Criminal courts tailored to veterans multiply as wars wind down

http://news.yahoo.com/a-separate-justice-system-emerges-for-veterans-174400942.html

Liz Goodwin

Yahoo! News

30 June 2014

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U.S. courts are offering war veterans who face jail time the choice of rehabilitation. This helps them adjust to civilian life and reduces repeat offences.

For Young Offenders, Hope in a Jury of Their Peers

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/for-teen-offenders-hope-in-a-jury-of-their-peers

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

13 October 2011

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For first-time youth criminal offenders, the traditional American jury falls short in encouraging behavioral change and may even set the juvenile on a course for repeated crimes. Washington, DC’s Youth Court is a jury that tries juveniles for minor non-violent offenses and offers peer pressure to prompt positive behavioral change. The DC Youth Court is one of many in the United States that reduces crime and future court costs.

In Iran, a Brotherhood of Doctors and Patients

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/in-iran-a-brotherhood-of-doctors-and-patients

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

20 June 2011

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Two Iranian brothers worked as doctors to reform how Iran tackles HIV, moving the country toward the harm reduction approach. By providing clean needles and methadone, the doctors were able to lower infection rates, even in prisons.

Guiding Families to a Fair Day in Court

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/29/guiding-poor-families-to-a-fair-day-in-court

David Bornstein

The New York Times

29 May 2015

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Millions of families of arrested individuals do not know what to do to help, how to obtain a lawyer, or what the process entails in the court system. Created by Albert Cobarrubius Justice Project, participatory defense is a type of community organizing that teaches and empowers people who face criminal charges. Individuals know how to work with attorneys in order to navigate the system and ultimately feel equipped to become drivers of their own change.

Out of Debtors' Prison, With Law as the Key

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/27/shutting-modern-debtors-prisons

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

27 March 2015

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Rampant misconduct by judicial systems across the country brought to light a crippling practice of debtors' prisons—where disadvantaged individuals unable to pay fines and fees were continually and wrongfully imprisoned, creating a vicious cycle. The American Civil Liberties Union stepped in to work with governments and private companies to increase transparency, eliminate abuse, and reeducate law enforcement officials. The state of Ohio has emerged as a leader in reforming debtors' prisons, though there is still work to do.

Out of Prison, Into a Vicious Circle of Debt

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/out-of-prison-into-a-vicious-circle-of-debt

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

9 June 2011

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Many offenders get out of jail owing hundreds or thousands of dollars in court and parole fees but face barriers to financing and job acquisition, sticking them in a punitive, vicious cycle of debt and arrest. A program called the Clapham Set, perhaps paired with conditional cash transfers - may be a solution, as it erases fees for felons who complete rehab and job training upon release.

Paying for Their Crimes, Again

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/paying-for-their-crimes-again

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

6 June 2011

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Felons get out of jail owing hundreds or thousands of dollars in court and parole fees, acting as an often insurmountable barrier preventing them from reintegrating into society and staying out of jail. What's worse, these fees often end up costing the state more than they produce. Two columns on a program called the Clapham Set, which erases or reduces debts for felons who take classes and job training.

Removing the Roadblocks to Rehabilitation

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/removing-the-roadblocks-to-rehabilitation

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

21 January 2011

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The prison system is designed to fail - and it does. On the positive side, there are programs all over the country that recognize that helping prisoners remake their lives is both humane and cost-effective.

Prison Born

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/prison-born/395297

Sarah Yager

The Atlantic

1 July 2015

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More women are being incarcerated around the United States and that has spurred more institutions to create prison nurseries, which allow women to be with their newborns. It's not a new idea, but it's finding support among prison advocates as well as budget hawks because research shows nurseries can lower recidivism rates among mothers. The idea of children in prison remains controversial however.

Prisons Rethink Isolation, Saving Money, Lives and Sanity

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/us/rethinking-solitary-confinement.html

Erica Goode

The New York Times

10 March 2012

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A positive transformation in a Mississippi prison has become a focal point for a growing number of states rethinking the use of long-term isolation. Humanitarian groups have long argued that solitary confinement has devastating psychological effects, but a central driver in the recent shift is economics. Some officials have also been persuaded by research suggesting that isolation is vastly overused and that it does little to reduce overall prison violence.