Articles

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Untested rape exam kits number thousands in Indiana

Like many states, Indiana has a problem — mountains of untested rape exam kits in local law enforcement agencies that contain DNA evidence potentially identifying sex offenders. Indiana’s backlog of untested kits is certainly in the thousands. Victim advocates say the question is, how many thousands?

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Criminal code reform review: Low-level felonies soar, jails feel brunt

The number of people serving time in local jails instead of the Department of Correction on low-level felony convictions rose 177 percent in the two years since Indiana’s criminal code reform took effect, and 28 percent more were people convicted of the new Level 6 felony compared to the prior Class D felony.

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Study committees looking at civil forfeiture, constitutional carry

With a little more than four months until the start of the 2018 Indiana General Assembly, lawmakers are back to work to consider two high-profile issues being closely watched by law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state: civil forfeiture and constitutional carry — the proposition that people should be able to carry handguns without a license.

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Study committee to begin constitutional carry discussions Tuesday

Indiana lawmakers will return to the Statehouse Tuesday for the first of three discussions about one of the most controversial issues being considered by a summer study committee this year – constitutional carry, or the belief that a person should be able to carry a handgun without a license.

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Legislature gives Supreme Court bump in funding

Court technology and several other court programs got a boost in the latest state biennial budget, including an additional $5.9 million to fund, in part, key initiatives for Hoosiers, such as court appointed special advocate programs.

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Indiana appeals ruling blocking part of abortion law

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill said Friday he will appeal a federal judge’s ruling that blocks parts of a new state law that would make it tougher for girls under age 18 to get an abortion without their parents’ knowledge.

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New laws for 2017

Indiana’s legislators passed more than250 new laws on topics including e-liquid reform, inheritance tax repeals, and overhaul of uniform business organization laws.

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