More Than Our Crimes, a group who advocates for individuals convicted of violent crimes who deserve a second chance, has been featured in an article published by the DCIST. The article, titled Meet The Duo Running A Publication By And For D.C.’s Prison Population, features More Than Our Crimes founders Pam Bailey and Robert Barton.
General DC Criminal System
Under this are posts that are of general interest to the District’s criminal system that may not fit under other categories.
House Committee Passes Bill Requiring Federal Bureau of Prisons to Provide Information to D.C. on Returning Citizens
A bill introduced by Rep. Elenor Holmes-Norton (D-DC) was passed by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The bill, if passed into law, would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide information to the District of Columbia on individuals convicted of felonies under D.C. law in BOP custody. BOP houses individuals convicted of …
U.S. Justice Department eyes changes to its risk assessment tool
As reported by NPR, the Justice Department (DOJ) is looking to reduce racial disparities in a tool it uses to assess a prisoner’s risk of a return to crime, after scholars and justice advocates pressed for change.
New report endorses ‘Second Look’ process for people serving lengthy sentences
A report recently released by Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) describes the need for second chances for people serving extreme sentences.
U.S. Sentencing Commission Updates its Interactive Data Analyzer
The Interactive Data Analyzer (IDA) is an online tool that can be used to explore, customize, and visualize annual federal sentencing data. IDA now provides data spanning seven years—from fiscal years 2015 through 2021. Features include: Simple visualization and navigation of complex datasets (tutorial video); Combined annual data and trend analyses spanning seven years; Data …
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Prison Policy Initiative Report: Mass Incarceration in 2022
Prison Policy Initiative has released a new report titled Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2022. The report seeks to better understand mass incarceration by piecing together the data about this country’s disparate systems of confinement. It provides a detailed look at where and why people are locked up in the U.S., and dispels some modern …
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Toward a Reentry-Centered Vision of Federal Probation
The United States Courts (uscourts.gov) has published an article titled All Hands on Deck! Toward a Reentry-Centered Vision of Federal Probation. The article considers how we might enhance the reentry process in federal supervision, particularly with the recent passage of the First Step Act (FSA).
Opinion: Despite carjackings, D.C. shouldn’t revert to ineffective tough-on-crime policies
Jody Kent Lavy, co-executive director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, got this opinion piece published in the Washington Post. Ms. Lavy made the case demonstrating why tough-on-crime policies are not the answer to crime. From the article: “The tough-on-crime approach fails to keep us safe, and, equally dangerous, it requires us …
Federal Court Cites DC Failure to Provide Special Education to Students at the DC Jail
The US District Court for the District of Columbia entered an Order holding the District is in contempt of the Court’s preliminary injunction issued on June 16, 2021 because DC is continuing to fail to provide special education to the students with disabilities who are incarcerated at the DC Jail. The District must comply with …
Incarcerated D.C. resident publishes article in Politico on the failure of prison lockdowns
Robert Barton is a D.C. resident serving a sentence of 30 years to life, currently at the U.S. penitentiary in Coleman, Florida, which is in lockdown. He submitted an op-ed to Politico by regular mail via More Than Our Crimes, (an organization he co-founded) and they published it. His article explains the damage done to incarcerated …