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What You Should Know About Retail Theft
Retail theft is a serious problem in America. No other type of theft, including home burglary, bank robberies, and auto theft, even comes close to the cost of retail theft each year.
In 2014, retail theft cost American retailers $44 billion. However, the costs do not stop there. A serious retail theft problem in America means higher costs for all consumers.
Why is Retail Theft a Problem?
Compared to other forms of stealing, retail theft is by far the largest theft-related problem in America. From organized criminals to amateurs sneaking candy bars into their pockets, retailers across America experience retail theft often.
Last year, retailers reported a $44 billion dollar loss due to retail theft. The $44 billion, known as “shrink” in the retail world, includes losses from shoplifting, employee theft, administrative errors, and vendor fraud. No retailer is immune to retail theft.
With Medical Marijuana Available for Purchase in Illinois, Will Underage Abuse Rise?
With the recent opening of a few medical marijuana dispensaries in Illinois, some concerned citizens and substance abuse experts are worried. Will more easily accessed pot lead to abuse by children and teens?
Some say yes, and argue that as public perceptions on the drug change, and more dispensaries open across the state, young people will be more inclined to find, consume, and abuse marijuana. Marijuana use and abuse can have serious, lasting impacts on children, so experts have reason to be concerned. As the drug becomes more readily available across the state, for medical use only, are Illinois youth at risk?
Young people are especially susceptible to the dangers of marijuana abuse. THC, the mind altering substance within marijuana, can be harmful to young, developing brains, and affects areas like memory, attention and learning. Teenagers are often more willing to engage in risky behavior, like drug use, because their prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls impulses, is still developing. While consuming marijuana occasionally is unlikely to do any major damage, chronic use can lead to serious problems.
More Illinois Parolees, Less Resources Available
This past February, the state of Illinois joined a nationwide movement aimed at reducing prison populations, saving states millions of dollars, and rehabilitating inmates. Lawmakers across the country have long argued for prison reform, citing safer prisons, rehabilitating productive members of society, and serious financial savings as the major benefits. Currently, the state of Illinois has over 28,000 parolees—a number that has risen 14 percent over the past four years.
With the number of parolees expected to continue growing, state officials are worried about a serious lack of resources necessary to help rehabilitate recently released inmates.
The state’s governor set a goal of cutting the number of inmates in Illinois by one-fourth over the next 10 years. In a recent budget address, the governor spoke on the state’s prison reform:
“By reforming our criminal justice system, we can make our prisons safer, rehabilitate ex-offenders so they become productive members of society and save many tens of millions of dollars.”
FBI Report Shows Hate Crimes Down in America
Investigating hate crimes has long been a priority of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Although the term “hate crime” only started being used in the 1980’s, the FBI has been investigating forms of hate crime since the beginning of World War 1. Today, it seems the bureau’s efforts have been effective, as their newly released report shows that hate crimes across the country are down in numbers. This year’s Hate Crime Statistics Report, an annual report on hate crimes released by the FBI, shows that the number of hate crimes in 2014 is down compared to 2013.
The U.S. Congress, in an attempt to simplify data collection, defines hate crimes as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin sexual orientation.” While hate speech is not a crime, any criminal offense could be considered a hate crime if the offender has a personal bias against the victim. This includes murder, theft, arson, and vandalism.
Are Women More Likely to be Victims of Cybercrime?
Most Americans rely on the web daily, and use it for work, play, and to stay connected with friends and family. These days, almost everyone in the U.S. has a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and modern technology is quickly spreading across the world. However, sometimes, the Internet can be a scary place.
While the World Wide Web provides many wonderful uses, there are some threats hidden in it’s dark corners. Cybercrime occurs every day, and unfortunately, the trend is continuing to rise. From theft to blackmail, to sharing obscene, illegal content, the Internet provides a forum for a variety of crimes to take place.
Did you know that women are especially prone to cybercrime? A study conducted in 2014 shows that women should take extra steps to protect themselves from the possibility of Internet crimes.
Kapersky Lab, a global Internet security company, recently surveyed more than 10,000 people aged 16 or older, and asked questions about Internet security and online threats received.
