Criminal Justice / Public News Service

The Vera Institute estimated more than 760,000 incarcerated people became eligible for Pell Grants when access was reinstated in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 3, 2024

VA can bolster higher education access for incarcerated people

Virginia advocates believe more can be done to make higher education accessible to incarcerated people. Only a handful of community colleges partner …

An installation view of the exhibition Art Against the Odds, is shown at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo courtesy of Kate Mothes)

Friday, May 3, 2024

'Art Against the Odds' shines light on artists in WI justice system

By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collab…

The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center will be on an 85-acre plot of forested land owned by the City of Atlanta. Once completed, the campus will be the nation's largest police training complex, equipped with military-grade facilities and a mock city for urban police training. (Adobe Stock)

Disability advocates join efforts to halt Atlanta's 'Cop City'

By Marianne Dhenin for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the YES! Media/Public News …

Several Mississippi correctional facilities offer both short-term (12 weeks) and long-term (six months) alcohol and drug programs with individual and group counseling for treating alcohol and drug addictions. (Wesley JvR/peopleimages.com)

MS group backs health-center alternative to incarceration

Mississippi prisons often lack resources to treat people who are incarcerated with substance-use disorders adequately but a nonprofit organization is …

According to The Sentencing Project, 4.6 million Americans cannot vote because of a felony conviction. (Anna Kosolapova/Adobe Stock)

NE advocates foresee new voting-restoration law helping individuals, state

April is Second Chance Month and many Nebraskans are celebrating passage of a bipartisan voting rights restoration bill and its focus on second chance…

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, in eight out of ten rape cases, the victim knew the person who sexually assaulted them. (Adobe Stock)

IN Rape crisis center opens to reduce assault cases, heighten attention

The Me Too movement prompted sexual abuse victims to come forward with their allegations of rape and harassment. Yet, the increase in these …

More than six in every 1,000 people in the U.S. are behind bars, the highest incarceration rate in the world, despite the U.S. having lower crime rates than other countries. (Adobe Stock)<br /> <br />

Boston U. Prison Education Program celebrates 50 years of changing lives

Boston University's Prison Education Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and is hoping to expand. Students at Massachusetts Correctional …

More than 70 million Americans have a criminal record that can create significant barriers to employment, according to the White House. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New KY website offers 'Second Chance' job, recovery resources

A new website aims to help Kentuckians just out of prison re-enter their communities and find job training, employment and recovery services…

In 2023, 331 adults and children received nonresidential supportive services related to transportation, housing advocacy, legal support, therapy and more, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentucky determined to support its domestic violence shelters amid federal cuts

As federal Victims of Crime Act funding continues to impact Kentucky's domestic violence shelters, advocates say they are applauding lawmakers …

128 of the 351 cities and towns in the state have had a change in their local clerk or chief election official since the 2020 presidential election, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Turnover in MA election officials as presidential election nears

Heightened scrutiny and harassment are helping fuel an increasing turnover rate of election officials in Massachusetts and beyond, according to a new …

As of this writing, a petition to stop Nassau County's plan to deputize residents with gun permits has 2,080 signatures. (Adobe Stock)

Nassau County exec's plan to deputize armed citizens draws fire

Nassau County's executive wants to deputize residents who hold gun permits. County Executive Bruce Blakemen's plan involves training 100 residents …

Restorative justice programs have increased the justice system's capacity to meet the needs of those harmed by adolescent misbehavior. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Diverting youth away from the justice system is working

Efforts to keep young people out of the criminal justice system are working, according to a new Sentencing Project report. Elie Zwiebel, attorney …

The Drug Enforcement Administration reported seizing more than 115,000 pounds of methamphetamine in 2020, marking a 55% surge compared with 2018. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Uncovering America's methamphetamine history

Missouri may, at one time, have had a reputation as the "meth-lab capital of the country" - but a five-part podcast uncovers its true history…

In the mid-1990s, news media from around the world descended upon Los Angeles for wall-to-wall coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. (Adobe Stock)

Measuring long-term impact of Simpson trial on media literacy

O.J. Simpson's death has the nation looking back on the infamous murder trial that resulted in his acquittal. Experts say one of the lasting impacts …

Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, Crime Survivor for Safety and Justice leader Stephanie Hatten and senior staff attorney Katherine Wutchiett for Legal Aid at Work spoke Tuesday in Sacramento on behalf of a bill to allow family members of crime victims to take unpaid leave. (Assembly Democratic Communications Office)

