San Diego Criminal Lawyer Blog

#1: Copycatting – Juvenile crimes in San Diego almost always occur in an instructive context. By seeking to understand why criminal behaviors occur, authorities and parents can develop better solutions. When criminologists discuss patterns in juvenile crime, they often refer to trends as “epidemics” (e.g. "the meth epidemic"). This designation is extremely insightful. Kids and teens tend to mirror behaviors – both good and bad. When kids witness their role models engage in vandalism, theft, and gang violence, they copycat. The motivation to copy occurs on a subconscious level. Thus, one key to breaking the cycle is: 1) identify the popular dangerous behavior(s); 2) develop a strategy to psychologically inoculate other juveniles against repeating the behavior(s).

#2: Hormones – Developing juveniles undergo tremendous physiological and biochemical changes as they mature from prepubescents to full adults. During this tumultuous period, kids can be driven by their hormones to engage in risky behaviors and destructive practices that they otherwise would never commit. The physiological factors driving these behaviors may reside completely outside of these kids' conscious control! To resolve physiologically-driven behavior problems, therefore, parents must identify what the physical problem is and remedy it using appropriate strategies (including, possibly, medication).

#3: Overstimulation - Young Americans today are assaulted by stimuli. Ubiquitous advertising, video games, web media, social networks, cell phones, and dozens of other stimuli compete for attention spans all day long. Many kids are desperate to turn off the spigot of this near-constant stream of information. Unfortunately, like a tilted pinball machine, info-overloaded kids often tune out good information along with bad. One solution is to reduce or remove excessive stimuli and to train children in the art of meditation. Medications for ADHD can also be useful as an adjunct to this therapy.

To explore a sound defense strategy for your San Diego juvenile offender, connect with the law offices of Stephen Brodsky & Associates through www.criminalattorneysandiego.com.

According to a June 19 press release, San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis has helped to secure a guarantee $1.9 million for the City of San Diego to combat crime. The House Bill in question, HR 2847, is set to head to the Senate for review after it passed the House of Representatives by a wide margin, 259 to 157.

Representative Davis claims that the money can be used for a wide variety of San Diego crime fighting purposes. A breakdown of the monies follows:

• $350,000 earmarked for a Crime Lab Technology for the city.

• $200,000 to help the County’s DA to track gang and drug investigations and to purchase breathalyzers for police fieldwork.

• $200,000 to support a program designed to help officers in the streets coordinate anti-gang actions and to tamp down on violent crime

• $1.2 million to update data sharing systems among San Diego officers and update local, California, and Federal communication efforts.

These monies are part of a much broader Congressional package known collectively as the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, that also include funding to combat global warming and nearly $7 billion in a National Science Foundation money.

While better technologies for San Diego law enforcement agents will hopefully lead to improved coordination and a reduction in violent crime in the city, individuals arrested for crimes in Southern California may have a more difficult time exonerating themselves in the future. If you’ve been wrongly accused or incorrectly charged, you will need resources to fight back against your charges efficiently. Fortunately, you can trust the law offices of Stephen Brodsky & Associates. Attorney Brodsky boasts tremendous and varied experience with criminal defense matters in Southern California, and he understands how to negotiate with judges and prosecutors to get his clients fair and appropriate sentence reductions. To explore more about the firm’s track record history, please visit CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com. You’re also invited to set up a free consultation with attorney Brodsky at any time regarding your criminal defense matter.

On Tuesday May 26, 2009, the Sheriff’s Department of San Diego County announced a sweeping new biometrics program designed to identify “removable” criminal aliens in the city’s jails. This project is a joint venture between the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Commonly known as “Secured Communities,” the program extends information-sharing capabilities among various law enforcement agencies.

The basic idea is that these agencies can now more quickly track and integrate information from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to determine whether given inmates might be “deportable.” In particular, Secured Communities focuses on preventing criminals convicted of aggressive offenses--such as assault, murder, rape, and kidnapping--from roaming free on San Diego streets.