Guns Used in Violent Chicago Crimes Frequently Originate From Out of State
Critics of tighter gun laws in America have frequently referred to the city of Chicago as an example of why gun laws are ineffective. Chicago has some of the strictest gun restrictions in the United States, yet still experiences abnormally high rates of gun related crime when compared to other cities. Gun rights supporters say this proves that tough gun laws do not truly keep guns out of the hands of criminals. A new report, however, shows that a large number of guns used in Chicago crimes crossed into the state from somewhere else.
Chicago has long grappled with high rates of gun violence. The Chicago Tribune reported that in 2014, 2,587 people were victims of gun violence. In comparison, New York City police recorded 1,381 victims over the same time period, and New York City has approximately three times the population of Chicago.
Despite Chicago’s tough gun restrictions, city officials say the problem exists because firearms remain widely available. Purchasing guns within the city is difficult, so how, with such tight regulations, are gun related crimes such a problem?
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Officially Open in Illinois
For those struggling with disease, chronic pain, and other conditions, the wait for medical marijuana in Illinois is over. On November 9, a few medical marijuana dispensaries opened their doors for business, with many more to follow in the near future. For both marijuana industry officials and patients seeking medicine, the stores opening is a huge relief and comes after years of advocating for medical marijuana legalization. For the first time in Illinois, patients who qualify are able to legally purchase and use medical marijuana as a form of treatment.
Six stores opened across Illinois on Monday, and a few others are scheduled to open within the week. Officials say they expect there to be 25 dispensaries opened by the end of 2015, with more to follow in the coming years. At the time of planning, state officials mapped out 60 potential sites for dispensaries, so many more stores may be opening as the industry grows. The six stores that opened Monday experienced long lines of patients, and industry officials are hoping even more patients will try the products once medical marijuana becomes more popular in the state.
Illinois Lawmakers Provide Easier Access to Body Cameras for Police Departments
Tension is high between American police departments and the citizens they serve. Thanks to several recent high profile incidents of police related deaths and cases of brutality, the American public has become less trusting and more fearful of officers.
As citizens demand more transparency between police departments and the public, officials are turning to using body cameras as a solution. Worn by on duty officers, body cameras would record interactions between officers and the public, and could provide detailed footage of any questionable encounter. Illinois police departments will now have easier access to body camera technology and training, as state Governor Bruce Rauner recently signed statewide body camera measures into law.
Police departments have considered using body cameras for many years now. Americans have long worried that many police officers engage in less than ethical behavior, and the fact that many officer investigations are done internally left the public feeling like shady practices were occurring. Body cameras were an often suggested solution; however, the technology is expensive. On top of that, there was no existing legislation detailing how body cameras should be used—police departments were stuck wondering how to proceed.
How Much Does a DUI Cost in Illinois?
The state of Illinois is cracking down on driving under the influence, and for good reason. Nearly 40,000 people are arrested annually in the state for driving while intoxicated, and around 300 people are killed each year in alcohol related driving incidents.
Before drinking and driving, drivers should be aware of the many consequences they could face. Most importantly, drivers could potentially harm themselves or harm others. Moreover, being arrested for a DUI is extremely expensive. Legal fees, fines, and higher insurance rates all make getting a DUI potentially crippling financially. Therefore, it is important to consider the following breakdown of the estimated costs of being arrested for a DUI in Illinois.
Hiring an Attorney/Legal Fees — It is estimated that hiring a DUI attorney costs at least $1,500. Depending on the extent of the charges, however, legal fees could be much higher. Spending thousands of dollars on a DUI attorney is not uncommon.
Gang Violence and Social Media
For millions of Americans, social media is a part of daily life. Websites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram help make our large world smaller, bringing people together and allowing them to create and share content.
Most people use social media websites for innocent purposes; staying in touch with friends, sharing photos and videos, and accessing many different types of web content. For some, however, social media sites have taken up a different purpose. Thousands of gang members in the United States are using social media sites to share their message, antagonize rival gangs, and perpetuate violence.
Online Activity
It makes sense that gang members are using social media more frequently. Social media is especially popular with younger Americans, and with thousands of American youths involved in gangs, it was only a matter of time before sites like Facebook and Youtube became platforms for gangs.
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