Criminal justice package moves ahead in CA state Legislature

A package to improve public safety is moving ahead in the California state Legislature - with a floor vote in the State Assembly on the first bill exp…

The majority of women veterans are not enrolled in Veteran Health Administration care, yet these women have experienced a more than sixty-percent increase in suicide rates over the past two decades. (Adobe Stock)

ME women veterans request counselors for military sexual trauma

Advocates for women veterans, who've experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military, are asking state lawmakers for much-needed funding…

$During his 17 years in prison, relatives said Brian Dorsey was committed to improving himself and remained infraction-free throughout his long incarceration. (Felipe Caparr�s/Adobe Stock)$

Missouri carries out its first execution of 2024

Missouri went through with its first execution of the year, as Brian Dorsey was put to death last night, just after 6 p.m. CT. The U.S. Supreme …

A new walk-in program provides immediate, in-person support for urgent mental health and substance use needs for anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, whether or not they are an existing client, or speak English. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Mental health urgent-care facility now available in northeast Boulder

Boulder and Broomfield County residents can now access mental health services the same way they can access urgent medical care. Dr. Nadia Haddad…

A majority of women living in states where abortion is banned want abortion to be legal and support laws protecting abortion access, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

NV pro-choice advocates break down upcoming SCOTUS cases

Nevada reproductive-rights advocates are breaking down the importance of two looming Supreme Court abortion cases. In Moyle v. United States…

Older Americans are more able to save than younger ones. Surveys show people younger than 35 have an average of $5,400 saved. Meanwhile, adults 65 to 74 have an average of $13,400 saved up. (Adobe Stock)

America Saves Week: CT groups teach money saving techniques

Today is the beginning of America Saves Week, and Connecticut groups are hosting events all week. Each day is correlated to a different aspect of …

In the last decade, West Virginia state jails were the deadliest in the country, with 91 people who have died in jails over the past four years. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As WV’s jail crisis mounts, ‘Second Look’ policies gain traction

Amid overcrowding and unsafe conditions in West Virginia jails, state lawmakers introduced bills that would allow judges to take a 'second look' at …

According to House Bill 1017, a person commits the offense of unlawful squatting when they

Georgia to strengthen property owners' rights against squatters

Georgia lawmakers appear to be taking a major step toward safeguarding property owners against people who occupy homes or apartments illegally…

Since the law was enacted in 1907, only 13 people have been charged in New York State with adultery. (Adobe Stock)

NY bill aims to repeal 1907 adultery law

Of New York's many outdated laws, the adultery law could go this year. A bill repealing the 1907 New York adultery law passed the Assembly and is now …

The teal ribbon represents sexual assault awareness and prevention during the month of April. (sulit.photos/Adobe Stock)

Call for more inclusive coverage during Sexual Assault Prevention Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Advocates for sexual assault survivors in Idaho and across the country are pushing for a more …

White youths are put in juvenile crime diversion programs at far higher rates than comparable Black, Latino and Tribal youth, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa focuses on 'restorative justice' for young offenders

A new report by national researchers says Iowa is making progress in reforming its juvenile justice system, and finding ways to steer kids away from …

First Day Forward staff offer free Narcan and program pamphlets. (Northeastern Kentucky Substance Use Response Coalition via Facebook)

Reentry program for people incarcerated offers a model for others

By Taylor Sisk for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabor…

Youth diverted from incarceration have shown a smaller likelihood of re-arrest. (Delphotostock/Adobe Stock)

Report: WA, other states expand diversion of youth from incarceration

A new report found states are making progress in diverting more youth from incarceration, including in Washington state. However, The Sentencing …

Straw purchases for guns are already a felony under federal law, but Minnesota lawmakers are expressing the need to do the same under state law following the recent fatal shooting of three first responders in a Twin Cities suburb. (Adobe Stock)

Tragedy has MN lawmakers focused on straw purchases for guns

Minnesota lawmakers return this week following an Easter break. They're expected to resume talks on a gun-safety proposal seeing renewed urgency…

Social media platform X temporarily shutdown searches of

Missouri's 'Taylor Swift Act' targets AI image threats

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

The Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, formed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and led by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, took a comprehensive look at the state's system and released its report in July 2022 with 32 recommendations for improving Michigan's juvenile justice system. (Oleg Kozlovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

NV senator pushes to protect access to abortion pill

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Organizations fighting wage theft said it harms affected workers and surrounding communities because the money withheld is not being circulated through the local economy. (Adobe Stock)

