Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • When Your Child Is a Psychopath

    Children are typically diagnosed with callous and unemotional traits rather than psychopathy, so they are rarely treated properly for the mental condition even though most of these children grow into adult psychopaths. A juvenile treatment facility in Madison, Wisconsin, called Mendota takes in young men who have committed violent crimes and attempts to rehabilitate them in a non-traditional prison system. They have lower rates of re-offending than regular prisons and some of their inmates are able to function normally in society upon release.

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  • Criminalizing Homelessness

    In Eugene, Oregon, the city – much like the rest of the United States – has often practiced ticketing, citing, and/or arresting individuals as a response to homelessness. The practice, often referred to as the criminalization of homelessness, is now being called into question by groups across the city. Since the police are often the initial responders to people experiencing housing insecurity, the city is trying responses like community outreach to better address the needs of these individuals instead of writing them a ticket or sending them to jail.

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  • Philadelphia Treatment Court gives a 'second chance'

    In Philadelphia, people facing felony drug charges can opt for a yearlong program in a treatment court where their progress is monitored to ensure they avoid substance use, get treatment and stay in contact with their case managers. Judges presiding over the court work with those who miss those goals to help them reflect on how they can graduate, even if there are stumbles along the way. Those who successfully complete the program can work to get the felonies expunged from their records.

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  • STARS Program Helps Drug Court, Families Align

    Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services arose from the need to improve the outcomes of drug addicted parents and their children, such as increasing reunification statistics. STARS employs case workers who have previously been drug addicted, and can provide immediate support and services such as meeting with the participant, accessing treatment options, and drug screening.

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  • Battling Meth: A Rural Montana County is on the Frontline of National Foster Care Surge

    The drug crisis has reached new extremes in many parts of the country, as meth and opioids continue to tear families apart and funnel even more children into an already-strapped foster care system. In rural Montana, law enforcement and communities are trying a new approach to battling drug addiction, focusing on supportive family counseling and "drug courts" to help treat - rather than imprison - those struggling with addiction. In Lake County, Family Drug Treatment Courts are working to divert addicts from the vicious cycle and keep more families together.

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  • Nueces County judge aims for reform with domestic violence court

    Judge Inna Klein and probation officers from The Community Supervision and Corrections Department are bringing domestic violence reform to Nueces County. By taking more aggressive approaches toward supervision and accountability, and by focusing on rehabilitative services for offenders, they hope to break the cycles of violence.

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  • Has a bold reform plan helped to shrink Philly's prison population?

    Philadelphia has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, but with a $3.5 million McArthur Foundation grant the city has used several initiatives to change that. The efforts appear to be working, with the number of inmates falling by 12 percent over one year. Programs include getting addicts treatment instead of more jail time, working to release those who cannot afford bail ahead of a trial and making attorneys more available for those who want to seek early parole.

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  • This former Philadelphia cop had an incredibly simple plan to keep kids out of prison: Don't arrest them.

    The zero-tolerance of Philadelphia's school system towards even minor infractions from students was creating a detrimental school-to-prison pipeline that was doing more long term harm to youth than good. But one former officer took the initiative to break the cycle, founding the Police School Diversion Program to drastically reduce arrests and offer students supportive services such as counseling instead, helping create a more constructive environment for children, educators, and officers alike.

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  • Could this one simple idea stop the revolving door to prison?

    In Pennsylvania, “500 men and about 10 women juvenile lifers who have been locked away for decades” will be released due to a recent Supreme Court decision that said it was unconstitutional for judges to strike automatic life-without-parole sentence for juveniles. Unfortunately, recidivism rates show that “ 60 percent of people are locked up again within three years of being released.” However, pairing a former prisoner with a mentor is an old school solution that has been proven to be successful. Studies show “participants who had mentors were twice as likely to find jobs and 39 percent less likely to reci

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  • Even in Texas, Mass Imprisonment Is Going Out of Style

    In Texas, Mass-Incarceration is becoming a surprising hub of bi-partisan reform. By finding common ground, and brainstorming new solutions and alternatives to mass incarceration, the state has seen a drop in incarceration and crime rates.

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