Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Can a fake court help high-risk Pennsylvania parolees?

    Samantha Melamed

    August 10, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Close supervision and support during parole lowers recidivism among medium- and high-risk offenders with substance-abuse issues in Philadelphia. However, the impact seems to fade after parolees graduate from the yearlong Re-entry Program, often referred to as “Philadelphia re-entry court.”

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  • In Philly courts, whether they'll die in prison comes down to their birthday

    Samantha Melamed

    July 06, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    A 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision allows those sentenced to life for crimes committed as juveniles to seek parole. These people make up more than half of lifers in Pennsylvania, which is considering numerous appeals, but now those sentenced when they were slightly older are arguing the impulsivity and immaturity that makes juveniles less culpable are also present in the brains of those in their 20s. They are seeking to ensure the same legal rulings also apply to them and the legal system is trying to reconcile legal definitions of adulthood with evolving brain science.

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  • Pennsylvania's top court just made it way harder to sentence kids to life in prison

    Samantha Melamed

    June 26, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    To sentence a minor to life in prison without parole, prosecutors in Pennsylvania must now prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the minor is incapable of rehabilitation. The state supreme court ruling is meant to recognize most children’s impulsivity and their ability to change. The ruling is a significant step in Pennsylvania, which is home to the largest population of juvenile lifers in the nation.

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  • Pennsylvania offers a new 'smart on crime' approach. But does it actually work?

    Samantha Melamed

    June 26, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States

    In an effort to reduce prison populations, some U.S. cities are enacting reforms that emphasize short, swift, and certain punishments for minor violations. Despite the hype, such reforms may be no better than existing practices.

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  • Can this group of former offenders swing the Philly DA race?

    Samantha Melamed

    May 10, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Multi-Media |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    How does an organization go about reducing incarceration rates, and eliminate racial bias? Hiring the people affected by the prison system: former inmates. That’s the strategy that ACLU is taking in Philadelphia.

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  • Has a bold reform plan helped to shrink Philly's prison population?

    David Gambacorta Samantha Melamed

    April 12, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, but with a $3.5 million McArthur Foundation grant the city has used several initiatives to change that. The efforts appear to be working, with the number of inmates falling by 12 percent over one year. Programs include getting addicts treatment instead of more jail time, working to release those who cannot afford bail ahead of a trial and making attorneys more available for those who want to seek early parole.

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  • Could this one simple idea stop the revolving door to prison?

    Samantha Melamed

    February 14, 2017 |

    The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

    Multi-Media |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    In Pennsylvania, “500 men and about 10 women juvenile lifers who have been locked away for decades” will be released due to a recent Supreme Court decision that said it was unconstitutional for judges to strike automatic life-without-parole sentence for juveniles. Unfortunately, recidivism rates show that “ 60 percent of people are locked up again within three years of being released.” However, pairing a former prisoner with a mentor is an old school solution that has been proven to be successful. Studies show “participants who had mentors were twice as likely to find jobs and 39 percent less likely to reci

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