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Inside a Court Room Specialized in Justice for Gender Violence

Anna-Catherine Brigida

September 11, 2018 |

Broadly |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: El Salvador

El Salvador joins other countries and states who are creating specialized tribunals for gender-based crimes. The court focuses on 11 crimes “femicide, diffusion of porn (as in revenge porn), and three forms of economic violence.” So far, 22 cases have been heard and half resulted in convictions. In addition, judges are trained to look at cases through a gender lens and focus on reparations. “Our decisions have to be aimed towards this instead of just determining a sentence.”

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Jolted

Nina Keck Liam Elder-Connors

September 05, 2018 |

Vermont Public Radio |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Fair Haven, Vermont

When it’s discovered that someone is planning a mass shooting, what are the possible responses? Can those individuals be prosecuted? How do states balance personal liberty and public safety? These are all questions that residents of Fair Haven, Vermont had to grapple with when plans of a school shooting were found. From better threat assessments, to gun control legislation, to considering teen’s experiences in today’s world, the issues and corresponding responses prove challenging reconcile.

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Rethinking Criminal Justice for Women of Color

Emma Maliborski

September 03, 2018 |

The Innovator |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Project SAFE, based in New York, is providing justice-oriented programs and courts around the country with a lesson in intersectionality. Citing the unique realities that Black women face, the project partners with others on multiple initiatives, including: trauma-based training, policy research, podcasts, and overall knowledge dissemination. Across all initiatives is the underlying goal of bringing more understanding and knowledge to those who play a direct role in the incarceration of Black women.

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New Jersey Bails Out

Joel Rose Keith Romer

August 29, 2018 |

NPR |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

Although California has become the first state to eliminate the cash bail system, New Jersey has been using an algorithm for the last 18 months to combat the economic injustice created by the system. This bail reform, which looks at risk assessment on a scaled level, has successfully resulted to less people in prison as well as decreased crime rates.

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Her rapist was convicted because of a rape kit. So why are so many kits untested?

Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

August 15, 2018 |

KUOW Radio |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Ohio

Ohio has invested heavily in new technology and processes to improve and streamline the testing of rape kits. As Washington grapples with limited resources and lab inefficiencies, it looks to Ohio as an example of productivity and efficiency. After passing a bill requiring the processing of all rape kits, crime labs in Washington are facing a backlog that, without changing their ways, could take up to six years to complete.

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An innovative approach to criminal justice reform: Put black women in charge

Timothy Pratt

August 03, 2018 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, South Fulton, Georgia

South Fulton is the only city in the U.S. to put black women in charge of its criminal justice system—from the judge, to the prosecutor, to the public defender. “The result: A focus on community policing, pretrial diversion programs and assigning public defenders to all cases.” Ultimately, the aim is to divert black people from entering the prison pipeline, and establishing a model that can be replicated in other cities.

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San Francisco's new bot will downgrade marijuana crimes

Anoush Darabi

June 01, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Writing laws to be machine-readable could have huge payoffs. San Francisco is designing a computer program to read through the city’s prosecution records and automatically downgrade applicable marijuana possession convictions from felonies to misdemeanors. Such a change became possible in 2014, but the downgrading process proved too expensive and complicated for most individuals to take on themselves. Software developers face hurdles that include needing to teach computers to read inconsistent language and paperwork formats.

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How Nearly 2,000 Cameras Tamed a Notorious American Prison

John J. Lennon

April 09, 2018 |

The Marshall Project |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Attica, New York

1,875 cameras and 915 microphones is what it took to change a culture of abuse in Attica State Prison, notoriously known as one of the worst places to serve time in amongst prisoners. Since the installation of the cameras, incident reports against corrections officers dropped 80 percent.

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We Can Fix the Law Enforcement Landscape Facing—and Failing—Campus Sexual Assault Survivors

Lauren Young

March 30, 2018 |

Ms. Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Justice Department’s National Center for Campus Public Safety Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault and Adjudication Institute offers trauma-informed trainings for campus officers, police officers, and school officials in an effort to better serve students who have experienced sexual assault. As it stands, navigating the various authority figures can be confusing, re-traumatizing, and complicate due process and criminal justice matters. So far, the Center has facilitated trainings for nearly 300 different organizations.

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A Year of Bail Reform in New Jersey

Brian Lehrer

February 21, 2018 |

WNYC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

As New Jersey continues to reform its cash bail system, other states in the region look to it as an example. The state developed an algorithm called the Public Safety Assessment that considers an individual’s likeliness to appear for their court date and whether they pose a risk of committing another crime and presents these findings and corresponding recommendations to a judge. Since the reforms have been in place, the state has seen a 20% decrease in the pre-trial jail population and an overall decrease in crime.

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