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

Embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton agrees to deal to have felony securities fraud charges dropped against him. (Alice Linahan, Voices Empower/Wikimedia)

TX Attorney General gets deal but legal issues not over

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has emerged from a long court case with another win. After nine years and multiple delays, prosecutors …

The White House predicted more than 6,500 people with prior federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana, and thousands of such convictions under District of Columbia law, could benefit from pardons. (Adobe Stock)

NC presidential pardon highlights marijuana reform

A man from North Carolina serving a long sentence for selling drugs has received a presidential pardon, which sparked discussions about long …

The lawsuit claims the officers' conduct violates the Fourth Amendment, amounts to assault and battery, or at least negligence, and ultimitely is what caused the wrongful death of Darryl Tyree Williams. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit seeks justice for NC man's death in police custody

Three attorneys are joining forces to seek justice for a North Carolina family. At a news conference, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump - along with …

Mental-health treatment is rare in jails and prisons, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (lagano/Adobe Stock)

Care, Not Criminalization: alternative to MI incarceration for mental health

March is National Criminal Justice Month, and advocates say people with mental illness are over-represented in jails and prisons. According to the …

Since 2019, the total compensation paid to exonerees has nearly doubled. It now exceeds $4 billion, according to a new report by the National Registry of Exonerations. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Compensation to exonerated people nearly doubled in five years

People wrongfully convicted of crimes in the United States have received around $2.2 billion in compensation claims since 2019. A new report by the …

Presidential pardons in Georgia highlight marijuana reform trend

President Joe Biden recently granted clemency to 11 people serving lengthy sentences for nonviolent marijuana offenses, sparking discussions on …

Mental health treatment is rare in jails and prisons, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (eddows/Adobe Stock)

Criminal Justice Month: Alternatives to incarceration for mental health issues

March is National Criminal Justice Month and advocacy groups are drawing attention to how people with mental illness are overrepresented in jails and …

AL man's presidential pardon highlights marijuana reform trend

A man from Dothan, Alabama, serving a life sentence for selling drugs received a presidential pardon, which sparked discussions about long sentences …

South Dakota ranks 49th in the country for its contribution to indigent legal defense costs, according to a 2023 report from the Indigent Legal Services Task Force. (Adobe Stock)

SD public defense duties shift from counties to state

South Dakota is creating an Office of Indigent Legal Services after House Bill 1057 passed the Legislature with nearly unanimous support this month…

The Puyallup Tribe reservation is located outside of Tacoma. (Derrick/Adobe Stock)

Puyallup Tribe played key role in WA police accountability push

By Frank Hopper for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News Service …

A new Prison Policy Initiative report revealed the number of deaths by suicide among women in jails increased by almost 65% between the periods of 2000-2004 and 2015-2019. (Karen/Adobe Stock)

New report details harsh realities of women in jail, prison

Women are treated much differently than men by the criminal justice system, according to a new report detailing how and why mass incarceration is …

While robberies in the New York City Subway were down from 2022 to 2023, felony assaults rose from 556 in 2022 to 570 in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates denounce Gov. Hochul’s NYC subway safety plan

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's five-point New York City subway safety plan is being met with backlash from some community advocates. The plan calls …

In North Carolina, a person accused of murder is twice as likely to be sentenced to death if the victim is white, according to the North Carolina Coalition of Alternatives to the Death Penalty. (Adobe Stock)

Racial Justice Act case could affect NC death row inmates

A first-of-its-kind case in Johnston County could affect the futures of more than 100 people on death row in North Carolina. It's the Racial Justice …

Colorado's community mental health centers provide a wide range of behavioral health services to all patients regardless of their ability to pay. (Adobe Stock)

Filling behavioral care gaps for Coloradans with acute mental illness

Behavioral health providers in the Denver metro area are tapping new technologies to ensure people with acute mental health needs don't fall through t…

Nationwide, nearly four in 10 state prisoners and three in 10 federal prisoners reported having a disability, compared to 15% of the general population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock/generated with AI)

People with disabilities over-represented in justice system

Nationwide, people with disabilities are overrepresented both as victims of crime and those who are accused of crimes, and advocates believe the …

An Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission year-end report said 388 youths, male and female, were admitted into juvenile detention centers as of December 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Digital court hearings cause uneasiness for young offenders

Online conferencing was a lifeline for school lessons and business meetings during the pandemic. However, there is concern about the effects of …

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