Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles
Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles (page 7)
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Prison Release without Parolee Preparation Risks Recidivism
Beginning October 30 and continuing to November 2, the U.S. Justice Department will release up to 6,000 inmates from federal prisons. This is part of an effort to decrease overcrowding…
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Pew and Utah Lead the Way on Justice Reform in the States
On Thursday, October 1, members of The Pew Charitable Trusts hosted a discussion panel, where Utah Governor Gary Herbert and United States Senator Orin Hatch spoke on how Utah’s 2015…
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Solitary Confinement Abuse Threatens Public Safety
Every year, thousands of prisoners are released directly from solitary confinement back into civil society. In doing so, prisoners are left unprepared for civilian life, consequently significantly increasing their chances…
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Criminal Justice Reform on the Big Stage
It’s an exciting time for criminal justice reform. In fact, at the first Republican Presidential debate, Ohio Governor John Kasich touted his record on criminal justice reform: “[W]e are rehabbing…
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President and Congress follow States’ Lead on Criminal Justice Reform
This morning, President Obama visited a federal prison in Oklahoma and remarked about the need to reform America’s criminal justice system. Before flying to Oklahoma, President Obama said the…
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Smart is The New Tough: Prison Reform
Harsh drug sentences were once thought to be the best solution for getting illegal drugs off the streets. While the results of these policies are debatable, it’s indisputable that today…
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Asset Forfeiture Reforms Happening in the States
A number of states, including, Montana, New Mexico and Nevada, recently passed reforms to their civil asset forfeiture laws. Civil asset forfeiture starts with the seizure of property by police that is…
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Federal Complexities Cause Overcriminalization of America
In addition to state and local laws, more than 4,500 federal criminal laws and an estimated 300,000 federal regulations carrying potential criminal penalties threaten to place Americans on…
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Oklahoma Legislature Ensures Public Safety and Fiscal Responsibility with Justice Safety Valve
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/oklahoma-state-capitol-building-188655350 Update: On Tuesday May 5, 2015, Governor Mary Fallin signed HB 1518. Wednesday, the Oklahoma legislature passed HB 1518, which allows for judicial discretion to depart…
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Empowering Victims of Crime through Outreach and Involvement
Crime, at its core, inflicts harm on the victim. As such, one of the primary purposes of the criminal justice system should be to repair the damage done by the…
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ALEC Releases New State Factor on Recidivism Reduction Practices
One in every 100 American adults is behind bars, and four in ten of those released end up back behind bars within three years. America’s failing criminal justice…
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New Mexico Passes Legislation Balancing Property Rights and Public Safety
Every year, law enforcement agencies seize millions of dollars simply by suspecting the property is connected to criminal activity. Friday, April 10, after being unanimously passed through the legislature,…
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Civil Forfeiture Assumes Guilt
This appeared in The Baltimore Sun March 20, 2015. In August 2012, law enforcement stopped Mandrel Stuart, the owner of a small barbecue restaurant…
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Utah Legislature Passes Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/utah-state-capitol-building-salt-lake-57826003 Thursday, March 12, the Utah Legislature passed reforms to realign the state’s criminal justice spending and strengthen alternatives to incarceration for low-risk, low-level offenders. The legislation, HB 348,…
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South Dakota Legislature Moves to Reform Juvenile Justice System
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/exterior-south-dakota-state-capitol-building-151199339 Yesterday, the South Dakota House of Representatives passed the Juvenile Justice Public Safety Improvement Act, legislation that aims to strengthen the state’s juvenile justice system by safely…
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With Declining Recidivism Rates, South Carolina Closes Minimum Security Prison
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/south-carolina-state-house-columbia-110484680 South Carolina announced Tuesday, February 25th that the state would be closing a minimum security prison. This will be the second minimum security prison closing in South Carolina within…
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Supreme Court rules in Yates v. United States
Earlier today, the Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Yates v. United States. Previously written about on these pages, the case arose when Mr. Yates…
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VIDEO: How Big Government Makes a Criminal of Every American
Listen to the stories of Bobby Unser, a three-time Indianapolis 500 champion who was charged with committing a crime in his fight to survive, and Mr. and Mrs. Denicore, a…
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Governors Highlight Importance of Criminal Justice Reform in State of the State Addresses
Criminal justice systems that return four in every ten of offenders behind bars within three years, yet spend over $50 billion at the state level every year, have led many…
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Criminalizing America: System Error
Watch this entrepreneur explain how he was targeted and raided by the federal government for breaking a law, despite language in the law that explicitly said he was acting legally.