White House Pledges to Invest Millions in Prison Reform

Jun 30, 2016 No Comments

The Obama administration has announced plans to spend millions to address many of the facets of a life of incarceration, from mentoring at-risk youth and helping families with incarcerated parents to addressing employment and re-entry issues. Referencing several studies which demonstrate the effectiveness of education and re-entry programs at reducing recidivism, the President noted the

“Devastating” Effects of Conviction Bring Minimal Sentence

Jun 16, 2016 No Comments

Because he viewed what he called the “devastating” consequences of being convicted of a felony were sufficient punishment, a federal judge in Brooklyn has chosen to ignore federal sentencing guidelines and impose just a year of probation as the sentence for a woman convicted of smuggling cocaine in this country and possessing the drug with

Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives Miss the Mark

Feb 24, 2016 No Comments

The past several years have seen a growing awareness among Americans that our criminal justice policies are flawed and need to be reformed. The premise has included the system being harsher on minorities than non-minorities, too severe on non-violent drug offenders, and just plain old inefficient and ineffective. All of this appears to be true,

Commutations cannot end with the holiday season

Dec 24, 2015 No Comments

Christmas came early for some prisoners this past Friday when President Obama commuted the sentences of 94 prisoners, nearly all of whom were incarcerated for drug-related offenses. It brings the total of commutations to 184 during his presidency—bested only by Lyndon B. Johnson’s 226. We must remember, however, that these commutations are largely symbolic in

Drugs minus two equals the release of 6,000 inmates

Oct 8, 2015 No Comments

The end of October will herald new beginnings for roughly 6,000 inmates whose sentences have been reduced under changes to federal sentencing guidelines. While it might be tempting to attribute these changes to Obama’s push this last year for prison reform, these policy changes stem from wheels set into motion quite some time ago. Under

Mandatory minimum sentencing: A tragedy of comedic proportions

Jul 30, 2015 No Comments

Just as Obama did with his landmark speech at the NAACP several weeks ago, comedian and host of Last Week Tonight, Jon Oliver, has thrust the issue of mandatory minimum sentencing into the spotlight of public discourse. In a segment both critically astute and emotionally wrenching, Oliver demonstrated that comedians are amongst those taking most

Sandra Bland case highlights need for stronger oversight at local level

Jul 23, 2015 No Comments

As more troubling details regarding the untimely death of Sandra Bland emerge, it’s clear that being under police custody is becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be. On the heels of the deaths of Freddie Gray and Eric Garner, and following in the tradition of Maricopa County’s trail of deaths, Bland’s experiences both during her

Can Obama set the US on the path to prison reform?

Jul 16, 2015 No Comments

A few weeks ago I wrote about the passing of a landmark revision to the United Nations’ “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.” In it, I questioned why the United States, a key player in the revision process, had remained so quiet since the announcement, positing that the silence was in large part due

What “The Mandela Rules” mean for American prisons.

Jun 18, 2015 No Comments

For 55 years, the international community has used the “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners” as a guideline for structuring their criminal justice and penal systems. The document had never been amended (aside from one additional rule in 1977), let alone revised, until this year. On May 22nd, the United Nations ushered in

What The U.S. Can Learn From Prison Reform Efforts Throughout The World

May 8, 2015 No Comments

By Joseph Erbentraut It should come as no surprise that with the worst incarceration rate in the world, the United States has a massive problem on its hands. With roughly 716 of every 100,000 U.S. residents behind bars, the U.S. locks up nearly one-quarter of the entire world’s prison population. Worse yet, when American inmates

News

White House Pledges to Invest Millions in Prison Reform

“Devastating” Effects of Conviction Bring Minimal Sentence

Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives Miss the Mark

Commutations cannot end with the holiday season

Drugs minus two equals the release of 6,000 inmates

Mandatory minimum sentencing: A tragedy of comedic proportions

Sandra Bland case highlights need for stronger oversight at local level

Can Obama set the US on the path to prison reform?

What “The Mandela Rules” mean for American prisons.

What The U.S. Can Learn From Prison Reform Efforts Throughout The World

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