from the frontlines: SEPT. 5, 2022

shootings spike

Gun violence reaches new highs in recent memory  Philadelphia and Baltimore are some of the most troubling cities. Some residents say they want to be able to carry guns because it would make them feel safer but doing so could result in young people getting ahold of those weapons and arming themselves. NPR (Aug. 29, 2022)

national funding for police

President Joe Biden traveled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Tuesday to discuss funding police and crime prevention efforts across the country. He laid out a $37 billion budget proposal for Congress that plans to focus on hiring and retaining officers, intervention strategies and improving the criminal justice system. Biden also spoke on enforcing gun laws through Biden’s Safer American plan. Spectrum News 1 (Aug. 29, 2022)

delayed care

Sandra Quinone, a pregnant inmate in California, lost her baby after jail employees stopped at Starbucks for a coffee run in March of 2016. Last week, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pay $480,000 to settle the civil lawsuit over the delayed care. Washington Post (Aug. 29, 2022)

big brother

Some of the largest wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon not only know where you are when you make a phone call or use a data connection but they keep your location for years and provide it to law enforcement. CNN (Aug. 29, 2022)

what does forgiveness look like decades later

A mass school shooting in Kentucky in 1997 left three students dead and another five others wounded. The teen shooter, now an adult, is up for parole forcing the victims and families to confront the tough question of forgiveness of a teen shooter who claimed bullying. Washington Post (Aug. 28, 2022)

court orders resentencing

DC-area sniper Lee Boyd Malvo must be resentenced. Maryland Court of Appeals based the ruling on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions relating to constitutional protections for juveniles. Malvo was sentenced to six life sentences, but it is unlikely he’ll be released from custody due to serving separate life sentences. DCist (Aug.29, 2022) 

fired over denial

Florida Judge received national attention for denying a 17-year-old an abortion due to her grades. As a result of that, Judge Jared Smith lost his re-election bid on Tuesday against attorney Nancy Jacobs. Bolts (Aug. 25, 2022)

back down

San Francisco, DA, Brooke Jenkins backs out of the release of a man many believe to be wrongly convicted. Jenkins sought to postpone the resentencing hearing for Ronnie Louvier, who is serving a life sentence for a shooting of 17-year-old Marquise Washington. Davis Vanguard (Aug. 31, 2022)

execution botched

An anti-death penalty group alleges that Alabama corrections officials botched an inmate’s execution last month. The group said that his arm may have been cut to find a vein for the lethal injection. AP (Aug. 31, 2022)

fallout of roe

Mothers who lose their babies and test positive for drugs can end up in jail. Over 50 women have been prosecuted in the United States since 1999 for testing positive for drugs after a miscarriage or stillbirth. Since Roe fell, the number could increase. Washington Post (Sep. 1, 2022) 

seven year sentence

Prison chaplain who sexually abused inmates was sentenced Wednesday to seven years. James Theodore Highhouse forced inmates seeking spiritual guidance to have sex with him. AP (Sep. 1, 2022) 

COMMUNITY BOARD

OUR LATEST

Baltimore police punishments raises eyebrows; mental health faces reform in VA; D.C.’s homicide rate at 20-year high

November 26, 2023 No Comments

The Department of Forensic Sciences in D.C. struggles with reform due to internal conflicts, raising concerns about the city’s criminal legal system. Former Baltimore police sergeant’s lenient sentence for misconduct stirs concerns about policing reform. Virginia State Senator dedicates career to mental health reform in the wake of personal tragedy. Former College Park Mayor is sentenced for child pornography. D.C. witnesses a two-decade high in homicides. Reports spread about crash-and-grab incidents, and imprisoned students in Maryland reflect on the power of education.

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Ex-cop in Baltimore is sentenced for misconduct in false arrests; D.C. mayor focuses on youth violence

November 19, 2023 No Comments

D.C. tackles opioid crisis and youth violence with public emergency declaration. Retired Baltimore cop receives home detention for misconduct. Logan Circle small businesses doubt crime bill’s effectiveness. DAT’s questionable traffic stops spark concerns. Juvenile detention center faces crisis with rising incidents. Inmate mastermind’s escape attempt foiled.

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RESOURCES

COVID: State policy changes. News. Bureau of Prisons updates. State court changes.

GENERAL: Prison holistic self care and protection. Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook. Advocacy Handbook. Handbook: safety planning w/ survivors of domestic violence.

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Lonyae Coulter
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Lonyae started working as a Research and Reporting Intern for The Des in August 2022. She is a senior at Texas Christian University, pursuing a degree in Journalism with a minor in Writing. At The Des she is most excited for working with new staff, expanding her storytelling skills in her writing as well as expanding her knowledge in the criminal justice system.