Child

California Enacts Sweeping Legal Reforms to Address Retail Theft, Enhance Child Welfare, and Integrate AI Transparency Standards

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Sacramento, CA — In response to a worrying rise in crime rates across California, state lawmakers have moved to implement a series of stringent laws designed to curb offenses ranging from retail theft to felonies involving artificial intelligence. The legislative changes, gathering pace in one of America’s most populous states, are devised to not only penalize but deter, rehabilitate, and align with modern technological advancements. Key to these legislative changes is a hard stance on organized retail theft, now escalating to a felony if individuals possess merchandise over $950 with intentions to resell. This provision, … Read more

North Carolina Family Calls for Policy Change After Child Suffers Serious Injuries in Dog Attack

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HAMPSTEAD, N.C. — In the small community of Hampstead, North Carolina, a family’s sense of safety was shattered over a month ago when a neighborhood dog attacked 7-year-old Cason while he was playing in his front yard. Tracy Smith, Cason’s grandmother, recounted the harrowing moment when the dog, which they were watching for a neighbor, suddenly turned aggressive and targeted Cason, inflicting severe injuries. During the incident, Smith witnessed the dog latch onto the back of Cason’s head, leaving him with seven deep lacerations, four of which were serious enough to expose his skull. “Just … Read more

UTSA Research Expands to Examine Juror Decisions: New Insights from Child Witness Studies Led by Rising Scholar

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San Antonio, Texas – At the University of Texas at San Antonio, research in the GROWTH lab is providing innovate insights into jury deliberations involving child witnesses, a topic with limited existing research. Under the mentorship of Assistant Professor of Psychology Monica Lawson, Tori Holland’s work is drawing attention and praise. With new funding secured, this pilot study is set to expand and deepen our understanding of juror behavior. Under Holland’s leadership, the lab has previously focused on distilling deliberations of mock jurors from UTSA into meticulously detailed transcripts, noting every gesture and spoken word. … Read more

Texas Supreme Court Rules Woman Can Submit Alleged Child Pornography Video to FBI Prior to Discovery in Legal Battle

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Austin, Texas — In a significant legal development, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a woman involved in litigation can deliver a video allegedly depicting child pornography directly to the FBI without first having to disclose it during legal discovery procedures. This decision reverses a lower court ruling which would have compelled her to present the evidence in court before involving federal investigators. The ruling centers on a lawsuit initiated by Magdoline Hatoum, a woman suing a Houston attorney. Hatoum claims she possesses video material critical for her case that also potentially involves child … Read more