Category: CRJ101 Intro CJ

Drug Decriminalization, Fentanyl, and Fatal Overdoses in Oregon | Law and Medicine | JAMA

At the time of this posting, the article was available “open access.”

This cohort study examines the association of decriminalization of drug possession with fatal drug overdose rates in Oregon while accounting for the rapid
— Read on jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2823254

Alternative Traffic Enforcement: Identifying Areas for Future Research | National Institute of Justice

Alternative traffic enforcement is an emerging crime and justice issue prompted by efforts of dozens of jurisdictions throughout the United States. In response to documented dangers and disparities, they seek to change how some traffic violations are handled.[1] Specifically, these strategies try to increase public safety and reduce demands on officers by deprioritizing some traffic offenses and shifting enforcement responsibilities to alternative agencies or technologies. Most of these programs are in their infancy.
— Read on nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/alternative-traffic-enforcement-identifying-areas-future-research

Racism? Poverty, drink and social media? We still don’t know why Britons rioted a month ago – and we need answers | Tim Newburn | The Guardian

After all that violence, we face the choice that confronted Cameron and Thatcher: to seek real explanations or move blindly forward, says criminologist Tim Newburn
— Read on www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/04/riots-racism-poverty-drink-social-media-southport

Exclusive | Migrants flooding NYC’s justice system — making up ‘75% of arrests in Midtown’ — as ‘pathetic’ sanctuary city laws handcuff cops

Migrant crime is taking its toll on NYC’s criminal justice system, forcing precincts and courthouses to contend with a never-ending parade of criminal suspects, which consume a disproportionate share of resources needed to keep New Yorkers safe.
— Read on nypost.com/2024/09/02/us-news/migrants-flooding-nycs-justice-system-making-up-75-of-arrests-in-midtown-as-pathetic-sanctuary-city-laws-handcuff-cops/

2 Chicago police oversight officials fired amid allegations of anti-cop bias at the agency – Chicago Sun-Times

Commentary: Is it good for the process of police accountability if the oversight entity is biased against police? An administrator for the COPA said that their commitment is to the people of the city of Chicago. What exactly does that mean? Does that mean to find police guilty of misconduct? Does that mean to provide a fair process? Is there damage done to the city of Chicago, its police department, and the citizenry if police officers are wrongly found guilty of police misconduct? Isn’t there a cost to the City of Chicago when police officers are lost especially for biased reasons? 

The two high-ranking officials with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability were abruptly fired Friday, just days after one of them complained to the inspector general about bias against police.
— Read on chicago.suntimes.com/police-reform/2024/08/30/officials-police-oversight-agency-copa-dismissed-retaliation-bias-against-police

States approved nearly 300 bills affecting policing in wake of George Floyd’s murder – CNS Maryland

Governors approved nearly 300 police reform bills after Floyd’s May 2020 killing in Minneapolis, according to an analysis of data from the National Conference of State Legislatures by the Howard Center.
— Read on cnsmaryland.org/2022/10/28/states-approved-nearly-300-bills-affecting-policing-in-wake-of-george-floyds-murder/

Do Civilian Review Boards Work? in Governing

In Brief:
In the wake of 2020, states and localities created a number of new civilian police accountability boards to meet widespread demand for transparency.

Civilian boards have limited power, and despite community members’ attempts to change that, law enforcement and legislators are increasingly aligned. In states like Florida and Tennessee, legislators have all but banned civilian boards from being created or from operating.

However, advocates for police reform continue to push for what they see as a necessary phase of accountability, encouraging legislators to develop a civilian-led oversight agency that has both power and independence
— Read on www.governing.com/workforce/do-civilian-review-boards-work