National report on public housing has a local link
I first encountered this public housing issue over a decade ago while living in Rhode Island, first in prison, then as a member of DARE. When I began inquiring about the precise rules regarding criminal convictions being a barrier to entry, and a cause for eviction, I got only a few vague answers. I even [...]
Move RI Beyond the Box: Stop Job Discrimination
This past week, the House Labor committee heard from “Ban the Box” supporters, including a short film to illustrate the challenge of finding employment, and a new life, with a criminal past. The film (available here) makes the case for House Bill H5507, known as “Ban the Box.” This piece of legislation removes that question, [...]
NYPD Faces Scrutiny On Stop And Frisk Tactic
This article originally appeared in The Guardian, here. Bruce Reilly’s five-part series of articles on Floyd and stop-and-frisk appears this week on Unprison. The New York Police Department is on trial in Floyd v City of New York, and the public is watching. It is ironic that the policy of recording “stops, questions, and frisks” originated with the 1999 police [...]
Former Prisoner Facing ‘Backlash’ For Pursuing Education
This post, by TTEF President Andres Idarraga on behalf of the Board of Directors, originally appeared on TTEF’s blog. The recent controversy surrounding a young man pursuing his education at the University of Rhode Island raises several societal issues. (“One student’s journey from state prison to URI sparks inquiry,” Katherine Gregg, 2/24/13). Should we encourage [...]
Join The Movement: Marijuana Strategy Session
The strategy for developing effective and safe marijuana reform is now underway. And we need your help. The Coalition for Marijuana Regulation will be holding two important strategy meetings this week to help supporters develop effective testimonies for the upcoming bill hearing and plan actions to build support for the bill. The first meeting will [...]
What Will Obama Gun Regulation Accomplish?
Recent controversy over which actual weapons were used at Sandy Hook, including MSNBC’s report as to whether an assault weapon was used at all, is likely to have no impact on the government response moving forward. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Similarly, the fact that the government told [...]
‘Les Mis’: Jean Valjean Is a Friend of Mine
Most reviews of Les Miserables discuss the singing, editing, and acting, disregarding the original text of Victor Hugo. I write the simple reflections of a former prisoner who read this ex-con tale while sitting in a cell, with only a feint hope of ever being an ex-con at all. The movie, by the way, is a masterpiece. To me, [...]
Four Reasons the NRA is a Red Herring
In the wake of another tragedy, calls for gun regulation rises again. Many citizens do not tend to “wait and see” what the politicians will do, and many expect a little saber-rattling and then see their elected officials bow down to the powerful pro-gun lobbyNational Rifle Association. People have already begun targeting the NRA as [...]
Songs of Rage
“What do I know that would cause me, a reticent, Midwestern scientist, to get myself arrested in front of the White House protesting? And what would you do if you knew what I know?” With these questions James Hansen opens his riveting presentation Why I must speak out about climate change on TED. Hansen, whom [...]
Dems Say Doherty Fell Short on Pro-Women Bill
In light of congressional candidate Brendan Doherty’s Women for Doherty rally tonight, the Rhode Island Democratic Party today questioned Doherty for not supporting legislation that would expand and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Specifically, the party questions Doherty’s unwillingness to expand and strengthen protections to Native American women, members of the LGBT community and [...]
NY Bets on Success with Social Impact Bonds
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced a new initiative that could save government money, decrease the crime rate and strengthen urban communities. Global investment bank Goldman Sachs will invest $10 million in a program to reduce recidivism among released adolescent prisoners at Riker’s Island. This will make the city the first in the nation to [...]
Pot Decriminalization in RI: Just a Starting Point
Rhode Island became the latest state to lessen the punishments for small amounts of marijuana, popularly known as “decriminalizing” it. Six years ago, there were many doubters and few reformers on board. Yet it appears America is fed up with many facets of drug policy. Organizations that have been seen as fringe radicals, such as [...]
Feds v. States: Who Decides Death Penalty Fight
Can the Feds order a state to execute a man? This is the question that the Supreme Court may ultimately answer regarding Jason Pleau, arrested last year for killing a man during a robbery. What appeared to be a routine case in Rhode Island, a state of one million people that averages about 30 murders [...]
Decriminalizing Marijuana Rally Today at State House
I’m writing to follow up on Becky’s post. When you watch the video you’ll learn that Rhode Island currently spends 40.5 million dollars annually policing, and adjudicating and incarcerating the users of marijuana. We could save 11 million of that through decriminalizing possession of marijuana under 1 oz, and instead treat addiction while preserving families [...]
State House Rally: Stop Paying for Pot Prohibition
There’s a rally Tuesday at the State House, at 3:30, to call attention to marijuana porhibition in Rhode Island. Legislators at the RI State House are considering bills to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana (under 1oz.). Concerned residents across the state are invited to attend a rally to support marijuana decriminalization, a sensible [...]
More Local Action Toward Justice for Trayvon Martin
The perplexing “missteps” by the Sanford police in the handling of the Trayvon Martin killing are adding up at an alarming rate. We recall that a narcotics detective, and not a homicide detective, was first to assess the scene and engage Zimmerman, or that the lead investigator, Chris Serino, had called for the arrest of [...]
Why RI Should ‘Ban the Box’ on Job Applications
Every week in Rhode Island thousands of people are ushered through the court system, and every year nearly 20,000 will be released from prison. There are 30,000 people currently on probation, as we have one of the highest rates of government supervision in the nation. Over 100,000 Rhode Islanders have some manner of conviction on [...]
Public Defender Wants to Legalize Pot
Add Rhode Island Deputy Public Defender Barbara Hurst to the list of people who think the state should decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. In fact, she endorsed legalizing and taxing marijuana too. She sent a letter to the Senate committee considering a bill tonight that would make possession of less than [...]
Committee Considers Legalized Marijuana
Marijuana would be legal, and available at designated stores, if a bill being heard at the State House tonight were to become law. “It would be a brave new world,” said Rep. Edith Ajello, a Providence Democrat who is sponsoring the legislation. “It would be taxed. There would be stores that sold marijuana, legally licensed [...]
Who Should Be ‘Crashing the System?’
The recent article by Michelle Alexander appearing in the New York Times, “Crash the System,” has stirred up a great deal of interest among the activist community. Most of the people I have heard from, however, have been those who never faced imprisonment- including many lawyers and law students… i.e., people who actually read the New York Times or [...]
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