In 2009, the Dutch justice ministry announced the planned closing of eight prisons in the Netherlands due to a declining crime rate which was expected to continue. Now, in 2013, there are 19 prisons scheduled to be closed. This is caused, in part, by a continued decline in crime rates. Additionally, those who are convicted […]
[Source: “U.S. Moves to Support Reform Efforts in Justice,” CSG Justice Center, 6 September 2013] Attorney General Eric Holder announced steps to reform the criminal justice system’s treatment of nonviolent drug offenders at the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates in San Francisco on August 12, 2013. “Too many Americans go […]
Guidelines for Care for Transitioning from Jails and Prisons for Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders Hosted by SAMHSA’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, this webinar will introduce the “Guidelines for Care for Transitioning from Jails and Prisons for Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders.” Developed in collaboration with the Council of State Governments Justice Center and […]
[Source: “A Model Prison,” The Atlantic Monthly, November 1995, by Robert Worth] The following is an excerpt from an article published by the Atlantic Monthly about the McKean Correctional Facility. [Read full article] * * * Approaching McKean, the federal correctional institution in Bradford, Pennsylvania, one is not likely to think of a prison. The […]
Summary. “Dead Man Walking” author Sister Helen Prejean was invited to San Francisco by Public Defender Jeff Adachi to speak about her experiences with the death penalty. Opening remarks included views by District Attorney George Gascon and religious leaders Rabbi Ryan Bauer and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone. For more information, visit http://www.SFPublicDefender.org or http://www.SisterHelen.org.
GIDEON’S ARMY follows the personal stories of Travis Williams, Brandy Alexander and June Hardwick, three young public defenders who are part of a small group of idealistic lawyers in the Deep South challenging the assumptions that drive a criminal justice system strained to the breaking point. Backed by mentor Jonathan “Rap” Rapping, a charismatic leader […]
Summary. “How to Make Money Selling Drugs” is a documentary directed by Matthew Cooke that offers a critical examination of the War on Drugs. In some respects, the message is a reiteration of what’s already been said about the Drug War, by offering statistics on rising incarceration rates and calling for reforms of drug laws. […]
Video Summary. Whether you are an Offender, Attorney, Judge, Probation Officer, Police Officer, or a Provider, this seven (7) minute movie could change your life. Judge Steven Alm explains how the HOPE Program works to his packed courtroom. * * * From the Los Angeles Times: The first thing you notice about 1st Circuit Judge […]
Video Summary. Henry Baskin, Esq. is the host for Due Process. This episode explores the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program offered by the University of Michigan at Dearborn.
Putnamville Prison Inmates built and now and maintain a Horse Rescue Farm in collaboration with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. “They cut down the trees, they planed the boards, they built the barns, poured the concrete, seeded the pastures, built the fencing. They’ve done it all,” Barbara Holcomb, equine vocational instructor, says. Holcomb runs the farm, […]
[Source: Justice Department Press Release, 12 April 2013] * * * Justice Department and Council of State Governments Identify States Cutting Correction Costs While Reducing Recidivism and Improving Safety Bi-Partisan Efforts Result in Major Justice Reforms The Department of Justice and the Council of State Governments (CSG) highlight 17 states that have cut corrections costs […]
