California’s Plastic Bag Ban

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If you are like many other Californians, you are probably still trying to train yourself to bring reusable bags to the store when you get groceries. It has been a bit of a struggle, but admittedly a small one to help the environment.

The state of California recently banned stores from using single use plastic bags in an attempt to reduce the amount of plastic waste the state produces. Stores would still be allowed to offer plastic bags, but they would need to charge a minimum of 10 cents and the bags would need to be reusable.

Some people do not paying the extra 10 cents per bag, while other people hate completely hate the idea of paying for something they used to get for free. Realistically, it is not that big of a deal. The old bags were terrible, not just for the environment, but for the purpose they were designed for. Just think of how many times those single use bags broke and spilled their contents all over the floor. With this new law, shopped will either get stronger plastic bags from the store, or have stronger cloth bags that they brought from home.

The hardest part about this new law, is training yourself to remember to bring bags from home. This is something that will get easier with time, until it is second nature.

The Benefits of Posting Bail

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When you learn about a loved one’s arrest, it can feel like disaster is in the air. You might think that there is nothing you could possibly do to help, but you would be wrong. You help by posting your friend or family member’s bail.

By posting your loved one’s bail, you are enabling him or her to return to their normal life. Your loved one will be able to continue to work and earn an income. This will allow your loved one to support his or her family and keep their job.

Another benefit of bailing out of jail is being able to prepare better for the trial. Once out of jail, meeting with a lawyer becomes easier, thus making it easier to build a solid defense. On top of this, your loved one will be able to go to all of his or her court dates in their own clothes, not an orange jumpsuit. This looks a lot better to the judge and jury, which can help your loved one’s case.

Bailing someone out of jail can be the starting point for turning your loved one’s life around. He or she will be able to begin putting the pieces back together and get back on the right track. All of it, will be thanks to you for posting his or her bail.

About the Bail Reform Legislation

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Bail is when a defendant, who has been charged with a crime but has not yet been found innocent or guilty through their trial, pays a certain amount of money to be released from jail. This allows the person to return home to live and engage in an otherwise normal routine like going to work and spending time with family and friends.

Bail exists because it is unfair to keep defendants in jail for the duration of their trial which can be days, weeks, or even months, especially when we do not know if they are actually guilty. However, some believe it is unfair for defendants who cannot be released simply because they cannot afford to pay their bail.

Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Rand Paul co-authored a new bill that to change how defendants are released. The bill encourages states to get rid of the money bail system and replace it with systems that might better assess a defendant’s risk to the public. If the state can do this, they would be eligible for a grant.

Currently, a defendant’s eligibility for bail is based on whether they pose a threat to the community. If they are deemed to not pose a threat, then they are granted the opportunity to post bail. This is where some defendant get stuck because they cannot pay their bail. The bail reform legislation from Harris and Paul would nix the part of requiring defendants to pay for their release. They would just be released, and because the court then loses money since they are not paying money bail, they would instead receive a grant.

Because this bail reform bill was just introduced the other week, there is a lot of progress it must make before passing or failing, and it could be some time before the public hears anything more about the matter.

The Legality of Recording and Posting Crimes Online

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It is one thing for a bystander to record an incident where a police officer is interacting, physically or peacefully, with another civilian, but it is another thing when a bystander records an incident where one or more other civilians are getting physical with another victim, and there are no authority figures in sight. In the first scenario, there is someone who is supposed to be supporting the law, and coming down on someone who just broke it. In the second scenario, there is someone who is committing a crime against another helpless individual, with no law enforcement anywhere to be seen, so the physicality against the victim can continue.

This raises the question as to whether the bystander in the second scenario should be punished for recording the crime, and possibly posting it on social media, while doing nothing to stop it and prevent the victim from getting injured, or worse.

A few weeks ago in Florida, a group of teenagers looked onto a pond where they saw a man struggling to stay afloat. They recorded the man and in the footage, the teens are heard laughing and joking at him. The man drowned and died as the teens watched. Although people in Florida are not legally obligated to render aid or call for help if they know a person is in distress, the police have decided to file misdemeanor charges against the teens for failing to report a death.

