Viewpoints

Let’s End the ‘Death Rattle’ Rule

By Julie Stewart

The Federal Bureau of Prison’s “compassionate release” program is wasteful and cruel.

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Teachers and Sex Abuse: Be Wary of the ‘Witch Hunt’

By Kevin Kearon

Society has little tolerance for any form of sexual abuse of children, especially in a school setting. All the more reason to remember that the only thing worse than the sexual abuse of an innocent child is a false accusation of the sexual abuse of an innocent child.

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Why We Need National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

By Mai Fernandez

Everybody knows that the accused have rights under our legal system.  But what rights do crime victims have? And what if their rights are not enforced?

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Our ‘War on Drugs’: Eugenics Without Surgery?

By Erik Roskes

Blogger Erik Roskes asks, 'Is incarceration addiction is tantamount to eugenics without surgery?'

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Saying No to Feel-Good Crime Laws Requires Courage

By Julie Stewart

Politicians on both sides of the aisle are talking over-criminalization--but they must overcome serious roadblocks, says Julie Stewart of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. 

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Trayvon Martin Shooting: How Stand-Your-Ground Laws Threaten Public Safety

By Hubert Williams

Former Newark Police Director Hubert Williams looks at what it means to "stand your ground."

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Arson and "Junk Science"

By Paul Bieber

Arson cases are often based on forensic evidence presented in court as irrefutable science, but which in fact has either never been tested or already been proven to be unreliable, writes to Paul Bieber, director of The Arson Research Project.

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On the Docket: Juvenile Life Without Parole

By Matthew T. Mangino

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing cases on the issue of life without parole for juveniles. Commentator Matthew Mangino says that if recent trends are any indication, the court will restrict the use of life without parole for juveniles, but will not eliminate the practice.

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What’s In a Name? A Lot, When the Name is “Felon”

By Margaret Colgate Love

“Felon” is an ugly label that confirms the debased status that accompanies conviction, says former pardon attorney Margaret Love. It identifies a person as belonging to a class outside many protections of the law, someone who can be freely discriminated against, someone who exists at the margins of society. 

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Should Coverage of Criminal Cases Focus on the Defendant or the Victim?

By Robin L. Barton

When covering criminal cases, should the focus be on the defendant or the victim?

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