Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles
Archives: Criminal Justice / Articles (page 5)
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New Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform Converge Diverse Perspectives for Change in Tennessee
With an incarceration rate 11 percent higher than the national average, an unusually varied group of Tennessee businesses, social service, and advocacy groups converged under the newly formed Tennessee Coalition for…
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Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro Deploys Mediation to Resolve Homicide Case
The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office used a potentially revolutionary method in reaching a plea agreement with a defendant. Cornell Augustine pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter,…
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Mississippi Begins to Examine Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform
Civil asset forfeiture reform has caught the attention of lawmakers in the Magnolia State. This past legislative session, Mississippi passed a law that established the Civil Asset Forfeiture Task…
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Criminal Justice Reform Saves Money and Freedom
In 2005, James V. Taylor was arrested for having a crack pipe in his car and an “unweighable” amount of crack, roughly half a gram. He was sentenced to…
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San Antonio Sets an Example of Successful Rehabilitative Services
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 16.9 percent of adults in local jails have a serious mental illness. These numbers are higher than the general population which suggests the…
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Civil Asset Forfeiture a Hot Topic in the Criminal Justice Reform Task Force at ALEC Annual Meeting
On July 28 at the ALEC Annual Meeting, the Criminal Justice Reform Task Force brought together state legislators, members of the private sector and nonprofit organizations to discuss ideas and solutions…
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Pennsylvania Continues Reforming their Criminal Justice System
Pennsylvania enacted a criminal justice reform statute in 2012 that is beginning to reap benefits. From the time of implementation to the end of 2015, the state saved $13…
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Former Texas Governor Rick Perry Addressed ALEC Annual Meeting, Called for Criminal Justice Reform
On July 27, at the ALEC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, former Texas Governor Rick Perry spoke passionately about criminal justice reform. The event, sponsored by the Texas Public Policy…
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Alaska Governor Bill Walker Signs Justice Reinvestment Bill
Alaskan Governor Bill Walker recently signed Senate Bill 91 into law, beginning the process of reform for the state’s criminal justice system. If successfully implemented, the bill will reduce…
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California Senate Bill Set to Close the Civil Asset Forfeiture Loophole
California law currently requires a criminal conviction before property under $25,000 can be forfeited in favor of the state, but through a loophole known as federal equitable sharing these restrictions…
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U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Defendant Prosecuted Under the Hobbs Act
There has been growing bipartisan support for criminal justice reforms. However, the recent Supreme Court ruling of Taylor v. United States could potentially affect these efforts while raising the issue…
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New Hampshire Becomes Latest State to Overhaul Civil Asset Forfeiture Process
New Hampshire recently joined a growing number of states that have reformed their civil asset forfeiture laws in 2016. These reforms no longer allow government agencies to seize and keep one’s property…
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A Balanced Approach
Maryland Senate Bill 1005, colloquially known as the Justice Reinvestment Act, became law on May 18 with Governor Larry Hogan’s signature after passing the Maryland House of Delegates by an overwhelming…
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Kentucky To Examine Ways to Reform Their Criminal Justice System
Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky recently launched a bipartisan 23-member Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council to take a look at the state’s policies and make recommendations to the legislature in…
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New York’s Suffolk County Gives Veterans a Second Chance
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 180,000 veterans are incarcerated each year nationwide, two-thirds of which have been previously imprisoned. To better reduce recidivism among this population, Suffolk…
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New Developments in Civil Asset Forfeiture in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety has recently purchased technology from the Electronic Recovery and Access to Data Group Inc. (ERAD) allowing law enforcement to freeze and seize funds loaded…
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New Hampshire Governor Signs Bipartisan Legislation Establishing Statewide Drug Court Program
Another tool has been added to help fight New Hampshire’s drug crisis, as drug courts are about to be established across the Granite State. Continuing her efforts to implement a…
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Raise the Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction Bill Passes the Louisiana Legislature, Governor to Sign
The Louisiana legislature passed LA S.B. 324 on June 6 and has sent the measure to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a former ALEC member legislator in the Louisiana Senate,…
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Is Memory Manipulation a Threat to Your State’s Legal System?
Dr. Julia Shaw may be able to convince you that you committed a crime you never committed, at least she did with 70 percent of participants in her study published last year.
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Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Signs Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill
On May 19, 2016, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed Senate Bill 161 (S.B. 161), which was introduced by state Senator Michael Hough. It contains several provisions of the ALEC…