The biometrics initiative evolved from an earlier ICE pilot project, The Criminal Alien Program, which ID’d hundreds of thousands of deportable aliens in jails across the U.S. DHS officials estimate that at least $1 billion will be spent on efforts to ID and deport removable criminal aliens… over the coming year alone!

Although officials at the DOJ and the Sheriff’s Department appear hopeful that this effort will keep dangerous criminal aliens off of San Diego’s streets, opponents have questioned whether Secured Communities violates civil liberties. Some have also argued that the program has the potential for “Big Brother”-like abuse and that biometrics analyses are not as bulletproof and accurate as proponents might have people believe.

Given San Diego’s intensified efforts to crack down on crime; if you’ve been charged with a felony or misdemeanor in CA, now, more than ever, you need an intelligent, empathetic and aggressive attorney to vouch for your rights and help you navigate the justice system. Look to Stephen Brodsky & Associates to build the smartest possible defense strategy. Find out more information at www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.

On May 6, 2009, a 36-year-old California man named John Burgess pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a 19-year-old pre-med student at San Diego State University named Donna Jou. Burgess--a convicted sex offender who had served jail time for failing to register as such--faces five years.

According to the defendant's admissions in court, he had met Ms. Jou after answering an advertisement she'd put up on Craigslist.com for students to tutor. On the night of June 23, 2007, he brought Ms. Jou back to his house and injected her with a mixture of cocaine and heroine known colloquially as an "eightball." The drug cocktail sadly proved lethal. The next morning, Burgess awoke to find that Ms. Jou had died during the night. Burgess then panicked and--instead of contacting the police--took Ms. Jou's body out onto his sailboat and dumped her into the Pacific Ocean.

For over a year following her death, Burgess laid low... or at least tried to. He was actually arrested in Florida in the interim for different charges. But the law finally tracked him down and arrested him on involuntary manslaughter charges (as well as on charges of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor).

Burgess's case drew national media attention and fueled a growing debate over the obligations of services like Craigslist.com to patrol their message boards for predators, pedophiles, and scam artists. In the wake of the trial, Craigslist.com has revised its guidelines. The site now requires individuals to pay to advertise in its "adult services" section, and its curators promise to vet future postings to ensure their accuracy.

California criminal cases can be complex, both legally and emotionally. If you or a family member faces criminal charges in San Diego, you need a determined, veteran attorney in your corner. Look to Stephen Brodsky and Associates. To arrange a free consultation now, go to www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.

Riverside police officials arrested two juveniles who reportedly tagged Norte Visa High School October 15, 2008. According to this news report, school security officers told police that they spotted a group of taggers who ran away when they realized they had been seen. Police officials said they apprehended two of the juveniles who were positively identified by security. They were released to their parents pending juvenile petitions. Damages were estimated at $2,000 to $3,000, the report stated.

Tagging is one of the most common juvenile crimes in Riverside. It is not among the more serious crimes, but it can still have severe consequences especially if the juveniles have a prior record, are affiliated with gangs or if the damages from the tagging are high.

However, under California juvenile law, except in rare instances, juveniles are not entitled to a jury trial. In most juvenile cases, it is a judge who hears the evidence and decides whether the individual is guilty or not guilty. If your son or daughter has been accused of any crime in Riverside County – be it tagging, graffiti, theft or a violent crime – you need the counsel and guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable Riverside juvenile crime defense attorney. You need a lawyer who has the skill, experience and confidence to challenge the judge – especially if the judge shows bias against your child or does not understand some important evidence issues or substantive law in the case during trial.

Riverside juvenile defense lawyer Stephen R. Brodsky has more than two decades of experience defending young people and helping them get that important second chance in life. Our attorneys have the skill and sensitivity it takes to handle these cases. Call us today for a free consultation and case evaluation.

A 15-year-old boy in Rancho Penasquitos has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing two men after an argument, the North County Times reports. The boy, whom police did not identify because of his age, was reportedly arguing at an apartment complex when the boy went into one of the apartment units, brought out a knife and stabbed both men, officials say.

