The rule of lenity, requires ambiguous criminal laws be interpreted in favor of the defendants subjected to them. It is a centuries-old protection, but overcriminalization has eroded the rule, thus making its formal codification necessary.
Criminal Justice
Texas sets the standard in the fight against human trafficking
Originally published in the Dallas Morning News. New legislation stiffens penalties and provides for victims. A recent police effort underscored a disturbing but resolvable truth: Human trafficking doesn’t just happen in faraway places — it happens in our own backyard, and, too often, it targets our children. Through a coordinated effort by the U.S. Marshals...
October 30, 2025