Criminal Law

My Blog is Moving to SarenaStraus.com

Posted on March 28, 2012
Dear Constant Reader:I'm pleased to announce that my website is finally up and you can view it here at www.sarenastraus.com.  I will also be moving my blog over to my website at www.sarenastraus.com/blog/.  As soon as I can figure out how to port over some of my old posts, I will do so...

Monitoring Teenagers' Internet and Social Media Usage

Posted on March 14, 2012
As someone who writes book for teenagers but who also used to prosecute sex crimes, I've been thinking a lot about the arguments for an against monitoring teen usage of the Internet and social media.  When I was a prosecutor in the Bronx, social media was just coming onto the scene along with dating sites, chat boards, etc...

Guest Blogger Kara Lennox on Planting Clues

Posted on March 05, 2012
Planting Clues by Kara LennoxOne of my favorite parts of plotting a romantic suspense book is planting the clues that will lead my hero and/or heroine to eventually figure out who the villain is. The trick is to plant the clue in plain sight, but disguise it somehow so the reader doesn?t easily guess what it means...

Scrivener Writing Software Review

Posted on March 02, 2012
So, as you all know, I took a little break from blogging to finish writing my first YA novel, Assimilation. After completing the first draft, I came across Scrivener software (in my case for Mac) and decided to see if technology might help my writing...

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American Idol Judges Are Putting Down Women

Posted on March 01, 2012
Here?s something I never thought I?d blog about - American Idol.  I?m not a huge watcher of the show.  I?m one of those auditions and finales types who misses a lot of what happens in the middle.  That said, I did watch last night and what I?m talking about here is Bailey Brown and some other subtle and not so subtle comments I?ve heard on American Idol over the years that just leads me to feel they are really condescending to women...

My Day At Monticello Motor Club - What Car Racing and Child Safety Have in Common

Posted on September 26, 2011
What do car racing and child safety have in common?  More than you might think.  This Sunday, I spent the day at Monticello Motor Club ("MMC").  MMC is a premier automotive resort located in Monticello, New York.  While normally, the club caters to its private membership and car racing club, this week they opened up their doors to train parents and nannies in the art of accident avoidance, changing tires and car seat installation...

I'll Be Back Soon!

Posted on September 20, 2011
Please excuse my absence from blogging as I try to recover from the flu, catch up at work and finish rewrites of my novel.  In the meanwhile, I've been getting lots of great comments from readers - please scan them and add your own comments...I always like to hear the points of view of others! What great readers I have...

Savvy Authors - Time Bandits by Sarena Straus

Posted on September 03, 2011
Savvy Authors - Time Bandits by Sarena Straus Today I'm a guest blogger on Savvy Authors giving tips on how busy people can find time to write! What are your tips and tricks?http://www.bronxdabook.com

Losing Gamer and Savvy Authors Updates

Posted on August 23, 2011
Today I'm a guest blogger for The Losing Gamer.  She interviewed me about being a writer and work/life balance (what's that?)Also, don't forget to sign up for my Savvy Authors webinar on How To Complete Your Novel When the World Conspires Against You - It's tomorrow at 8 pm EST http://www...

Strauss-Kahn - Defending the Manhattan DA's Office

Posted on August 22, 2011
I?ve been following the Dominque Strauss-Kahn case in the news, but as I often am, I?m focused on aspects of the case that relate directly to the prosecution. In this case, what I keep coming back to the the behavior of the Manhattan DA?s office. There has been a lot of criticism about how the Manhattan DA?s Office handled the matter - mostly what they did wrong...

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - Likable Criminals

Posted on August 18, 2011
At any given time, I?m reading about three books.  There is the book of my choice, either in paper or on my Nook.  There is my book club book.  And there is the audio book that I?m listening to during my 2 hour daily round trip commute...

Ironman Zishe Breitbart and the Importance of Folklore

Posted on August 12, 2011
Those of you who?ve known me since my college days might not be surprised to know that I?m related (albeit distantly) to a famous circus strong man....While I never bent iron bars with my bare hands or walked on a bed of nails like my famous ancestor, Zishe Breitbart, I was bench pressing and squatting impressive pounds of iron, especially when I was training with my bodybuilder brother (He was successful in competition...

FBI New Missing Kids Child ID App - Review

Posted on August 10, 2011
A friend of mine was at an amusement park with his nephew.  He turned around for just a second and his nephew was gone; lost in the crowd.... Thanks to a picture he'd just taken with his phone, he was able to show park security what his nephew looked like and was wearing at the time he got lost...

Top Ten Songs Related to Crime

Posted on August 04, 2011
So, I'm on vacation with spotty Internet access (the horror!), ergo my absence from blog land this week.  So with the few short minutes I have and the limited amount of brain power I'm using at the moment (I've just finished rewriting 30 pages of my YA novel, so cut me some slack)...

