Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles
Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles
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Education Freedom with Mesha Mainor at the ALEC 51st Annual Meeting
Denver, CO – Georgia State Representative Mesha Mainor recently shared her insights at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Denver, Colorado. Marking her second…
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States Can’t Afford to Take Away People’s Freedom to Drive
In 2017, Mississippi became the first state in the country to stop suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid court fines and fees. Former Governor Phil Bryant and the legislature understood that…
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ALEC Policy Champions: Nebraska Sen. Tom Brewer and Sen. Justin Wayne Protect Veterans in the Justice System
We are pleased to recognize Nebraska Senator Tom Brewer and Senator Justin Wayne, the driving forces behind Nebraska’s new veteran’s justice law, as our latest ALEC Policy Champions. Senator Brewer,…
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Budget Gimmick: Using Fines and Fees to Pay Down Unfunded Liabilities
Every budget process typically uses some sort of gimmick to patch budget holes. These gimmicks come in all shapes and sizes, but they never truly bridge the gaps and can…
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States Look to Mental Health Reforms to Alleviate Stress on Justice System
Mental health and behavioral disorders have emerged as one of the leading concerns in the world of criminal justice reform. Problems that had been rarely addressed have drawn high interest…
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2024 Solutions Spotlight: Violent Crime Reduction
From 2019-2020, the U.S. experienced a roughly 30% increase in homicides—the largest single year increase in US history. Motor vehicle theft rose 59% from 2019-2022, with similar spikes in robberies,…
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Criminal and Civil Justice Policy Priorities: Nino Marchese on ALEC Breakdown
Nino Marchese, ALEC Civil and Criminal Justice Task Force Director, sat down with Lars Dalseide, ALEC Director of Policy Advancement and Media Relations, talking…
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Recognizing Sacrifice and Restoring Honor: The Veterans Justice Act
In 2004, former Army Ranger Hector Matascastillo found himself in a PTSD-related dissociative flashback that led to an armed standoff with police. While the situation ended with no physical injuries,…
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Re-Entry Reform is Sweeping the States
2023 has been an extremely active year on the criminal justice reform landscape, particularly with respect to recidivism reduction. Several successful efforts have made their way through the states, including…
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ALEC’s Impact on Criminal Justice Reform
Looking for Episode 3: ALEC’s Success on Civil Justice Reform? Find it here. The fourth episode in the ALEC 50th anniversary video series, “Criminal Justice Reform,”…
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Why the Rise in Violent Crime: Nino Marchese on The Bill Martinez Show
Nino Marchese, ALEC Civil Justice and Criminal Justice Task Force Director was on The Bill Martinez Show discussing community-centered approaches to policing that provide a…
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Addressing the Rise in Violent Crime: Nino Marchese on The Lars Larson Show
Nino Marchese, ALEC Civil Justice and Criminal Justice Task Force Director, was on The Lars Larson Show discussing a community-centered approach to policing that is…
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Here’s The Key To Solving Violent Crime: Lisa B. Nelson and Ja’Ron Smith in The Daily Caller
ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson co-authored a guest column in The Daily Caller with Ja’Ron Smith, Partner at Dentons Global Advisors and Head of the Public Safety…
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Better Police Training Could Have Prevented the Tragedy in Memphis
The five Memphis police officers involved in the beating of Tyre Nichols have been fired and charged with various felonies, following Mr. Nichols’ death on January 10th. The charges include…
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SCOTUS Rules on Civil Recourse in Miranda Mishaps
The Supreme Court ruled this past Thursday on whether individuals may sue officers who violate their “Miranda Rights,” and in a 6-3 decision, the High Court ruled no. The…
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VIDEO: Reforming Criminal Justice to Help Inmates Live a Life of Dignity, not Dependency
This week ALEC Public Affairs Director Catherine Mortensen and ALEC Criminal and Civil Justice Task Force Director Nino Marchese sat down with former Massachusettes inmate John Wayne Cormier, Jr. of…
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Examining the Risks of No-Knock Raids
A no-knock raid in Minneapolis which resulted in the death of Amir Locke has reignited the conversation over how and when the controversial law enforcement practice should be utilized.
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Embracing Parole Reform Across the States
Over the past few years, many states have enacted new laws reforming parole and probation. These reforms tackle a myriad of problems, but their main objective is to improve public…
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Innocent Victims of California Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws
This year many states—Alabama, Arizona, North Dakota and Utah among others—have adopted legislation to limit civil asset forfeiture and government’s ability to seize private property. The…
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Kentucky Enacts Law That Will Benefit Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
Last year, roughly 20 states joined the White House in declaring April as Second Chance Month. Fittingly, one year later, Kentucky enacted a law aimed at improving reentry opportunities…