October 7, 2015

How to Get Smart on Crime

The Progressive, Oct. 2015, has a lead article explaining the different groups interested in prison reform. Today, anyway. Anne-Marie Cusac uses one released felon's story to exemplify the problems within the System and the hopes felons have as they leave The Walls. The she reviews the promised changes and the political atmosphere behind the interest in prison reform. My favorite paragraph: "Republicans justify criminal justice reform from different perspectives. Fiscal conservatives focus on saving money; religious conservatives on saving souls. ... social conservatives have turned to criminal justice because they have noticed the effect the system has on families." I don't care if they have suddenly discovered prison reform because they are worried about non-climate change or pink elephants. If liberals and conservatives can actually work together--even with differing motives--then something might get done. Something. I have little optimism about the whole, huge bundle of issues, but maybe just getting prisons back to a mere 100% of capacity might lessen the strain on the prison guards, and thus lessen the insane inhumanity within the units. Maybe if both sides pressure the court systems, the prosecutors will finally attempt justice in cases rather than convictions. But ever so much would have to change to make that miracle occur. Articles like this one, and the ones in The Atlantic, will bring the question in front of a few readers. What, though, might we do to get the problem and solutions into the faces of the rest of the citizenry?
September 25, 2015

Criminal Justice at the Crossroads Examines Past, Anticipates Criminal Justice Reform

Criminal Justice at the Crossroads, William Kelly, examines public policy and declares it antiquated and the largest U.S. public policy failure, ever. Read this book.
September 23, 2015

Angola Class-Action Lawsuit for Medical Neglect, Torture

When is a doctor not a doctor? When Louisiana hires you despite your lack of qualifications and your bad discipline record. The recorded stories of Angola inmates should make every citizen revolt against prisons. Please read the full account, and try to imagine how you would feel if your Loved One were in the Hell Hole
September 17, 2015

Supreme Court Decision Redefines ‘Violent Felony’ for Armed Criminal

The Armed Career Criminal Act (AACA) prohibits convicted felons from owning firearms. IN general, it can get a felon up to 10 years in prison. But: if the offender has 3 or more earlier convictions for 'serious drug offense' or 'violent felony,' the ACCA increases his prison term for a minimum of 15 years, and a maximum of life. Pretty tough stuff! But recently the Supreme Court has held that a district court does not have the power to increase a sentence under the ACCA's residual clause. Now courts will grapple with the state and federal definitions of 'violent' before applying more draconian years to a felon's sentence.
September 3, 2015

Inmate Attributes Turn-Around to BOOKS

Sentenced at 16. Left to rot until he was 24. But Reginald Dwayne Betts Jr. took a book with him, and he found others. Some books found him. Today he is in higher education, and publishing essays and books and poetry. It can happen. Dwayne is now finishing Yale Law School Send a book to someone Inside today and see what will happen. Dare you
September 1, 2015

Prison Heat! Columbia Law School Notices

Texas prisons do not have air conditioning despite record-setting heat 6 months each year. Until recently, few have cared outside the prison family circles. Now, though, with a renewed interest in prison architecture, prison sentencing, prison solitary, prison abuse of juveniles and the mentally ill--now inmate problems have attracted the attention and study of academics who are joining in the national cry to fix prison conditions. A major step forward is the paper just published by Colombia Law School visiting scholar Daniel Holt. Heat in U.S. Prisons and Jails: Corrections and the Challenge of Climate Change traces the problems caused by both rising temperatures and lower interest in prison populations.
August 25, 2015

Michigan Jail Cannot Suppress Legal Mail, News

Michigan jail found guilty of suppressing legal mail. Livingston County jail now required to allow ACLU mail and Prison Legal News.
August 21, 2015

Solitary Confinement May Be a Torture of thePast

A recent Supreme Court decision allowed Justice Kennedy to wax eloquently about the horrors of solitary confinement. He mentioned youth and also the mentally ill--and those who become mentally ill after being deprived of human contact. Most of us already knew the consequences. But now...now an authority with real power has brought the subject into the open and into the court rooms. Let's hope this barbaric practice is declared illegal and unconstitutional. Soon.
July 12, 2015

Not All Sex Offenders Are Pedophiles!

The law doesn't distinguish between sex offenders, and, well, sex offenders who attack children. We need a new vocabulary, and we need better laws. The law does not distinguish between those who watch pornography an those who profit from it, or who watch child porn. When viewers get caught in these stings, they go down. Way down. We need a better vocabulary, and better laws.
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