International Women’s Day: U.S. Must Address Impact of Mass Incarceration on Women

By Tracy Velázquez
 

International Women's Day is an opportunity to reflect on changes needed around the world to improve the lives and status of women. Here in the U.S., the increasing impact of the criminal justice system on women is one of the most pressing human rights and social justice issues of our time.

More women are ending up behind bars than ever. Between 1980 and 1989, the number of women in U.S. prisons tripled. And the number of women in prison has continued to rise since. In the last 10 years, the number of women under jurisdiction of state or federal authorities increased 21 percent, to almost 113,000. During the same time period, the increase in the number of men in prison was 6 percentage points lower, at about 15 percent. The increase in women in the federal population was even larger- over 41 percent from 2000 to 2010.

Our Take: Congressional Briefing on Private Prisons

By Benjamin Laman-Maharg

After a recent, narrow defeat of what would have been the largest private prison expansion in United States history in the Florida House, JPI went to the Hill last Thursday to discuss the dangerous private prison industry and its effect on American communities. The four person panel drew a crowd of over 50 people.

The panel members included:

• Bill Mefford, Director, Civil and Human Rights, General Board of Church and Society, The United Methodist Church
• Joshua Miller, Labor Economist, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
• David Shapiro, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union, National Prison Project
• Tracy Velázquez, Executive Director, Justice Policy Institute

Working on a New History, a New Dream Together

By Zerline Hughes

As Black History Month concludes, we would like to share with you our involvement in a special project that has brought together like-minded organizations and individuals: "Dream of a Nation."

This project, a glossy, 446-page book of essays highlighting a people-centered initiative focused on big dreams, bold innovations, and realizing our full potential as a nation, is an effort to elevate awareness and inspire action around a range of critical social, environmental, and economic issues. Essays highlight such issues as waging peace, strengthening community, media reform, people-centered government, ending poverty and more.

Guest Post: The Old Cliché

By Gail Tyree

The old cliché “Gone up the River” takes on a whole new meaning in South Florida. As a child, I would often hear my mother and her friends sit on the front porch and talk about young men from the neighborhood that have gone up the river. I often wondered what that phrase meant.

“Gone up the river,” as I have come to understand, is when someone is convicted of a crime, incarcerated and sent away to a facility to serve out their imposed sentence. While serving their sentence the expectation is that they will be rehabilitated. In some cases that means educated, treated for drugs, alcohol and/or mental illness and sent back to their families and communities a more productive citizen. A “river” meant to teach you how to swim in mainstream society and, when you reach the bank, return redeemed as a productive part of that society. That’s in the best possible circumstances.

JPI's on the Hill

By Zerline Hughes

JPI started 2012 its our feet with our continuing coverage on justice-involved veterans, commenting on the President’s FY2013 budget, offering testimony in Maryland on expungement and record shielding and publishing a report on the intersection of education and public safety in Washington, DC.

Late February and March are no different with upcoming testimony on Capitol Hill. This is precisely what we publish our groundbreaking research analysis for: to alert policymakers and their staff on the ills of the criminal justice system. We want our research to touch advocates and practitioners, and we want Congress and legislators across the country to fully understand that the U.S. criminal justice system doesn’t work, costs too much, and simply isn’t fair. We want lawmakers to understand that there are alternative processes that we can employ, moving away from the overly harsh and punitive laws that exist. There is more we can do than to just affix a Band-aid on the problem of overcrowded prisons, private prisons, racial disparities and broken families. We need to invest in proven policies that address the root causes of crime and provide robust services and supports for those who do come into contact with the justice system.

Taking the Politics Out of Parole

By Tracy Velázquez and Walter Lomax

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the Maryland Parole Commission’s responsibilities is deciding whether someone serving a parole-eligible life sentence should be allowed to return to the community. They must evaluate whether someone is a threat to public safety; assess a person’s likelihood of being successfully reintegrated into society; look at the circumstances surrounding the original offense; and judge whether the person earned their release through their accomplishments and behavior while in prison. And the seriousness of the crime and the impact on those who were harmed must also be added to the equation. As of March 2010, only 59 out of over 2,500 “lifers” made it through this intensely rigorous process, and had their applications for either a parole or a commutation of their sentence (to a specific term of years) approved by the Commission and sent on to the Governor’s office for final approval.

It’s Not the Kids that are Bad, It's the Policies

By Amanda Petteruti

Disappointingly, there seems to be widely-held perception that the youth of today behave worse than any generation of kids before them. A fair amount of research has been dedicated to showing this generation of kids doesn’t behave any more badly than previous generations, but instead it is public perception that casts them as wild and out of control. In the 1990s, this led to a wide array of policies designed to punish youth to the maximum, including laws that transfer youth to adult court, zero tolerance policies that put police in schools, and an overall reliance on confinement. . The result was more than 100,000 youth committed to the juvenile justice system in the late 1990s.

