Tag: criminal justice

New ACLU report: Virginia prosecutors have ‘unparalleled power’
Local, elected prosecutors in Virginia hold tremendous influence over the criminal justice system but face few challenges to their authority.

McAuliffe administration announces $74 million in grants for criminal justice programs
The Criminal Justice Services Board has approved more than $74M to support agencies and programs supporting the criminal justice system in Virginia.

More prisons is not reform
Holman Prison in Alabama is home to death row and many there have little to lose should something go wrong.

Prosecutor helps put a face to prisons
There are many ways to handle the epidemic of over-crowding in prisons. We could start by ending the war on drugs — one of the major culprits.

New Hillary Clinton Virginia TV ad discusses criminal justice system
In a new ad, “Broken,” Hillary Clinton discusses the fundamentally broken criminal justice system that disproportionately hurts African American families.

Grant will help local law enforcement in Virginia strengthen relationships with local communities
Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday the availability of $750,000 in Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds for training and equipment for local law enforcement agencies to help strengthen their relationship with their local communities in support of his “Policing in the 21st Century” initiative.

Governor McAuliffe to convene work group to evaluate criteria for physical evidence recovery kit evidence testing
A group comprised of representatives of victim advocate groups, Commonwealth’s Attorneys, the criminal defense bar, local law enforcement, forensic nurses and others will convene in September to consider what categories of evidence gathered by Physical Evidence Recovery Kits (PERKs) should be forwarded to the Department of Forensic Science for testing.

Governor McAuliffe announces award of $38 million in criminal justice, victims services grants
Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the award of 235 grants worth $38.3 million to localities, nonprofit organizations and state agencies that will support law enforcement improvements, programs for victims of domestic violence and other crimes, community corrections and pretrial services, offender reentry services, and school security and resource officers.

Bob Goodlatte: Judiciary Committee launches criminal justice reform initiative
In recent years, there have been increasing calls for Congress to reform the criminal justice system. The House Judiciary Committee, which I chair, is undertaking an initiative to address a variety of criminal justice issues.

6 Cases That Changed Crime Analysis
Getting your criminal justice degree means gaining a fundamental understanding of not only where the justice system stands now, but also how it has evolved. In our latest infographic, learn how crime analysis has changed for the better since 1784.

ACLU urges governor to issue immediate conditional pardon to man with autism
Today, the ACLU of Virginia renewed its call that the Governor take executive action to ensure that Reginald “Neli” Latson, an autistic man who has been in solitary confinement in state prison for more than a year, is moved as quickly as possible to a treatment facility in Florida.

ACLU urges governor to help man with autism escape improper treatment in prison, jail
Today, the ACLU of Virginia sent a letter to Governor Terry McAuliffe asking him to review the case of Reginald “Neli” Latson, a young man with intellectual and developmental disabilities who has been held in solitary confinement in a state correctional facility for almost a year.

Tim Kaine statemen on Ferguson grand jury decision
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement following a Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Ken Plum: The legacy of Bob McDonnell
I had no idea what to expect when the jury announced it had reached its verdicts on the charges against former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen, but when the verdicts were announced I was stunned.

Kaine, White House drug policy director, discuss Virginia opiod crisis
Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine met with White House Drug Policy Acting Director Michael Botticelli to discuss the opioid crisis in Virginia and next steps to combat the epidemic.

Obama Administration releases 2014 National Drug Control Strategy
Today, Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy, released the 2014 National Drug Control Strategy, the Obama Administration’s primary blueprint for drug policy in the United States.

Attorney General Mark Herring concludes statewide tour in Waynesboro
Attorney General Mark Herring concluded a statewide public safety tour today with a regional meeting with representatives from Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County.
Webb criminal-justice reform wins important Senate vote
Staff Report With YouTube Video www.webb.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jim Webb’s legislation to comprehensively review and overhaul America’s criminal-justice system won a major victory on Thursday when the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure with bipartisan support. With the backing of 34 senators and dozens of organizations representing a broad spectrum of the criminal-justice community, Webb’s […]
Restorative justice
Column by Ken Plum The week of Nov. 15-22 has been designated Restorative Justice Week to draw attention to the important work being done to make offenders take responsibility for their actions and try to repair the harm that they have done. The traditional criminal-justice model of a crime followed by a court conviction and […]