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  • North Dakota may hold key to Wyoming's prison woes

    November 13, 2018 |

    WyoFile |

    Text |

    Over 3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Bismarck, North Dakota

    Criminal justice reform succeeds when states prioritize rehabilitation and over punishment. In North Dakota, the Free Through Recovery program increases the number of stakeholders in a parolee’s success, creating multiple levels of behavioral health support. The program is part of a criminal justice legislation package that included sentencing reforms and alternatives to incarceration. The state has been successful in beginning to reduce its overcrowded prison populations and serves as a model for other states.

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  • As a teen he killed a man. A new law has given him a second chance.

    September 06, 2018 |

    The Washington Post |

    Multi-Media |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

    The Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act was passed is a D.C. law that allows people who commited a crime before the age of 18 to have their sentences reduced if they’ve served at least 20 years in prison. The law was built on the idea that youth, whose brains haven’t even fully developed yet, should not receive adult sentences. ““This isn’t about giving people a slap on the wrist,” he said. “It’s about giving people consequences that are age-appropriate.”

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  • Youth Need Community-Based Treatment, Not Jails

    September 05, 2018 |

    The Crime Report |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States

    The number of youth confined in U.S. detention facilities has dropped by nearly half since 1997, saving money and reducing recidivism. A report by the Justice Policy Institute says this has made communities safer, but that reductions are only among those accused of nonviolent crimes and that racial and ethnic disparities have increased. The report calls for changes, such as repealing state laws on mandatory sentences, offering better probation supervision and creating more diversion options.

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  • Locals Divided Between Diversion and Border Security

    August 26, 2018 |

    70 Million |

    Podcast |

    Over 15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Tucson, Arizona

    Pima County, Arizona, eased its jail overcrowding with reforms that reduced the jail population by 400 people. Its Community Collaborative put key players from the criminal justice system, plus formerly incarcerated people, on a team that created programs to divert cases from incarceration to treatment, screen people to detain fewer people before trial, and a new court to reduce the problems working people had in making court dates. A new jail was no longer needed. But a federal border program that gave the county incentives to make needless arrests undercut some of those reforms.

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  • How tough-on-crime Texas lowered its prison population and what Oklahoma can learn from it

    August 12, 2018 |

    The Oklahoman |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Texas

    In 2007, Texas prisons were near capacity and half a billion dollars was needed to build three new prisons. Instead, the state became a model for conservative-led criminal sentencing reform by changing a host of laws to send many fewer people to prison in the first place. By spending half of the savings on drug and alcohol treatment, among other services, the state focused on solving people's underlying problems rather than always punishing behavior after the fact.

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  • How Can America Reduce Mass Incarceration?

    August 06, 2018 |

    NPR |

    Radio |

    Over 15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Newark, New Jersey

    A community court program in Newark, New Jersey provides alternative sentencing options for low-level offenders rather than jail or release that include getting help for mental health issues and addiction. It's part of a multi-state effort by the Center for Court Innovation to address that high rates of incarceration in the U.S. by addressing the criminalization of behaviors that are usually driven by other underlying factors such poverty, addiction and homelessness.

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

    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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  • Bail reforms moving slowly in Missouri

    July 13, 2018 |

    The Marshall Project |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, St. Louis, Missouri

    Under a large grant St. Louis County is working to reduce jail confinements in the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting, following several national models. There is also progress toward reducing fines and fees for small issues, with a focus on addressing racial disparities in arrests. But the efforts face challenges that include thousands of outstanding warrants under the old system and a shortage of public defenders.

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  • Why this couple's wedding registry was devoted to paying off Philly kids' court costs

    July 10, 2018 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    A couple created a nonprofit in Philadelphia to make micro grants for those who need small amounts to pay off medical bills or legal fees so they can move on with their lives. The effort garnered modest donations, including through their own wedding registry, and has made about 10 grants, but those have had significant impacts on recipients. The two acknowledge this is more like a bandaid, so they also partnered with a policy organization to work on wider systemic change.

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  • How Southern organizers are leading the movement to end money bail

    May 17, 2018 |

    Scalawag |

    Multi-Media |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

    The organization Southerners on New Ground is helping reform the criminal justice system in the south. Activists won a small victory in Atlanta, where the mayor and city council approved a resolution that replaced cash bonds with signature bonds for misdemeanor offenses. They also raised money to help people pay their cash bails as part of a larger event called the National Bail Out collective, which bailed out 147 Black women in 26 cities this year.

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