Novel Writing Webinar on Savvy Authors

Posted on August 01, 2011
On August 24 at 7 pm EST, I will be hosting a Webinar on How to Complete Your Novel When the World Conspires Against You.  As a mom of two and a full time attorney, I know how hard it can be to get a novel done.  I will be sharing tips and tricks for successfully completing your novel on time and without losing momentum or inspiration...

Sarena Straus' Blog Gets and New Slogan

Posted on July 28, 2011
I like to fancy myself a renaissance woman. You?ve heard of renaissance men?well that?s me?but female. It?s not that I can?t decide what I want to be when I grow up, it?s just that I want to keep trying new things. Jack of all trades, master of?some....

Back To School - Child Safety Top Ten List

Posted on July 27, 2011
Talking to children about safety is a frightening thing for parents, but is the single most important things parents can do to increase the safety of their children....The beginning of a new school year is a great time to reinforce safety rules with your child and to update the rules based on your child's age, increased ability to understand more complex rules, and increasing freedom and Independence...

Joy Behar Show - Caylee's Law - Appearing Tomorrow!

Posted on July 25, 2011
I will be appearing tomorrow on CNN's Headline News with Joy Behar to discuss Caylee's Law and why I don't support this legislations.  My article on the subject is here and I hope you'll join in the discussion!   You have only about 24 hours to change my mind...

Rupert Murdoch Phone Hacking Scandal - A US Analysis

Posted on July 23, 2011
Guest Blogger Paul Parisi in at the Keyboard Today      Imagine this.  A billion dollar corporation accused of an international scandal.  The whistleblower that snowballed the investigation ends up dead under suspicious circumstances...

Crime Sprees and Heat Waves

Posted on July 22, 2011
There is nothing like a heat wave (or the Superbowl) to make you want to kill someone. And I?m not just saying that. I saw it with my own eyes. When it gets too hot out, or when people get too into their sports, someone?s gonna? die....I remember being called out to a crime scene during a Subway Series because one guys shot another guy right in the middle of the street...

Law Blogs - LexMonitor

Posted on July 21, 2011
Once in a while when perusing the Internet one stumbles upon something that make the angels of obvious sing in the head, "Of Course!"....I have a Google Alert set up notifying me when my name comes up (I like to know what the world has to say about me!)  So this morning, when I received a Google alert with my name on LexMonitor, I went to the site...

Child GPS Locators

Posted on July 18, 2011
Just a few months ago I did an Internet search for child GPS locators and came up with little of interest.  At best, devices were bulky or offered only short range assistance in locating children (i.e. if they wander a few hundred feet from you in the playground)...

A Great Idea Out of a Terrible Tragedy - The Leiby Initiative

Posted on July 17, 2011
And now, for the flip side of my post two days ago about when bad laws come out of terrible crimes.  The Leiby Initiative....In the wake of the brutal murder of Leiby Kletzky in Brooklyn this week, Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind has introduced the Leiby Initiative...

Savvy Authors - Navigating the Waters of Self Promotion by Sarena Straus

Posted on July 16, 2011
Savvy Authors - Navigating the Waters of Self Promotion by Sarena StrausI'm a guest blogger today on Saavy Authors! Enjoy this article on self-promotion!http://www.bronxdabook.com

Leiby Kletzky

Posted on July 15, 2011
The death of Leiby Kletzky is the greatest possible kind of nightmare and tragedy.  The story of the search for him is an amazing example of a community coming together to save a life.  It is an example of perfect execution of the system, mobilization of law enforcement and community working together...

Caylee's Law - Why It's a Bad Idea and a Suggested Alternative

Posted on July 14, 2011
Any of you know me know that the drum I bang over and over again is prevention. How do we prevent child abuse? It?s a terrible thing that it often takes tragedy to create movements and change or create laws for the better..... For certain, it's an unacceptably high price that something bad, no, not something bad - the worst possible thing - has to happen for some good laws to be made or some great things to happen...

Defending the Casey Anthony Jury

Posted on July 13, 2011
Right after the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, a friend of mine sent me a message on Facebook. He said that for the duration of the trial, he told people that I once said to him that cases are tried in both the court room and the press - you'll never know what the jury hears and how it understands it...

The Barefoot Bandit and Guilty

Posted on June 18, 2011
The Barefoot Bandit and Guilty PleasuresI'm about to confess something that I know I should be ashamed of as a former prosecutor, but I was rooting for Colton Harris-Moore. I know, I know. I should be mortified about my departure from good prosecutorial justice seeking zealousness...

NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAYToday

Posted on May 25, 2011
NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAYToday is National Missing Children's Day. On all days, but especially today, please consider taking the following actions:1. Donate to organizations like the Polly Klaas foundation, which has helped over 7600 families find their missing children...

My law school classmate, Chief

Posted on May 05, 2011
My law school classmate, Chief John Moran and Firefighter Sergio Gabriel Villanueva. Both victims of 9-11Justice and Bin Laden - A legal and New Yorker?s PerspectiveI don?t think I want to talk about Osama Bin Laden. At least not in terms of his being killed...

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