Criminal Justice / Public News Service

Data from the Prison Policy Institute shows that of the approximately 1 million inmates in state prisons across the United States, one in eight, or 13%, is older than 55. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Grant Awarded to Study Improving Health Care for Imprisoned Seniors

Longer sentences handed out for major crimes in Michigan and other states over the past few decades mean a larger portion of people in state and feder…

Four years ago, Minnesota approved what was described as one of the toughest wage-theft laws in the country. But some construction union leaders say the practice is still prevalent within the industry. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, June 5, 2023

MN Adds Extra Wage Theft Protection for Construction Workers

As the summer construction season ramps up, the industry is preparing for new requirements under a pending Minnesota law change. In recent years…

This spring, Minnesota joined the nearly two dozen other states that have legalized recreational marijuana use in some form. (Adobe Stock)

Newly Signed MN Marijuana Law to 'Wipe Away' Minor Offenses

Two months from today, Minnesota will begin the process of removing low-level marijuana convictions for those who have them on their criminal records…

Georgia is the 26th jurisdiction to decriminalize medical marijuana use. (Adobe Stock)

Cannabis Equity: The Importance of Reform and Access to Dispensaries

The rise of medical cannabis dispensaries in Georgia is highlighting the need for reform and equitable access. One of the state's first dispensaries …

HB 209 would prohibit a person from receiving a payment or providing a payment to another person for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, obtaining, or delivering an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot of another person in certain circumstances.(Adobe Stock)

Civic Groups Unite to Fight Against Voter Suppression Tactics in the South

Civic groups are taking action against what they call voter suppression tactics in the South. This week Alabama Values, Southern Leadership for …

Illinois had almost 1,000 juveniles incarcerated in adult correctional facilities in 2021, at an annual cost of almost $33 million, according to a Human Rights for Kids report. (napatacha/Adobe Stock)

IL Lawmakers Pass Bill to Prevent Unfair Youth Sentencing

Illinois could soon be the fourth state to pass a law to prevent unfair youth sentencing. The legislation encourages criminal courts to recognize …

In exchange for 25 pro bono hours and 225 reduced rate service hours, the Montana Legal Services Association's RIPL program provides networking, assistance with business and client development, and hands-on legal experience. (Adobe Stock)

Program 'Incubates' New Lawyers and Rural Montanans

The Montana Legal Services Association has started a program to help young attorneys get started on a path to success - becoming community leaders…

Ideal Option's mobile clinic for substance abuse treatment is operating in the small eastern Idaho town of Rexburg. (Ideal Option)

Mobile Clinic Aids in Addiction Treatment in Rural ID

A mobile clinic is bringing drug treatment to rural Idaho. The organization Ideal Option's first treatment clinic on wheels is in Rexburg. Ideal …

Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui, D-Las Vegas, speaks at Wednesday's news conference. (Battle Born Progress)

Reaction as NV Gov. Vetoes 3 Gun-Safety Bills: 'Disgust'

On Wednesday, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed a trio of bills that sought to reduce gun violence. Assembly Bill 354 would have cracked down on so-…

A 2021 Marist poll finds a majority of registered New Yorkers voters across the state support medical aid in dying. (Adobe Stock)

NYS Legislature Reviews Medical Aid in Dying Bill

New York State's Legislature is reviewing a bill to approve medical aid in dying, which would apply to people suffering from a terminal illness who …

An estimated one million Californians are eligible to have old conviction records sealed under Senate Bill 731. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobestock)

First Criminal Record Expungements After New Law Go to Court Today

The first people to make use of a new state law on sealing criminal records are set to go before a judge today. Previously, only people whose …

Officials encourage victims to report sexual and domestic abuse to a national hotline, 800-799-7233. It provides 24/7 service in English, Spanish and 200 other languages through interpreters. (Adobe Stock)

IA Looks to Shelter Victims, Survivors of Sexual Assault

Iowa groups have spent the past month focused on finding shelter and support for victims of sexual assault, to help them stay anonymous and safe…

