Virginia Woman Gets 4 ½ Years for Terrorism Support:  An American woman who lied to the FBI about attempting to help a teenager join the Islamic State group, or ISIS, and carry out a suicide bombing was sentenced today to 4 ½ years in prison.  The AP reports that Heather Elizabeth Coffman has expressed regret, admitting that she "crossed the line."  Coffman developed an online romance with a Macedonian teenager, assisting him with arrangements to travel to Syria to train and fight with ISIS, and to eventually carry out a suicide attack.  The teen backed out of the plan when the relationship between the two of them fizzled.

Asylum is 'Secret Password' for Immigrants:  Illegal immigrants wanting to gain entry into the U.S. can simply call themselves asylum seekers and get into the country in a practice, the president of the National Citizenship and Immigration Services Council said, calling it a "global joke."  Melissa Jacobs of Fox News reports that the tactic is mostly used by 19 to 21 year-olds, the majority of whom are being approved by claiming a "credible fear" in their nation of origin, despite the fact that "credible fears" such as poverty and violence do not meet the standard for asylum.  An internal Department of Homeland Security report from 2014 revealed that "at least 70 percent of asylum cases contained proven or possible fraud."

More Adults on Probation since Prison Realignment:  Since the passage of California's AB 109 prison realignment program in 2011, San Luis Obispo County has seen an increase in the number of adults supervised by the probation department.  Matt Fountain of The Tribune reports that the number of inmates sentenced and assigned to local probation after the passage of realignment in 2011 has risen steadily, resulting in hundreds of inmates that would have normally been handled by the state under the responsibility of the county.  Of all offenders released under realignment between 2011 and 2014, 33 percent committed a new crime while on probation.

PA Legislators Seek to Reinstate Mandatory Minimums for Certain Crimes:  Pennsylvania lawmakers in Lancaster County have introduced three bills, two which seek to reinstate mandatory minimum sentences for sexually assaulting a child and for burglary of an occupied home, and one that would add charges to mid-level assault.  Karen Shuey of Lancaster Online reports that a defense lawyer criticizes the bills believing that they take the judge out of the judicial system.  However, the county's top attorney endorsed the proposals, calling them "simple, common sense changes."

New Jail Policy Could Lead to Increase in Crime:  A new policy instituted by the Greene County, Missouri sheriff catches and releases certain criminals back onto the streets, igniting concern that it could lead to an increase in crime.  Emily Wood of KY3 reports that for crimes such as DWI, assault, theft, and trespassing, law enforcement is not permitted to bring them to jail.  Responding to backlash, the county sheriff insists that offenders will be booked and jailed for these crimes as they previously were once the county can ease jail overcrowding.