"Hochul’s budget proposals would also allocate $527,000 to NYSIC to hire a new social media analysis team. That team would 'perform daily analysis of publicly available social media activity related to school violence threats, gang activity, and illegal firearms,' according to materials the governor published with her budget proposal — a prospect civil liberties advocates find especially alarming."
Chris Gelardi for The Intercept: KATHY HOCHUL IS READY TO SPEND MILLIONS ON NEW POLICE SURVEILLANCE Tweet
04.04.2022
Biden dedicates at least $30M to new police funding; NY Gov to increase scale of police surveillance
"Community organizers focused on eliminating police violence say they are disappointed by President Joe Biden’s proposed budget announced this week, which would allocate at least $30 billion in new police spending." NBC (April 1, 2022)
Three years after New York bail reform changes were hailed as a national victory to address unfair detainment, the state law and its effects are now a political grenade being lobbed from both the right and left amid surging crime. The debate has become a growing symbol of rifts among progressive and moderate Democrats that is playing out in statehouses across the U.S. POLITICO (Mar. 27, 2022)
You’re not allowed to be under the influence of marijuana while driving in Louisiana, but there’s no law that expressly prohibits drivers or passengers from smoking weed. That could change soon. House Bill 234, which would outlaw marijuana smoking in a moving car, advanced from a legislative committee in an 11-3 vote Tuesday morning. The Louisiana Illuminator (Mar. 29, 2022)
A massive increase in censorship and monitoring of prison communication over the last 30 years has led to companies monetizing communications for incarcerated people. “For decades, prisoners and their families have been paying outrageous rates for phone calls to stay in touch with their families. It hadn’t been uncommon for prisoners and their families to be paying up to $25 for a 20 minute phone call with loved ones.” The Real News Network (Mar. 28, 2022)
DC jail finally had to answer some questions, but the DOC’s director said he implemented specific plans to address concerns but refused to give details. Washington Post (Mar. 3, 2022)
"After three weeks of trial, all eight jurors who awarded $14 million to protesters injured during the 2020 George Floyd protests in Denver agreed without debate that the city was at fault for its police officers’ actions, according to one of the jurors in the room." The Denver Post (Mar. 29, 2022)
The New York Gov. silently slipped bills proposing tens of millions of dollars and several new initiatives to expand state policing and investigative power, including agencies’ ability to surveil New Yorkers and gather intelligence on people not yet suspected of breaking the law, into this years budget plan. The Intercept (Mar. 29, 2022)
The Des is raising funds and donations to send books to DC Books to Prisoners Donating used books No hard covers No stained or damaged
Who Speaks for Me? launches hosing pilot in D.C. for five female and LGBTQ+ returning citizens.
Liberal leaning and reform minded prosecutors must combat conservative “hard on crime” rhetoric to survive politically. An oped from Allison Pierre, an expert on using data to help DAs prove reform works.
Founder of The Des and freelance criminal justice reporter based in Washington, D.C.
