Links of Interest
What We Read for the week of November 14-18, 2011
Criminal Justice Court Reform:
- The John Howard Association released its annual Year-End Assessment of Department of Juvenile Justice this week. WBEZ interviewed the author of the report Thursday morning. Earlier this year, JHA criticized the DJJ for relying too heavily on solitary confinement in one of its juvenile detention facilities.
- The Sentencing Project brought our attention to a New York Times article, commenting on the on mandatory sentencing from the United States Sentencing Commission’s new 645-page report.
Immigration Court Reform:
- Feministing blog summarizes a discussion at Colorlines, a publication of the racial justice think tank Applied Research Center, about separating children from parents in deportation proceedings, including a response from the President.
- Arizona’s new senator is urging a moderate approach to immigration enforcement policies.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memo on new directives from the administration on prosecutorial discretion in enforcement (.pdf) of immigration laws. The nation’s immigration courts are sorely burdened and inefficient, facing a record backlog of cases. In the past, we have advocated for reforms to the immigration court process, including prioritization of cases.
Community Justice:
Here is a collection of links on poverty, hunger and food insecurity, an issue Chicago Appleseed does not work with, but one that is getting increasing attention amid the global economic crisis.
- What is poverty? Food security/insecurity according to the WHO and the USDA.
- Summary of a report (.pdf) from the Center for American Progress about the costs to society of hunger and poverty among its members.
- Josette Sheeran, executive director of the UN’s World Food Program, gives a TED talk about food policies and politics.