Dan Carman

Kentucky Says No to Boating and Drinking

Dan Carman · August 15, 2017 ·

Summertime in Kentucky is a time to relax. In a state that boasts the greatest length of navigable waterways in the continental United States and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River, it's common that summertime includes spending weekends and vacations out on the water. However, as the rivers and lakes become more crowded, the danger of injury in a boating accident increases. Crowded Waterways Kentucky has more than 174,218 registered boats – not counting kayaks, canoes …

Finding a Job When You Have a Record

Dan Carman · July 28, 2017 ·

One of the most difficult parts of being an inmate comes not in prison, but after release. Adjusting to the world on the outside, after however brief or long a stay in prison, takes massive adjustment. While some of the toughest times are behind the offender, also gone are the regimented lifestyle, the rigid schedule, the provision of food (however bad it is), and having at least some heat in winter. Perhaps, though, the hardest part is simply finding a job that pays enough money to live …

Handling Finances While in Jail

Dan Carman · July 27, 2017 ·

The U.S. currently has 2.3 million people behind bars, the largest prison population in the world. Whether they were incarcerated for drug crimes or other offenses, one thing is constant for all of them: the world outside did not stop when they were imprisoned. What Prisoners Leave Behind Of the 2.3 million people in jail, most have families and friends waiting for them outside. Most also have their own responsibilities to take care of, and handling those affairs from inside is never an easy …

Kentucky Among Progressive States for Bail Reform

Dan Carman · July 18, 2017 ·

For anyone that watches television programs focusing on crime, bail may seem like a simple thing. Based arbitrarily on the judge’s whim and dramatic effect, a good guy gets a bail that seems too high and a bad guy always seems to find the loophole that allows him to pay far too little. But the reality is much different. There are standards, practices and precedents that indicate to a judge how much bail should be set for a defendant, based on several different factors. First of all, bail can …

An Effective Alternative to Tougher Laws

Dan Carman · July 17, 2017 ·

In the United States, efforts to curb crime tend to focus on tough policing and harsh penalties. It’s rare to hear a politician speak about a sensitive approach – much more common is rhetoric about punishing offenders and being tough. And, most times, it receives the response the politicians hope for. But the results don’t always follow the actions. The War on Drugs, for example, first initiated by Richard Nixon and expanded since, has spent billions of dollars to fight drugs entering the …