Both the men, said to be in their 20s, were taken to an area hospital. One of the men got stabbed in the leg while another got a wound to his arm. Both of the alleged victims are expected to survive. The teenager was reportedly arrested on juvenile crime charges and taken to Juvenile Hall.

“Juvenile” is a legal term used to describe minors under 18 years of age. Juvenile defendants may be prosecuted for any of the same crimes for which adults can be prosecuted. The goal of the juvenile justice system in the state of California is to rehabilitate youthful offenders, but prosecutors are as aggressive in their prosecution of minors as they are of adults. Under a new California law, minors who are charged with certain violent crimes may be tried as adults without a hearing before a juvenile judge.

If your son or daughter has been charged with a serious juvenile crime in San Diego, please call the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky for a free consultation.

Police arrested teenager on suspicion of stabbing a man in Lake Elsinore during a fight. According to an article in The Californian, the boy is 17 years old and remains unidentified because he is a minor. Officials say the incident occurred in the 28500 block of 11th Street. Police arrested the teen after receiving reports of the stabbing. Officers stopped a speeding car and determined the teen, who was in the vehicle, stabbed the man.

Police also arrested the second person in the car about whom no information is available. According to the article, the victim who was admitted to an area hospital, talked to officials and confirmed the two people’s involvement in the stabbing. The 17-year-old reportedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the man on the left side of the chest during their fight. The victim, who has also not been identified, is said to be in stable condition and his injuries, non life-threatening.

When older minors commit violent crimes such as homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery or gang-related crimes, they could be tried as adults. The difference is while juvenile court proceedings are shielded and protected from the public and the media, proceedings in adult court are wide open.

It takes an experienced criminal defense attorney with a thorough knowledge of San Diego juvenile defense law to handle these cases in a competent yet sensitive manner. If your child has been accused of a crime, call the Law Offices of Stephen Brodsky for a complimentary and confidential consultation.

Five juveniles were reportedly arrested on suspicion of vandalizing three peers’ homes in Carmel Valley and they now face possible juvenile hate crime charges in connection with the incident. According to an article in the North County Times, the alleged vandals sprayed one house with a fire extinguisher, ripped off landscape lighting wires, duct-taped door knobs and drew a swastika on a duct-tape stuck to the window of a Jewish home.

Juvenile crimes could be misdemeanors as with vandalism or tagging or they could be more serious felonies involving violent crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, robbery or assault and battery. Whatever the nature of the crime, our main goal as juvenile crime defense attorneys, is to keep your child out of jail and get them the help they need.

You need a juvenile defense attorney who has a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of juvenile law to competently represent the minor. There are many things parents and guardians don’t know about juvenile law. For example a minor may be eligible for informal probation, which means that if he or she complies with a probation officer’s plan of supervision, the charges will be dismissed after the probationary period. Most parents also are not aware that they can be held liable for monetary losses caused by crimes their children commit especially in vandalism or tagging cases where property damage is involved.

If your child has been accused of a crime, please call the Law Offices of Stephen Brodsky for a free and confidential consultation.

A 56-year-old woman suffered critical head injuries after her 14-year-old daughter hit her in the head with a hammer, according to a CBS news report. The girl, whose name has not been released because she is a juvenile, allegedly struck her mother on the head with the blunt instrument, when her father and 21-year-old sister were asleep in the home, the article said.

The mother suffered very severe injuries and is not expected to survive. The girl could be charged with murder if her mother dies, officials said. A motive for the alleged assault is not known. The teenager has now been arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

This is an extremely tragic incident given the relationship between the two people involved, the circumstances and the age of the girl. Juveniles can be prosecuted for any of the same crimes for which adults can be prosecuted. This 14-year-old girl will most likely not be tried in adult court, but in some other cases where the defendant is close to 18 years of age, the prosecution may decide to try them as an adult.

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