Diane Dimond

Diane Dimond's New Site

 Tackling the Opioid Crisis – Finally

by 11 Comments

Can I get a round of applause for our United States Congress? Yes, indeedy, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for both democrats and republicans! They have, miraculously, come together to approve one of the only major pieces of legislation set to become law this year. Amazing.

It was a rare moment as the U.S. Senate put the needs of American citizens before party loyalty and overwhelmingly approved a sweeping package of bills aimed at alleviating our epidemic of opioid deaths. [Read more…]

Gun Violence Target:  The Bullets   

by 6 Comments

 The mantra, “It’s the economy, stupid,” propelled Bill Clinton’s candidacy during the presidential campaign in 1992.  His decision to highlight the nation’s then-struggling economy (and promise to fix it) helped Clinton win the White House.
One theme in this year’s mid-term election is the renewed call for more gun control laws, especially from students worried about school shootings. I’m left wondering when someone will come up with the rallying cry, “It’s the bullets, stupid.” After all, guns don’t work without bullets.

[Read more…]

A Come to Jesus Moment for the U.S. Catholic Church

by 20 Comments

Pope Francis has called for silence and prayer from those who criticize the Catholic Church’s attempts to root out and punish sex abusing priests. But it is clear the time for silence has long passed.

Priests who prey on children are criminals, not souls to be saved for the sake of an institution. [Read more…]

Getting Away With Murder in America

by 10 Comments

Turn on prime time television any night of the week and it’s likely you’ll find a show about a cold case murder. The program will feature an intrepid detective or two who dig in and (Voila!) solve the most perplexing cases.

The reality, however, is very different. Statistics reveal that more than 40% of the time murderers in the United States get away with it. A chilling thought because those who kill without detection can become emboldened and are, of course, free to kill again. [Read more…]

The Reality of Young People Sentenced to Life Without Parole

by 17 Comments

Last week I wrote about the plight of Pamela Smart who, in 1991, at the age of 22, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder her husband. Gregg Smart was shot dead by his wife’s 16-year-old lover and another teenager. Pamela was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

To this day Smart, now 51, expresses deep remorse for her affair with Billy Flynn but steadfastly maintains she did not plot with him to murder her newlywed husband.   [Read more…]

How Long a Prison Sentence is Enough?

by 20 Comments

A petition has been filed with the Governor of New Hampshire that breathes new life into an old and very sensational case. It asks Governor Chris Sununu to embrace this era’s evolved thinking on prison sentencing, specifically the sentence of life without parole.

A key section of the 695-page petition reads, “The New Hampshire Constitution’s goal of punishment being ‘to reform, not to exterminate’ warrants relief for Pamela Smart through commutation of her sentence to time served or to make her parole eligible.” [Read more…]

About Diane

I was raised in the great American Southwest by parents who stressed personal responsibility, integrity, compassion for others and the ability to tell a good story. Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico I absorbed the moral and ethical values I would carry with me throughout life and use daily as a journalist.
After a humble beginning in Albuquerque radio (covering the cops and courts beat) I moved east. First, radio in Washington, DC where politics was the name of the game and then to New York where I got my first taste of television. It was to be a long draw at the TV trough, from New York to Hollywood and back again. And always my most fulfilling work was done in the crime and justice genre. My long running syndicated column allows me to deep dive into the human stories behind the headlines on a weekly basis. Writing books about crime and how society reacts to it still fascinates me.

Email Diane at Diane@DianeDimond.com

Social:

Facebook: /Diane.Dimond

Twitter: @DiDimond

LinkedIn: /Diane Dimond

Popular Posts

ATTENTION: PREVIOUS COLUMNS LOCATED HERE!