Intimate partner violence can have long-term emotional, physical and economic effects, and research shows more incidents are being reported against men and people who are transgender. (Adobe Stock)

IN Group to Create Strategic Plan to Prevent Domestic Abuse

A grant has been awarded to a Central Indiana group to increase awareness about domestic violence and its traumatic effect on survivors. Indiana …

Companies Give 'Fair Chance Hiring' a Shot

Employers are increasingly using what's known as "fair-chance hiring" to help the nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults with criminal records gain access to …

The Blackburn Correctional Complex near Lexington incarcerates more than 300 people. (PrisonInsight.com/Flickr)<br />

Kentucky’s Incarcerated Population on the Rise

Kentucky incarcerated more than 32,000 people in 2022 in both local jails and state prisons, a 250% jump from the mid-1980s, according to a new …

For the mutual aid organizers in Asheville, part of their solution to what they say is

NC 'Mutual Aid' Groups Face Legal Challenges

By Shane Burley for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News …

Around the world, Denim Day is observed to show support for victims and survivors of sexual assault. RAINN says females ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. (Adobe Stock)

NV Lawmakers Recognize 'Denim Day' in Support of Sexual Violence Survivors

Nevada lawmakers on Wednesday recognized 'Denim Day,' to rally against sexual violence by wearing denim during the Senate floor session. Denim Day …

Democratic lawmakers are calling for term limits to ensure each president has the opportunity to appoint the same number of Supreme Court justices each term, in an effort to make the high court more democratically representative. (Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Call for Expansion of U.S. Supreme Court

Massachusetts lawmakers in Congress are calling for an expansion of the U.S. Supreme Court due to what they said are "ethical lapses" and "partisan …

According to The Sentencing Project, in 2022 an estimated 4.6 million Americans were ineligible to vote due to laws and policies. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Push for Voting-Restoration Rights for Incarcerated Illinoisans

Groups in Illinois are pushing legislation that would restore voting rights, including for people currently incarcerated. According to Stand Up …

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., says police brutality is a crisis plaguing Black and brown communities. Despite comprising only 13% of the U.S. population, Black people accounted for 26% of those killed by police in 2022, according to the nonprofit Mapping Police Violence. (Office of Rep. Pressley)

MA Lawmakers Aim to End Qualified Immunity, Let People Sue Police

Massachusetts lawmakers in Congress have reintroduced legislation which would allow people to sue police officers and other state and local government…

The 2020 study by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence concluded that Stand Your Ground laws exacerbate both systemic racism and gender bias, and

Legal Expert On Castle Doctrine, 'Stand Your Ground' Laws

Missouri's Stand Your Ground law has been cited a number of times since the recent shooting of a Missouri teen by a homeowner whose house he went to b…

In New York and several other states, a person's inability to pay does not exempt them from owing certain court fees and surcharges, according to a report by the Fines and Fees Justice Center. (Adobe Stock)

NYS Bill Would End ‘Predatory’ Court Fees

The New York State Legislature is considering a bill to end court fees many consider predatory. Senate Bill 313 takes aim at numerous fines…

Leaders with the Minnesota Freedom Fund say the criminal-justice system relies on a predatory cash bail system, suggesting prosecutors are ignoring constitutional protections which say a person cannot be given bail deemed 'excessive.' (Adobe Stock)

Group Works to Disrupt the Business of Cash Bail in MN

By Sonali Kolhatkar for Yes!Magazine.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

A Quinnipiac Poll finds a majority of Democrats and Independent voters, 88% and 55% respectively, feel criminal charges should disqualify former President Donald Trump from running for reelection. (Wikimedia Commons)

Attorney: Trump Charges Won’t Be Hard to Prove

Former President Donald Trump's indictment in New York last week is dividing both lawyers and voters. The latest poll numbers find Republican and …

