Posted inSystemic Problems
Risk of Detaining Low Risk Offenders
Many low-risk detainees are held in jail during pretrial. When these defendants are held for longer than 24 hours, they are nearly 40 percent more likely to commit new crimes…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Militarizing the Police
Tom Dispatch has a very good article about how society changes when we use the police to help solve social problems and sooner or later everyone will be treated like…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Life Sentences For Petty Crimes
According to a recently released report by the ACLU, more than 3,200 people were serving life in prison without parole for nonviolent crimes. Most of these crimes were minor drug related…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Police Brutally Beat Up Man With Down’s Syndrome
Another instance of police brutality occurred when a police officer in Vista, California savagely beat a man with Down's Syndrome. 21-year old Antonio Martinez was walking to his family's bakery…
Posted inSystemic Problems
False Confession Capitol
The Chicago Police Department is under investigation by the Federal Justice Department for coercing teenagers to confess to crimes they didn't commit. According to Peter Neufeld, the co-founder of the Innocence…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Tactics Police Use That Would Shock You
For those of you who have never had dealings with law enforcement, AlterNet has a very interesting list of 10 legal tactics the police use that most of us would…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Can Legal Reform Happen?
Can we reform our legal system when politicians refuse to discuss the real issues. The only time politicians, judges or DA's seem to mention our legal system is when they…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Who’s Buying Our Courts?
In the 39 states where judicial elections are held, judges running for re-election have spent 4 times the amount of television ads than was spent just two years ago. Hundreds…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Prosecutors Not Held Accountable (2)
On May 6th, 20120 Barry Scheck of The Innocence Project wrote a letter to the American Statesman, an Austin Texas newspaper regarding prosecutorial misconduct. Groups affiliated with Innocence Projects…
Posted inSystemic Problems
Are Private Prisons Cost Effective?
Three convicted murderers escaped from a private medium-security prison in Kingman, Arizona. As a cost saving measure Arizona has given up control of most of its prisons to private companies.…