Couple Faces Jail Time for Saving Baby Deer's Life | Overcriminalized.com Update

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January 31, 2013 Edition    |    Discover more at Overcriminalized.com and Rule of Law home page General Editor: Paul Larkin of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies

VIDEO: Couple Faces Jail Time for Saving Baby Deer's Life An Indiana couple is facing up to 60 days in jail and $2,000 in fines for saving a deer from death. Jeff Counceller, a police officer, and his wife Jennifer spotted an injured baby deer on their neighbor’s porch. Instead of turning a blind eye to the dying fawn, the Councellers took the deer in and nursed it back to health. READ MORE >>

Inaugural Tickets for Sale? Overcriminalization Strikes Again (Again) In 2009, a bill was introduced that would criminalize the sale of tickets, or facilitation of the sale of tickets, to Presidential inaugural ceremonies. Last week the same bill was reintroduced.  Read Visiting Fellow Andrew Grossman's take on the original bill.  READ MORE >>

ICYMI: From The Texas Public Policy Foundation: Overcriminalization on the Gulf Coast From NACDL: Experts Explain the Consequences of Overcriminalization

Legislative Update from Capitol Hill Follow links below to learn about laws pending in Congress that may perpetuate Overcriminalization NEW CRIMINAL LAW PROPOSALS H.R. 336: [No Short Title] Prohibition on Selling Inaugural Tickets UPDATES

See Full List of Pending Legislation >>

The Definitive Book on Why and How to Reform Criminal Law Available Now ABOUT OVERCRIMINALIZATION The Heritage Foundation and a coalition of public interest legal groups are committed to reversing the troubling trend of overcriminalization, which is defined by three attributes: 1. Federalizing crime that properly belongs under state and local jurisdiction; 2. Imposing criminal penalties upon persons who acted without criminal intent (mens rea); 3. Applying criminal sanctions to conduct that historically has not been considered wrongful. This Legislative Update includes bills our researchers have identified that add or expand federal criminal offenses or penalties, but it generally does NOT include bills involving drugs, firearms, or crimes of violence.

The Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy organization. Heritage created the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies in 2001 to educate government officials, the media and the public about the Constitution, legal principles and how they affect public policy.