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May 08, 2008
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Disenfranchisement News
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National: ‘What If' Disenfranchisement Was No More?
Tennessee: Arrest for Voting Further Disenfranchises Woman
Massachusetts: ‘The More We Imprison, the Less We Vote'
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National: ‘What If' Disenfranchisement Was No More?
Tennessee: Arrest for Voting Further Disenfranchises Woman
Massachusetts: ‘The More We Imprison, the Less We Vote'
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May 06, 2008
(Forbes.com)
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U.S. Prison Policy Needs Reform
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Citing that the United States currently accounts for approximately 25% of the global prison population, an article on Forbes.com lists various reasons why the U.S. has a high incarceration rate which includes "tough" federal and state sentencing guidelines. The article also points out the collateral consequences of incarceration including the racial disparity in prisons and voter disenfranchisement.
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Citing that the United States currently accounts for approximately 25% of the global prison population, an article on Forbes.com lists various reasons why the U.S. has a high incarceration rate which includes "tough" federal and state sentencing guidelines. The article also points out the collateral consequences of incarceration including the racial disparity in prisons and voter disenfranchisement.
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May 05, 2008
(Washington Post)
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Fiscal Pressures Lead Some States to Free Inmates Early
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“At a time of shrinking resources, prisons are eating up an increasing share of many state budgets,” the Washington Post reports. As a result of fiscal pressures, many states are reversing tough-on-crime policies - including mandatory minimum prison sentences for some drug offenders - in an effort to deal with budget shortfalls.
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“At a time of shrinking resources, prisons are eating up an increasing share of many state budgets,” the Washington Post reports. As a result of fiscal pressures, many states are reversing tough-on-crime policies - including mandatory minimum prison sentences for some drug offenders - in an effort to deal with budget shortfalls.
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May 01, 2008
(National Public Radio)
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Blacks and the Criminal Justice System
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 Opening its new month-long series on the various aspects of the criminal justice system, NPR's News & Notes featured The Sentencing Project's Policy Analyst, Ryan King, who is interviewed by Farai Chideya on the racial disparity that currently exists in U.S. prisons.
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Opening its new month-long series on the various aspects of the criminal justice system, NPR's News & Notes featured The Sentencing Project's Policy Analyst, Ryan King, who is interviewed by Farai Chideya on the racial disparity that currently exists in U.S. prisons.
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May 01, 2008
(National Public Radio)
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Iowa Considering Racial Impact in Sentencing Laws
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Becoming the first state to pass legislation requiring state officials to examine the racial and ethnic impact of new criminal justice policies, Iowa's Governor Chet Culver addressed the importance of implementing steps to curtail Iowa's prison disparity. In July, The Sentencing Project found Iowa incarcerates blacks at a rate 13 times that of whites, more than double the national average. "Despite this distinction that we have rite now, historically we've been very progressive. It's my hope we can address this challenge and get back to leading the way" to provide fairness for all citizens," said Gov. Culver.
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Becoming the first state to pass legislation requiring state officials to examine the racial and ethnic impact of new criminal justice policies, Iowa's Governor Chet Culver addressed the importance of implementing steps to curtail Iowa's prison disparity. In July, The Sentencing Project found Iowa incarcerates blacks at a rate 13 times that of whites, more than double the national average. "Despite this distinction that we have rite now, historically we've been very progressive. It's my hope we can address this challenge and get back to leading the way" to provide fairness for all citizens," said Gov. Culver.
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April 28, 2008
(Boston Globe)
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Fixing our criminal sentencing system
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Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has earmarked $1.4 billion in the proposed 2009 budget for the sheriffs' departments and the Department of Correction – the bulk of it going toward incarceration, according to a Boston Globe op-ed by David W. White Jr., president of the Massachusetts Bar Association. The Commonwealth is dealing with overcrowded jails and prisons and White notes that a federal lawsuit has forced a county sheriff to select inmates for early release. White offers a wish list for legislators to consider before they recess which includes resisting calls for new mandatory minimum sentences that tie the hands of prosecutors, judges, and corrections officials.
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Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has earmarked $1.4 billion in the proposed 2009 budget for the sheriffs' departments and the Department of Correction – the bulk of it going toward incarceration, according to a Boston Globe op-ed by David W. White Jr., president of the Massachusetts Bar Association. The Commonwealth is dealing with overcrowded jails and prisons and White notes that a federal lawsuit has forced a county sheriff to select inmates for early release. White offers a wish list for legislators to consider before they recess which includes resisting calls for new mandatory minimum sentences that tie the hands of prosecutors, judges, and corrections officials.
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April 25, 2008
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Disenfranchisement News
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Pennsylvania: Voter Education Still Necessary on 8-year-old Reform
North Carolina: "Proud to Vote"
Virginia: Legislators, Community Gather to Discuss Right to Vote
National: Disenfranchisement Reform in Need of More Advocacy
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Pennsylvania: Voter Education Still Necessary on 8-year-old Reform
North Carolina: "Proud to Vote"
Virginia: Legislators, Community Gather to Discuss Right to Vote
National: Disenfranchisement Reform in Need of More Advocacy
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April 24, 2008
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Representative Miller (D-CA) Introduces Bill to Eliminate Abuse and Neglect in Private Residential Treatment Centers for Youth
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The House Committee on Education and Labor held a full committee hearing today to discuss claims of abuse and misleading advertising by private residential treatment centers around the nation. In the second hearing on the topic in the past 6 months, members heard from the Government Accountability Office about misleading statements made to parents by treatment center staff about curriculum, diet, health insurance coverage, and accessibility to their children while housed at the center. Members also heard from two former participants about their horrific experiences while enrolled in private residential facilities.
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The House Committee on Education and Labor held a full committee hearing today to discuss claims of abuse and misleading advertising by private residential treatment centers around the nation. In the second hearing on the topic in the past 6 months, members heard from the Government Accountability Office about misleading statements made to parents by treatment center staff about curriculum, diet, health insurance coverage, and accessibility to their children while housed at the center. Members also heard from two former participants about their horrific experiences while enrolled in private residential facilities.
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April 23, 2008
(New York Times)
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Inmate Count in U.S. Dwarfs Other Nations
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In the New York Times' continuing series addressing America's “unique” justice system a new article states that U.S. sentencing practices are harsher than most other countries. The Times reported: “the United States has less than 5 percent of the world's population. But it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners.”
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In the New York Times' continuing series addressing America's “unique” justice system a new article states that U.S. sentencing practices are harsher than most other countries. The Times reported: “the United States has less than 5 percent of the world's population. But it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners.”
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