Murders Down, Low-Risk Minors Remain on Supervision & More

"The United States may be experiencing one of the largest annual percent changes in murder ever recorded..." 
 
Preliminary data published in The Atlantic this week suggests that the United States may be experiencing a sharp decline in murders committed this year. Data from more than 90 cities shows a 12% decrease in murders compared with data released from the same period last year. It's difficult to pinpoint why—not all cities are benefitting from the trend, and it could reverse as the weather warms and the year wears on—but for now, the first five months of 2023 have produced encouraging news.
 
"This administration has not only wrought horrific levels of violence in the jails, but is increasingly authoritarian in seeking to shield its abuses from judicial and public oversight."
 
As the conditions inside New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex continue to deteriorate, the federal monitor overseeing the jail complex criticized the leadership of the city’s correction commissioner, Louis A. Molina, in a report filed in federal district court this week. He wrote, “The current rates of [officer] use of force, stabbing and slashing, fights, assaults on staff, and in-custody deaths are not typical, they are not expected, they are not normal.” The monitor's findings come as Molina faces intense pressure to address the crisis at Rikers Island—including calls for federal receivership—and the Department of Corrections’ announcement that they are no longer informing the media of deaths in custody. 
 
"Notably, youth assessed as low risk to reoffend were most likely to be held on probation the longest despite engaging in no new criminal behavior."
 
A study conducted by The Pew Charitable Trusts reveals that young people who successfully complete their first year of juvenile probation without any arrests are unlikely to commit new offenses for the rest of their supervision term, regardless of its duration. The research, based on data from the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice, suggests that prolonged community supervision for youth offenders may be an inefficient use of resources. Racial disparities were also observed in probation lengths and rates of arrest, highlighting the need for policymakers to reevaluate the effectiveness and equity of the use of probation and sanctions for youth of color.
 
"We are very hopeful that this can lead to more women who were abused at [Federal Correctional Institution] Dublin getting out."
 
Aimee Chavira, a woman who survived years of sexual abuse by prison officials while she was incarcerated in a federal prison, has been granted compassionate release. Her lawyers and advocates hope that her release paves a similar path for other people who experienced physical or sexual assault behind bars, and are calling for more action. The case, they say, highlights the broader issue of sexual abuse by prison workers in federal prison facilities, and should prompt independent oversight and reform of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 
 
"Instead of serving as a trauma-informed service administered by mental health providers, 988 frequently still leads to interventions by law enforcement and non-consensual treatments." 
 
As communities across the country re-think how they're responding to mental health crises, advocates say there is a lot more work to be done. This is especially true when it comes to understanding how current approaches are functioning, such as the relatively newly implemented 988 Lifeline. Some say improving data collection to assess efficacy and empowering individuals with psychiatric disabilities to lead decision-making processes should be the next wave of behavioral health crisis policy making.