In December last year, a California teenager was severely sucker punched by a man he did not even know. The man and his girlfriend conspired to record it and post it online. The man is facing criminal charges but the girlfriend is not, and lawmakers are rallying to try and change this with a bill introduced as Jordan’s Law. This law would criminalize those who conspire with the attacker to record a violent crime. Although the girlfriend is not a bystander in this scenario because she was in on the crime to begin with, she still did not get punished. Like with Florida, true bystanders in California do not have a legal obligation to report a crime if they are aware of it, nor are they legally obligated to intervene. It could be dangerous to do so.

Posting crimes like this on social media can be harmful for the victim of the video because it can bring them more humiliation and distress. Morally, it is an unkind thing to do, but legally, it is a grey area that lawmakers and law enforcement must try and figure out so when similar incidents arise in the future, they can better pursue their case.

Your Actions can Inspire Others

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Even if you are the younger sibling or an only child, your actions can inspire others. Even if you do not realize it. Similarly to how you look up to someone and strive to be like them, someone is can be looking up to you. You want them to be happy, successful, and problem-free? Help them see that kind of life by living that way yourself.

Having a life where you follow trouble and trouble follows you is tiring. It is dangerous, time consuming, expensive, and does not produce much positive opportunity for the future. Relationships are broken this way, and people who are in this type of lifestyle find themselves rather lonely and stuck. They believe that there is nothing better for them. At some point, they give up on themselves and it is heartbreaking to see it happen.

We know, however, that if a person works hard enough and is determined enough, they can get out of this lifestyle. Better yet, they can avoid such a lifestyle altogether. It definitely helps to find someone to look up to, who can guide them. Look at this opportunity like this: two people benefit. The first person is the one who looks up to you as a role model. You are teaching them to be a strong, confident, right-minded individual who stays out of trouble. The other person is yourself, as you continue to lead yourself on a path that stays far away from neglecting the law.

If you notice a loved one of yours is struggling and could use a role model in their life, step in and be that person. Never give up on the ones you love most. After all, you would not want them to give up on you, right? Keep offering words of support and encouragement because that never gets old. Hopefully the job for you is easier, rather than harder, and hopefully there will be no troubles along the way. If there are though, if they make a mistake and find themselves arrested, keep showing them your support by contacting us, us so we can help you help them bail out of jail.

What to do if the Cops Pull You Over

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What you do and say to a cop when you are pulled over can have an effect on the outcome of the situation. Anytime you are in the presence of a police officer, especially if they are pulling you over, stopping you, or wanting to question you, it is in your best interest to speak and act, politely and courteously. Though the police are the authoritative figure, you still have certain rights.

If you see a police car following you closely with their sirens blaring and their lights on, they want you to pull over. Do so carefully and safely so you are out of the way of other vehicles and you are not blocking any intersections or driveways. Turn your car off. Getting pulled over does not necessarily mean you did something wrong or you are a suspect. Perhaps they are wanting to let you know that a tail light is out and they will let you off with a warning.

The police officer will approach you on the driver’s side. Roll your window down so they can see you and speak with you. Give them your license and registration when they ask for it, then you should keep your hands on the wheel so they are in sight. If you keep your hands hidden or keep shuffling around a bag, it will look suspicious to the officer and they may worry you have a weapon or are trying to conceal something. If it is dark out, you can turn on the interior light of your car.

The officer may take a peek into your car and look at what is in plain view, but unless they have probable cause against you, they usually cannot conduct a full search. For example, if this was a routine pull-over merely because you ran a red light, but the officer has no other reason or evidence to suspect you committed a crime, they cannot search your car fully unless they ask and you consent to it.

You have the right to ask for the officer’s name and badge number. Many people do not do this because they do not think to do so or they are scared. It is a good idea to do this, regardless if you have a calm interaction with them, just in case. If things got a little out of control and you end up arrested, this information can prove useful to you later on as you try to build a case.

You may ask the officer if you are allowed to leave. Unless they need to arrest you, they will let you go after documenting the information they need. If you end up arrested, get a lawyer to help you out.