For the first time in nearly 40 years, the number of state prisoners in the United States has declined, according to Prison Count 2010, a new survey by the Pew Center on the States.

As of January 1, 2010, there were 1,403,091 persons under the jurisdiction of state prison authorities, 5,739 (0.4 percent) less than on December 31, 2008.  This marks the first year-to-year drop in the nation’s state prison population since 1972.

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It will cost you a little extra to look black.

The Obama administration is turning up the heat on tanning salons across the country with the passage of its new health care bill.

To help fund the $940 billion health care overhaul, a 10% tax on individuals receiving indoor tanning services was tacked on, and the initiative is expected to generate $2.7 billion over ten years.

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We’re making progress but there is still a long way to go before the disparity is removed from the judicial system as it relates to drug crimes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate approved by unanimous consent a bill that would reduce the sentencing disparity between federal crack and powder cocaine offenses.  The bill, S. 1789, was sponsored by Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).

Julie Stewart, president and founder of Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), released the following statement upon the bill’s passage:

“Today’s approval marks the first time since the Nixon administration that the Senate has voted to repeal a mandatory minimum. The unanimous vote demonstrates the ability of Congress to work across party lines to achieve sentencing reform. We commend the good efforts of Senators Durbin, Leahy, Graham, Hatch, and Sessions, and their willingness to find common ground.

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At the core, most dealers aren’t out to rip you off. But they employ experienced and aggressive salespeople who have a bag of tricks designed to maximize the salesperson’s cut and the dealer’s profit.

Here are ploys that some dealers — even the most scrupulous — may try to run on you when it comes time to buy:

1. The credit cozen: A dealer may say something like, “With your credit score, you won’t qualify for competitive financing rates.” This may be true. However, some dealers will imply your credit is worse than it is so you think you’ll have to pay a higher interest rate. That’s why it’s important to know your credit score before you head to the showroom.

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Rat out a tax cheat, collect a reward

If you knew coworkers, former bosses or exes who cheated on their taxes, would you turn them in? The Internal Revenue Service is hoping your greed will make you turn people in no different then the Feds.

As tax season nears, we all want to get as much money back from the IRS as possible. And while taking advantage of this year’s new tax breaks will put some extra money in your pocket, snitching on a tax cheat could make you richer but remember no one likes a snitch.

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People line up at job fair for convicted felons

More than 3,000 people turned out in downtown Houston, Texas, Wednesday for a job fair designed for convicted felons.

Organizers of the Road to Re-entry Employment Fair, created to help those with criminal records find work and reintegrate into society, had expected a few hundred job people. The line of job seekers, which ran for a few blocks and tied up traffic, as reported by CNN affiliate KHOU, took the planners by surprise.

“These were not individuals trying to get concert tickets or a free dinner,” said Jarvis Johnson, a Houston City Council member who helped sponsor the inaugural event. “They were individuals who were waiting in line because they want to be productive members of society.”

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New state law reduces drug penalties in school zones

A new bill signed into law by Governor Jon Corzine last week rolls back mandatory minimum sentences for some drug offenders caught within school and park zones. While the law has been praised by groups that claim the old law had a disproportionate effect on minorities, some local law enforcement officials are concerned whether it sends the wrong message.

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What the hell is going on in Switzerland? I am not sure if they are being proactive or encouraging 12 years to have sex. Whatever the case they are getting ready to sell extra-small condoms marketed at 12 year-olds.  Called the Hotshot, the condom has been produced after government research showed 12 to14-year-olds did not use sufficient protection when having sex.

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Know What Sex Offenders Are Around You and Your Children!

Although technology and information is available at your fingertips…many of us don’t use it. Which is unfortunate when you think about the many “things” that happen that may have been prevented had you done your due diligence. Its a joke around my house that my son can’t go on a play date at a class mates home until I do a background check on the other kid’s parents. People make light of my paranoia but guess what? I am not playing.  There is no excuse for not keeping your children safe when the information is at your fingertips. If your child’s babysitter, little league or friends parent is a sex offender there is NO REASON you should not know this before they start spending time around your child.

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Be careful with your passwords and your information, because cyber-criminals are selling hacked Twitter accounts and passwords online for up to $1,000. The accounts and passwords are traded on hacker forums, with prices ranging anywhere from $82 for a Gmail account to $1,000 for Twitter accounts. The cybercriminals then use those accounts as stepping stones to infect others’ computers with data-stealing malware.

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