Feds Urge Rikers Receivership, OH License Progress & More
"Right now, Ohioans risk losing their jobs, health care, and stability because of a minor infraction. The punishment simply does not fit the crime. And suspending a person’s license is not an effective enforcement mechanism for these minor infractions."
Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would end the practice of suspending a person’s driver’s license for non-driving, non-public safety related reasons, such as unpaid parking tickets. Over 60% of the 3 million license suspensions that occur in Ohio each year are for debt-based reasons. Advocates (myself included) emphasize the bill's potential to address the disproportionate impact of license suspensions on those with financial challenges and minor infractions unrelated to dangerous driving.
"Her file reads, ‘Bad attitude.’ She was fined $215."
Fenton, Louisiana is a small village of 226 people in an area that covers just 20 blocks. Yet audits show that in 2022, the village took in an eyepopping $1.3 million in traffic fines and asset forfeiture proceeds. According to a new ProPublica investigation published this week, these fines and forfeiture proceeds account for 92.5% of the village’s entire revenue, while the average U.S. municipality gets just 1.7% of its revenue from these sources. Worse, the mayor of the village also serves as the judge who decides the fate of drivers who challenge their tickets, and whose own salary is paid for by these fees.
"I think I can safely say that I will never in my life address a class that’s as decorated as this."
This week, sixteen students from the Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP) made history as they received their bachelor’s degrees from inside Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. This is the first time in U.S. history that incarcerated students have been conferred a bachelor’s degree from a top 10 university from inside a prison. PBS has moving footage from the graduation ceremony here.
"A receiver with the authority and mandate to make the difficult decisions the City will not is needed to secure the progress that two administrations and multiple Correction commissioners have all failed to achieve."
The federal government has urged a judge to wrest control of Rikers Island away from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s Department of Correction and into the hands of federal receivership this week.. A Manhattan federal prosecutor's letter supports the Legal Aid Society's motion, both calling for a federal receivership of Rikers Island following nearly a dozen reports issued by a federal monitor evaluating operations at Rikers Island and other city jail facilities. The filing highlights the city's failure to implement necessary reforms and escalating concerns about conditions, including vermin infestations, sexual assault, and a high rate of inmate deaths in custody.
"We anticipate that free phone calls will increase the communication between inmates and their families, which can aid in rehabilitation, strengthen relationships and assist in a smoother transition when the inmate is released from custody."
After two years of promises, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a contract that will make phone calls free for over 12,000 inmates in the county's seven jails, shifting the financial burden from inmates and families to the Inmate Welfare Fund. The move, effective from December 1, follows a growing call for affordable jail communication, with advocates celebrating the decision as a crucial step in aiding rehabilitation, strengthening relationships, and facilitating smoother transitions upon inmates' release.