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In Pennsylvania, it is a crime for someone older than 18 years of age to have sex with a person younger than 16 years of age — even if the younger person gives consent.

Anyone who’s been involved in the criminal justice system needs to understand how state laws may affect their current and future charges. Specifically, in Pennsylvania, you need to be aware of the Three Strikes Law and what this means for people facing criminal charges, especially if they have prior convictions.

Everyone deserves to have their rights protected, even those who have been accused of crimes. In Pittsburgh, 75% of criminal property offenses come from larceny theft charges, and for violent crimes 61% are assault-related and 32% are for robbery.

According to the statistics from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, there were 91,934 total criminal arrests in Pennsylvania in 2019. The consequences of a criminal conviction can be devastating and should never be underestimated.

According to an investigation by USA Today, at least 85,000 law enforcement officers throughout the United States have been investigated or disciplined for misconduct over the past decade. Police misconduct often includes excessive use of force, planting evidence, obtaining evidence through unlawful search or seizure, or beating members of the public.

To say that race is a contentious issue in our society is a gross understatement. There are numerous federal and state laws passed with the intent to protect people who find themselves in situations in which race is a relevant but unfair factor. Racial profiling continues to exist despite the protections guaranteed by law.

Marijuana and other drugs, legal and illegal, have long been factors in arrests for driving under the influence (DUI). Driving high may be more complicated to prove than evidence of a blood alcohol level (BAC) over the legal limit, but the presence of drugs in a driver’s bloodstream is sufficient for a DUI arrest based on impaired driving.

It is never easy for those charged with or convicted of crimes, even misdemeanor offenses, to avoid having a criminal record follow them. It negatively affects personal relationships, education and employment opportunities, and even housing.