Legal and Legislative News

600 Days Without Mercy

September 12, 2010 marks President Obama’s 600th day in office–he has yet to grant a single act of mercy in the form of a commutation or pardon. The petitions currently on file number in the thousands. http://www.justice.gov/pardon/actions_administration.htm#obama http://www.pardonpower.com/2010/09/600-days-obama-in-very-rare-air.html

National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010 passes in the House

H.R. 5143: National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010 (partner bill to Senator Jim Webb’s [ S 714]), moved forward on July 27, 2010 when the House of Representatives passed it by voice vote. Please contact your state’s Congressional legislators and tell them to support this much-needed step toward meaningful prison reform!

Prison Reform: Will Congress Finally Move Forward?

Read this article by Michael Santos on Change.org: http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/prison_reform_will_congress_finally_move_forward

A Supreme Change in Juvenile Justice

Read A Supreme Change in Juvenile Justice, by Michael Santos  http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/a_supreme_change_in_juvenile_justice

New Sentencing Rules, Still a Flawed System

Michael’s newest article on Change.org: http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/new_sentencing_rules_still_dont_fix_the_systems_flaws

Michael Hamden is Mad As Hell About the Failed U.S. Prison System

The following article is featured on Change.org http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/mad_as_hell_about_the_failed_us_prison_system Mad As Hell About the Failed U.S. Prison System by Michael Hamden category: Prison Reform Published March 10, 2010 @ 05:34AM PT Yeah, I’m angry. I’m all riled up because our misguided criminal justice policies destroy individuals, families and entire communities. I’m steamed because at a time […]

President Obama… Answer This

This is fantastic! Check out: http://www.openmediaboston.org/node/990 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F34p0YiSp8g&feature=player_embedded What it’s about: 1. Alienation of people: We are creating refugees amongst our own people. Inmates come back not feeling like they are part of their own community; not knowing “we the people” means them too. 2. Break up of families: unreasonable prison policies and a culture of […]

Bad Leadership in the Bureau of Prisons

We have bad leadership in the Bureau of Prisons! The Second Chance Act of 2007 provided federal prison administrators with the authority to release prisoners to halfway houses one year before their sentences expired. That Act also urged administrators to expand programs that would help prisoners build stronger family and community ties while the prisoners […]

Spreading Awareness for Prison Reform

David C. Fathi blogged on some of the absurdities associated with the Prison Litigation Reform Act in the Huffington Post. He called for new prison reform legislation that would amend laws that make it so difficult for those in prison to seek justice for abuses they suffered during confinement. As a long-term prisoner, I am […]

Prison Reform Will Come

Senator Jim Webb introduced a congressional bill to establish the National Criminal Justice Commission on March 26, 2009. That bill has wide support, and upon its passage, it will create a commission to study the criminal justice system and reform the process. The commission will pay particularly close attention to the prison system. After 18 […]

BOP Director’s Misrepresentation to Congress

Harley Lappin, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, issued a prepared statement to a Congressional committee on March 10, 2009. In Director Lappin’s lengthy statement pertaining to the Second Chance Act, he expressed that an integral part of the BOP’s mission indicates that “the post-release success of offenders is as important to public safety […]

Senator Jim Webb Brings a Voice to Prison Reform

Please support this effort by contacting your Congressional representatives!  Tell them to support Sentator Webb and embrace prison reform. Find your representatives here:  http://www.vote-smart.org. America has too many people languishing in prisons for too many years, causing social and financial consequences that are destructive and wasteful.  ****** Read Senator Webb’s Message to American Citizens******  http://webb.senate.gov/email/criminaljusticereform.html The […]

Senator Webb Moves Forward On National Panel for Prison Reform

The article below brings very exciting news! It’s what we’ve been waiting for… President Obama is positively endorsing Senator Jim Webb’s efforts to reform the current state of the prison system. Please write, call, fax, email… any way you can think of to contact the individuals identified in the message below and voice your support. Ask […]

My Wife Opposes Funding Prisons in Economic Stimulus

I feel very proud of my wife for the active efforts she makes to live as an integral part of my life. In late January of this year, Carole told me that she had contacted the offices of both California senators to express her outrage that Republicans were trying to squeeze a billion dollars into […]

Enthusiastic Endorsement for Prison Legal News

As a long-term prisoner, I want to express my admiration for what Paul Wright and Alex Friedman have accomplished. They are former prisoners who have made a huge difference in society through their publication known as Prison Legal News. Through that newspaper, they publish content that can be of great value to prisoners, family members […]