Racial Profiling is Jaw Droppingly Offensive

By Keith Wallington

Photo Credit: CBS-2

I recently read a USA Today article about East Haven Connecticut Police Chief Leonard Gallo being suspended for “waging a campaign against Latino residents that included beatings, false arrest and harassment.” It is important to note that this happened in a town where Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. recently quipped that he “might have tacos” as a way of supporting the Latino community. Pick your jaw up.

I’m not saying the mayor and chief are racist but do I need to tell you it’s hot when the thermostat reads 100? These comments and practices are reflective of a justice system plagued with stereotypes that are weaved into policing practices and contribute to the disproportionate incarceration of people of color; which results in the degradation of families and communities in those populations.

Military Suicides: Those We Might Yet Save

By Penny Coleman

When my husband Daniel came home from Vietnam in 1969, he was a mortally wounded man. Some essential part of him had been damaged, but the damage was invisible from the outside. On the inside, something malignant had implanted, something that would fester and ultimately prove to be as lethal as any bullet or bomb.

Soldiers throughout the ages have suffered traumatic injuries in response to the horrors of war. When their most basic beliefs about right and wrong, conscience, compassion and humanity are shattered, they can be transformed in malignant ways. For some, the urge to destructive behavior will be directed outward, devastating their families and support networks, their careers, their place in the world. When their lives spiral out of control, many of them will end up behind bars. For others, the urge will be towards self-destruction. They will risk and abuse their bodies, and far too many will die by their own hands.

Vote on the Top Report of 2011

By Jason Fenster

Welcome back! After a brief hiatus, JustPolicy Blog is ready to kick start a busy and exciting 2012. We have an interesting slate of reports in the queue. This year, you can look forward to more of JPI’s expert research and analysis on the relationship between policing and incarceration in the United States, a series of reports on bail, and a collection of briefs on creating a public safety strategy in D.C. by making smart investments in social services.

But before we dive into 2012, let’s take a look back at what was a very exciting and successful 2011. We launched our new website and blog, were featured in the Baltimore Sun, The Hill and on MSNBC (to name a few), set (and broke) JPI records for website visits and built new partnerships with organizations across the country. I hope that you’ll make your way through the post and let us know which was your favorite report of 2011.

Private Prisons on Trial

By Andy Andrianantoandro

Last month, the Supreme Court heard the oral argument regarding Minneci v. Pollard, a case questioning whether private prison employees contracted by the federal government can be sued for Eighth Amendment violations under a Bivens action. The result of Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents, a Bivens action allows individuals in prison to sue federal employees for damages from unlawful conduct when no other remedy is available. Minneci v. Pollard is about how Richard Lee Pollard, housed in the Taft Correctional Institution (TCI) in California run by The GEO Group, was subjected to painful conditions at the hands of prison employees. Pollard broke both of his elbows from a fall and was forced into labor by prison employees before he healed and was denied of the splints doctors recommended for his injuries. Pollard first brought the case to a district court and after they rejected it, appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which ruled in his favor. Based on what happened in the oral argument, Pollard may not be as lucky once the justices come to a decision which could spell disaster for constitutional rights and victory for the private prison industry.

Collateral Damage: Incarceration of Veterans

By Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW and Tracy Velázquez

Recent reports and news stories have covered the many ways veterans are struggling upon their return to civilian life. One of the most serious and under-reported problems for veterans is involvement in the criminal justice system. While each individual’s path to prison has been different, a frequent thread is having post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). With many federal programs under scrutiny, increasing funding for treatment for veterans will provide better outcomes for our returning soldiers and reduced justice costs in the future.

Over 200,000 veterans have been seen by the Veterans Administration (VA) for PTSD as of March 31, 2011; the Department of Defense reports over 89,000 service members diagnosed with TBI between 2008 and 2010. Many veterans have both conditions simultaneously. It is precisely the symptoms of these conditions that can set a veteran on a path to prison. A traffic jam may trigger a roadside bombing flashback - a classic PTSD symptom - which a veteran may respond to in ways that also trigger law enforcement involvement. Trying to deaden the emotional pain, lessen depression and overcome insomnia with drugs may lead to a controlled substance arrest. People with TBI often face reduced problem-solving skills and increased impulsiveness that can lead to making poor choices around whether to engage in illegal behavior. And stress and anger – symptomatic of both TBI and PTSD – may spill over into personal relationships, resulting in domestic violence.

Finding a Cure for the War on Drugs

By Chris Scott

Last week I had the opportunity to go to the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. for a presentation on the Mexican Drug War and the lessons that can be learned from it. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox was the main speaker for the Policy Forum entitled, “Mexico and the War on Drugs”. It surprised me that President Fox was an avid supporter of repealing global prohibition for not only the use of illicit substances but also their production as well as their distribution. President Fox’s reasoning was that the illicit drug market created by the ban allows the criminal element to thrive due to the heightened demand of the prohibited substance.

