News

MDC Brooklyn Operations Sparks Concerns Over Inmate Rights

Interagency Sweep at Brooklyn’s MDC Sparks Concerns Over Inmate Rights and Safety

A large-scale interagency operation recently swept through the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, uncovering drugs, weapons, and unauthorized electronics. This high-profile effort, which targeted a facility that houses public figures like Sean “Diddy” Combs, has sparked intense criticism. While officials cite security concerns as justification, critics argue that these measures reveal more profound institutional

Read More »

Supreme Court Weighs How to Define Violent Felonies Triggering ACCA

Congress passed the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) in 1984, aiming to bring longer sentences to violent career criminals. Under ACCA, federal defendants facing firearms possession charges can get much longer sentences if they have previously been convicted of three or more violent felonies or serious drug crimes. The 10-year maximum sentence for being a

Read More »

Virginia Expands Defendants’ Access to Prosecution Evidence

After considering for years whether to revise its criminal procedure rules to broaden defendants’ access to information that will be used to prosecute them, the Virginia Supreme Court has decided to expand defendants’ pre-trial access to prosecutors’ evidence. An order issued September 5 by the top state court will require state prosecutors (known locally as

Read More »

Is It Curtains For The First Step Act?

Back in February, the House of Representatives, by a 360-59 margin, passed H.R. 5628, the “First Step” Act – an acronym for the “Formerly Incarcerated Re-enter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act.” With bipartisan co-sponsors, Reps. Doug Collins (R-GA) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the bill had cleared the House Judiciary Committee by a 25-5

Read More »

Texas Governor Issues Proposal to Revise Bail Procedures

On August 7, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a new package of proposals intended to reform the state’s bail system. Together, the collection was named the “Damon Allen Act” to commemorate a state trooper who was killed in the line of duty last Thanksgiving. During a traffic stop, Trooper Allen was ambushed and fatally shot

Read More »

Ohio Experiences Continued Problems with Aramark Over Alleged Food Fraud

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) over­paid food service giant Aramark $57,193 for food provided to nonexistent prisoners, investigators found. The overpayment was uncovered by the state Office of the Inspector General (OIG). According to a June 15, 2017 report, the OIG began investigating Aramark after learning of a dispute between the company

Read More »

The Insanity Defense: It’s Not What You Think

In the American criminal justice system, a defendant who commits a crime while “insane” cannot be held legally responsible for that crime. In such cases, legal guilt is not established, and the defendant may not be punished. Instead, a defendant who is found not guilty by reason of insanity (“NGRI”) is involuntarily committed to a

Read More »
Search
Categories
Categories
Archives
X