Author: scott prell

In Pennsylvania Blacks are sentenced to Life in Prison 18 times higher than whites

A new report on the state’s 5,300-strong lifer population from the Pittsburgh-based Abolitionist Law Project cites stark racial disparities: black Pennsylvanians are sentenced to life at a rate 18 times higher than white ones. It finds a disproportionate impact on young people: More than half of lifers were 25 or younger at commitment

news article:

 

Link to the report:

Seven States Ban Victim Aid to People with Criminal Records | The Marshall Project

Seven states won’t give victim aid to people with criminal histories. The policies fall hardest on black families.
— Read on www.themarshallproject.org/2018/09/13/the-victims-who-don-t-count

How does victim compensation fit with the concept of “social ledger”. Costs to victims calculated in as part of the punishment to defendants?

New CPRC Research: How a Botched Study Fooled the World About the U.S. Share of Mass Public Shootings: U.S. Rate is Lower than Global Average – Crime Prevention Research CenterCrime Prevention Research Center

New CPRC Research: How a Botched Study Fooled the World About the U.S. Share of Mass Public Shootings: U.S. Rate is Lower than Global Average – Crime Prevention Research CenterCrime Prevention Research Center
— Read on crimeresearch.org/2018/08/new-cprc-research-how-a-botched-study-fooled-the-world-about-the-u-s-share-of-mass-public-shootings-u-s-rate-is-lower-than-global-average/

If Lott’s study is accurate what is it’s impact? Lankford’s research has greatly impacted the response to school shootings, if Lankford work is inaccurate how will prevention and response to school shootings change??

Here is another new report about Lott’s school shooting study

Urban Institute Report on the Milwaukee Police Department Use of Body Worn Cameras

Here are 2 briefs from the Urban Institute about Body Worn Camera use by The Milwaukee Police Department.

The Milwaukee Police Department’s Body-Worn Camera Program – Evaluation Findings and Key Takeaways

https://www.urban.org/research/publication/milwaukee-police-departments-body-worn-camera-program

Community Views of Milwaukee’s Police Body-Worn Camera Program – Results from Three Waves of Community Surveys

https://www.urban.org/research/publication/community-views-milwaukees-police-body-worn-camera-program

Report on use of force incident by city of Asheville police officer

When video of this incident was first released i thought it was a perfect example of a “gray area” incident. A gray area incident is the type of incident that goes downhill or takes a wrong turn and becomes more serious that it should have been. It is initiated by an uncooperative suspect or an overzealous officer. Sometimes it is a little of each. In addition to the officer and suspect the issue usually becomes more convoluted by politics, by a district attorney tests the direction of the wind before rendering a decision, and by judges making decisions to satisfy the loudest complaints and not for justice.

Review the material below and tell me what you think.

A report commissioned by the city of Asheville criticizes two Asheville police officers for not intervening when a then city police officer was beating and choking an unarmed black pedestrian last August

Links to the report “Policy and Procedure Review Related to the Rush Incident” and links to earlier news reports.

http://www.bpr.org/post/report-apd-officers-should-have-intervened-rush-beating-didnt

News report and links to the video from body worn cameras

http://www.bpr.org/post/additional-body-cam-footage-rush-beating-released

Charges against Officer Chris Hickman

http://www.bpr.org/post/update-former-asheville-police-officer-charged-august-beating