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Innocence Project Emerging in Israel

Wrongful convictions are a well-known phenomenon in the United States; the administration of one of the world’s largest criminal justice systems virtually guarantees mistakes and failures. Famous cases such as that of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, who was framed for murder and spent 20 years in prison, and whose case was made into a movie, have

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Vermont Supreme Court Upholds Rights of Jailhouse Lawyers

In a unanimous and lengthy opinion, the Vermont Supreme Court dismissed a charge of unauthorized practice of law brought against a jailhouse lawyer. Martin Serendipity Morales, a prisoner who identifies as female, was being held at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Center when she was charged with a felony by Bennington County prosecutors. Her crime?

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ABA Continues to Campaign for Bail Reform

The American Bar Association (ABA) has declared war on the cash bail bond system, which it sees as crowding the nation’s jails with people who have not been convicted of a crime, but because—despite their constitutional presumption of innocence—they are too poor to come up with bail payments to guarantee they’ll appear for trial. The

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Bureau of Prisons Cuts Halfway House Availability

With little fanfare, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) recently decided to end contracts with at least 16 operators of halfway houses— facilities providing inmates alternative settings designed to ease transitions as they near the time of their scheduled release, thus reducing their time in prison. Since the 1960s, BOP has contracted with halfway houses

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Early Release for 1,900 Louisiana Prisoners Concerns Law Enforcement

New legislation passed in Louisiana led to 1,900 prisoners being released in early November. The bill aims to lower the state’s incarceration rate — the highest in the country — and give nonviolent prisoners a new chance at life on the outside. But not everyone is happy with this new development. Winn Parish Sheriff Cranford Jordan says that a lack

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Georgia Supreme Court Rules Flipping the Bird Is Not Disorderly Conduct

The Georgia Supreme Court ruled on October 2, 2017 that a raised middle finger, without more, amounts to constitutionally protected speech that cannot be grounds for a finding of criminal disorderly conduct. David Freeman attended a church service at the Flowery Branch campus of the 12 Stones Church on August 3, 2014. During the service,

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