the FBI, CIA and local police to allow them to investigate suspicious groups? Shouldn’t we demand that law enforcement personnel…
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Turning the Fourth Amendment Upside Down
Before the American Revolution, British soldiers entered the homes of colonists at will, searching any person or place they wanted and often motivated by nothing more than political animosity. Resentment of this practice was a significant cause of…
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