Devoted mother, daughter, sister and niece, Ohio resident Erica Easley died at age 39 in a car crash caused by distracted driving. (Courtesy of Stephanie Easley)<br />

Ohio Distracted Driving Deaths Up; Family Members Raise Awareness

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and in Ohio, fatal accidents caused by distracted drivers are on the rise. Deaths in 2021 …

Experts estimate that one in 10 kids experiences sexual abuse by their 18th birthday. (Nichizhenova Elena/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

GA Centers Combat Child-Abuse Misconceptions with Impactful Initiatives

Georgia saw more than 62,000 reports of child abuse in 2020, representing more than 120,000 children. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month…

Tennesseans are required to pay all legal financial obligations related to each conviction before they can apply to have their voting rights restored. (Burlingham/Adobe Stock)

Report: Still Locked Out from Voting in Tennessee

In Tennessee, almost a half-million people will not be able to vote in any upcoming election because of a past felony conviction, and a new survey …

According to research from the Council on Community Justice Task Force on Long Sentences, people serving long sentences make up more than half of the U.S. incarcerated population. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Making Longer Prison Sentences 'More Effective'

A new report outlines ways that states like Virginia could rethink long prison sentences and how to use them more sparingly. The Council on …

In Nevada, between 2018 and 2021, there were more than 1.4 million citation issued by law enforcement agencies. (Adobe Stock)

UNLV Researchers Reveal New Data on Car Crashes in Nevada

Scientific researchers at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas are looking at traffic related injuries and …

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, instability in a child's life because of a parent in prison can lead to

Report: Keep Incarcerated Parents and Kids Close

A recent report from the Prison Policy Initiative calls for better state laws to keep incarcerated parents close to their kids. It finds 12 states …

A report from AARP New York finds older New Yorkers living in rural areas are struggling to age in place because of how expensive modifications to homes would be. While they can utilize New York's Access to Home for Medicaid Recipients program, it only gets enough funding to handle $1 million in improvements, but has received requests totaling $12 million. (Andre Carrotflower/Wikimedia Commons)

NY Mayor Eager to Address Numerous Issues After Conference

A New York state mayor is eager to implement new initiatives he observed during the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference. …

The new AARP survey says Eight in ten (81%) say they are 'very likely' to vote in the 2023 primary election for Philadelphia Mayor, with just 4% saying they will not vote. (Rawpixel.com/AdobeStock)

Poll: Pennsylvanians Over 50 will Play Major Role in Mayoral Primary

With fewer than 60 days until the May 16 mayoral primary election, a new survey by AARP Pennsylvania shows what key issues voters over the age of 50 …

Ohio Domestic Violence Network Policy Director Maria York addresses legislators, domestic violence advocates and news media at the Ohio Statehouse during a recent Advocacy Day event. (Ohio Domestic Violence Network)

Amid More Severe Domestic Violence Cases, Ohio Advocates Call for More Funding

Ohio's domestic violence shelters provided emergency housing to nearly 10,000 people last year, and advocates are calling for a funding boost…

According to the Center for American Progress, nearly nine in 10 employers, four in five landlords, and three in five colleges use background checks to screen for applicants' criminal records. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

MO 'Clean Slate' Bill Would Make 'Expungement' Automatic

A large percentage of Missourians who could to have their criminal records "expunged" have not done so, despite the effects expungement -- referred …

The median loss last year for fraud that starts with a phone call was $1,400, according to the Federal Trade Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nevadans See High Levels of Fraud, Identity Theft

Nevada is among the top five states for highest per-capita rates of both fraud and identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission wants to help …

Grace Raymond Hebard's second home, known as the Doctor's Inn at 318 S. 10th St. in Laramie, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the University Neighborhood Historic District. (Andrea Graham/Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Project Highlights Women Who Forged, Documented Wyoming's History

Wyoming became the first U.S. territory to give women the right to vote in 1869, half a century before the nation finally followed the Cowboy State's …

