Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer Blog
The Florida Statewide Prosecutor’s Office issued its annual report for 2008. That office prosecutes crime throughout the state of Florida. It has several offices statewide, including an officer here in Jacksonville, Florida.
Among the issues raised in the report was the increasing gang problem in Florida. The report noted that Florida has the fastest growing gang problem in the United States, and gangs are branching out into rural areas. The report also indicates that there is increased illegal drug activity in the Central Florida and North Florida areas. In addition to the normal cocaine and crack cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin crimes they deal with, they are seeing an increased number of hydroponic marijuana cases. And just like the federal authorities, the Statewide Prosecutor’s Office is focusing more on fraud related cases such as mortgage fraud, health care fraud and securities fraud. Florida was number one in single family home loan fraud cases in 2006 and 2007.
The report is a good source to identify some of the trends in criminal law on the state level and to also see where the local law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices are channeling their resources to fight various crimes.