In this case, the Mexican cartels are funneling drugs into the United States’ large consumer market, turning out substantial profits, which are used to build criminal influence in Mexico through intimidation and bribery of the local community. However, he argued, if every part of the drug trade was legalized, from the use of the substance, to its production and distribution, the illegal drug market would be eradicated, due to the creation of a legitimate market.

Putting a Plan of Action Together for a Good Cause

By Zerline Hughes

A lot of planning goes into fighting for justice. And it’s not always the basics you’d first consider – you know, gluing the stakes to the picket posters, rallying people to sign petitions, exercising fingers on the telephone calling Members of Congress. For me, in my role as communication manager, the fight consists of crafting key points, writing press releases, and convincing media that the fight for justice belongs in their editorial sections and on their front pages – above the fold.

The justice planning I’m talking about today, however, is on the private prisons event that JPI is hosting on Thursday. Have you heard about it?

Fearmongering for COPS Funding

By Tracy Velázquez

Back when the first “stimulus” bill – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA – came out in 2009, JPI and a number of other organizations sent a letter to Congress saying that spending billions for the COPS (Community Oriented Policing) program and other law enforcement would be a poor investment. Two and a half years later, with this money largely spent, we know little about what the outcomes were, either in terms of job creation or increased public safety.

Yet here we are again, with the administration trying to shove another $4 billion in COPS spending down our throats via the President’s jobs bill. Attorney General Holder reaffirmed that ramping up law enforcement was a top priority in his speech at the Association of Chiefs of Police conference on Monday.

JJDPA: An Investment in the Future

By Amanda Petteruti

While the U.S. Congress faces many tough choices in the 2012 budget, retaining funding for programs that save money and improve communities must be a priority. One example is the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Since its passage in 1974, the JJDPA has established the protections that keep youth out of adult jails, separate from adults when jail is the only option, out of the juvenile justice system for behavior that would not be illegal for adults, and encourages states to reduce the number of youth of color that come into contact with the juvenile justice system. These protections have gone a long way to promote the well-being of youth across the country and sparked numerous programs and initiatives that not only keep communities safe, but also save taxpayers money.

California Can (and Should) Do Better

By Nastassia Walsh

California, like much of the country, has a problem. The state has too many people in prison. At around 170,000 people, California boasts the highest prison population in the country, making up more than 10 percent of the total U.S. prison population. Sometimes it’s good to be on top, but this is nothing to brag about. And, after a court order forcing California to reduce the number of people held in its prisons by around 40,000 (which still results in its prisons being over capacity), the state is finally starting to do something about it. But California’s proposed “solution” of realignment—moving people from state prisons to local county jails—may have some benefits like keeping people closer to home, but does not get at the heart of the problem. To really ensure a continuing reduction in the number of people incarcerated, while maintaining public safety, and saving millions—and perhaps billions—of taxpayer dollars per year, California must examine every aspect of its justice system, not just find new places to stash people to get the government off their backs.

Time for a New Justice Paradigm

By Tracy Velázquez 

Last month, after being denied a sentence commutation, Tarif Abdullah died in a Maryland prison. Even though Tarif was not the “trigger man,” at age 21 he was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in a crime that resulted in a fatality. At the time of his death from cancer, Tarif had served 25 years behind bars – effectively his entire adult life. He is one of many in Maryland unable to secure a commutation or parole due to the state law giving the governor authority to approve or deny release for "lifers."

In the past few years, driven by a combination of budget crises and changing public opinion, a number of states have reduced sentences for nonviolent offenses. Policymakers are beginning to understand that it actually hurts public safety to lock people up for breaking drug laws and other lower level offenses, and the longer someone is incarcerated the greater the obstacles they’ll face at release in successfully re-engaging with their families, their community, and the workforce.

Pencil Us In!

Just Policy Blog is now about two months old! We’ve had a number of readers and we thank you. We hope that you continue to read.

Fall is a typically a busy time for JPI. This fall, we’ll be releasing several reports, including one showing the effects of incompetency to stand trial policies and practices in Maryland and another on the role that school resource officers have played in schools. We’re working with DC Lawyers for Youth to launch their documentary about juvenile justice reform in D.C. on October 18th (you can RSVP here) and with grassroots organizations in Baltimore on a reentry event to be held on October 19th (send an email to get more information).

Making Money off of Putting People in Prison

By Paul Ashton

Putting people behind bars is a big money-maker. In 2010 alone, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and the GEO Group (GEO), the two largest private prison companies in the U.S., raked in over $2.9 billion dollars in revenue. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of people in state and federal private prisons in the U.S. totaled 129,336 in 2009, and CCA and GEO’s revenue was $2.77 billion. Talk about hitting the jackpot! The real question here is: should we make incarcerating people a business incentive? No.