…And this genuine scandal is tied to the non-scandal of Benghazi and the genuine debate about how far the DOJ should go in punishing leakers of classified information. Individually, only the IRS affair seems a genuine scandal…But drama is the stuff of pageviews. And the chattering classes can only take a no-drama president for so long.
more.
The suit alleges that the state, county and city “help to operate a school-to-prison pipeline in which the rights of children in Meridian are repeatedly and routinely violated,” said a Department of Justice press release. “As a result, children in Meridian have been systematically incarcerated for allegedly committing minor offenses, including school disciplinary infractions, and are punished disproportionately without due process of law.” The department also alleges that students who have been arrested can end up incarcerated for parole violations involving minor school infractions, including wearing the wrong color socks, having a shirt untucked, using vulgar language or being tardy.
more.
Almost 60,000 people passed through Orleans Parish Prison in the last twelve months, a staggering figure for a city of this size. The average length of stay was 20 days. The largest portion of pre-trial prisoners in the jail are there for nonviolent, municipal offenses that even under conservative standards should not warrant jail time, including 20,000 arrests this year for traffic violations. “New Orleans is basically the incarceration capitol of the world,” says Kaplan. “You’re hard-pressed to find a resident of New Orleans—especially in poor communities—that hasn’t had their lives disrupted in some way by this institution.”
also:
A September 2009 report from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) found, “conditions at OPP violate the constitutional rights of inmates…a pattern and practice of unnecessary and inappropriate use of force by OPP correctional officers…several examples where OPP officers openly engaged in abusive and retaliatory conduct, which resulted in serious injuries to prisoners. In some instances, the investigation found, the officers’ conduct was so flagrant it clearly constituted calculated abuse.”
more, here.
photo is undated. but here’s what was going on in 2005. and just recently.
Oscar Grant. Oakland. Johannes Mehserle’s sentencing.
The Department of Justice has heard people’s complaints, and is examining the details of the case.
[prisoners escaping, lower wages/no pensions for guards]
officials in Arizona and elsewhere have started to question the use of private correctional facilities. When Arizona’s privatization bill passed, the state’s director of corrections, Charles L. Ryan, took the unusual step of writing a letter to Governor Brewer expressing concern. “[The bill] seeks to attempt something never experienced in the nation: Privatizing a state’s entire prison system. This is bad public policy…”
bold, mine. more? here.
extra: let’s not forget about “Tent City,” run by Maricopa County’s Joe Arpaio, who is currently being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice:
Sheriff Arpaio also gets off on stuff like this.
Tyra for Yves Saint Laurent, s/s 1995
![[prisoners escaping, lower wages/no pensions for guards]
officials in Arizona and elsewhere have started to question the use of private correctional facilities. When Arizona’s privatization bill passed, the state’s director of corrections, Charles L. Ryan, took the unusual step of writing a letter to Governor Brewer expressing concern. “[The bill] seeks to attempt something never experienced in the nation: Privatizing a state’s entire prison system. This is bad public policy…”
bold, mine. more? here.
extra: let’s not forget about “Tent City,” run by Maricopa County’s Joe Arpaio, who is currently being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice:
The suit alleges the Sheriff’s Office is in violation of federal civil-rights laws by refusing for 17 months to fully cooperate with an investigation into police practices and jail operations.
Sheriff Arpaio also gets off on stuff like this.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l86tiys6gF1qcwnv4o1_500.jpg)
Twitter
LinkedIn
Subscribe via RSS
Follow on Tumblr
Mobile version
Random post