Tag: Criminal Justice
Tag: Criminal Justice (page 2)
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Pre-Arrest Diversion
Model Policy Section 1. Local communities and public or private educational institutions may adopt a prearrest diversion program in which: (a) Law enforcement officers, at their sole discretion, may issue…
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ALEC Continues Criminal Justice Reform Efforts
The 1990s saw Americans broadly favor tough on crime policies. Both political parties strongly supported such measures, including then-President Bill Clinton and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. However,…
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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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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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State Factor: Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform Saves States Money and Reduces Crime Rates
The United States has been experiencing increasingly high levels of incarceration, particularly over the last three decades. Several states have realized such levels are not sustainable and have been examining…
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New Report Reveals Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Unsustainable for State Prison Systems
Arlington, VA (March 29, 2016)— States are experiencing unsustainable levels of incarceration in their prison systems , some as high as 171 percent of the design capacity, according to a…
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Pew Notes a Number of States Are Examining Growing Prison Populations
The United States currently has the “highest incarceration rate in the world” and many states are examining ways in which to reduce their prison population. For example, Maryland,…
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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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Resolution on Diversion of Low-Level Drug Possession Offenders
WHEREAS, approximately 100,000 inmates are confined in state prisons for drug possession offenses at an average cost of more than $20,000 per year; and, WHEREAS, many prisons lack drug treatment…
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Model State Bill Prohibiting Wireless Handsets in Prisons
Model State Bill Prohibiting Wireless Handsets in Prisons* SEC. xx. PROVIDING OR POSSESSING WIRELESS HANDSETS IN PRISONS. Chapter __ of title __, Revised Statutes of [State] [prohibiting the provision or…
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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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Resolution to Prioritize Victim Restitution
Model Resolution WHEREAS, restitution is a critical mechanism by which the criminal justice system acknowledges and addresses the direct harm on victims and survivors of crime; WHEREAS, failure to collect…
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Resolution in Support of Judicial Discretion to Grant Order of Nondisclosure in Low-Level Drug Possession Cases
Model Resolution WHEREAS, At least 20 percent of all American adults have a criminal record; and WHEREAS, those who violate the law must be held accountable and required to…
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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,…