It costs taxpayers $13,400 to provide supportive housing per person each year, compared with between $21,000 and $40,000 for medical care, incarceration, detox treatment and shelter services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness are pushing back against proposals by several Denver mayoral candidates who are including forced mental…

A new program is designed to prevent gaps in medical care as justice-involved people prepare to rejoin their communities. (Alexander/Adobestock)

Feds OK CA Plan to Pre-Enroll Incarcerated People in Medi-Cal

California will soon become the first state in the nation to offer health insurance to income-eligible individuals who are incarcerated - starting 90 …

U.S. consumers received more than 50 billion robocalls in 2022, according to data from YouMail Inc. (Adobe Stock)<br />

North Carolina Clamps Down on Robocalls

North Carolina's Attorney General Josh Stein recently won a lawsuit shutting down a massive robocall operation out of Texas. According to the …

The Department of Justice charged four current and former Louisville Metro Police Department officers for the 2020 shooting death of Louisville resident Breonna Taylor. (Adobe Stock)<br />

DOJ Report: Louisville Police Repeatedly Violated Kentuckians’ Civil Rights

The Louisville Metro Police Department engaged in patterns of conduct which violated people's civil rights, said a U.S. Department of Justice report …

Currently, Oregonians with felony convictions regain their right to vote after serving their prison terms. (reewungjunerr/Adobe Stock)

OR Bill Would Restore Voting Rights for People in Prison

Oregon lawmakers could restore voting rights to people currently in prison. For the third year in a row, advocates are attempting to get a bill …

According to data from the CDC, the rate of gun deaths in Michigan increased 11% from 2010 to 2019, while the rate of gun suicides increased by 18%. (Adobe Stock)

MI Faith Leaders Meet with Lawmakers on Gun Violence Legislation

Michigan faith leaders are meeting with members of the state Legislature to push for action on gun safety. House leaders, including Rep. Joe Tate…

Statistics show that of the 11 million people incarcerated yearly, about 15% have been homeless. Conversely, around 48,000 people going into homeless shelters each year come from prisons or jails. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Policies Keep People with Criminal Records Out of Public Housing

A new report is calling for public housing authorities to change certain policies to prevent excluding people with criminal records. The Prison …

According to 2019 data from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, of the 11 million people incarcerated yearly, about 15% have been homeless. Conversely, around 48,000 people going into homeless shelters each year come, nearly directly, from prisons or jails. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Public-Housing Policies Exclude People with Criminal Records

A new report calls for public housing authorities to change certain policies to prevent excluding people with criminal records. The Prison Policy …

A 2021 study found in Minnesota, about 23% of the construction workforce is misclassified, or is paid off the books. It also found these workers earned 36% less in wages and benefits than others who were regularly employed. (Adobe Stock)<br />

MN's Wage-Theft Law Could See Changes for Construction Workers

Minnesota has what's been described as one of the toughest wage-theft laws in the country. But labor leaders say there still isn't much recourse for …

In 2020, a Vallejo police officer shot and killed Sean Monterrosa, mistakenly believing he had a gun. His family awaits a decision by the California Attorney General on whether to charge the officer, who has since been fired. (Photo courtest of Monterrosa Family)

New CA Bill Would Allow Compensation for Victims of Police Violence

Criminal justice reform groups are rallying behind a new bill that would make it easier for people hurt in encounters with police to get support from …

For the first time since 1998, the State of Illinois has updated the County Detention Standards for juvenile detention centers to reflect current best practices. (Adobe Stock)

Officials Hold First-Ever Review of IL Pretrial Juvenile Detention System

Attorneys, state employees and juvenile justice reform advocates will gather virtually Friday to receive updates on county pretrial juvenile …

As more West Virginia families are affected by the criminal justice system, the number of advocates for pushing for change has increased. (Ashley Omps)

Reentry Poses Challenges for West Virginians' Life After Prison

West Virginians released from prison are not allowed to vote until their parole or probation period is over and their sentence is complete. Since …

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