Feature: US Drug Policies Flawed and Failed, Experts Tell Congressional Committee
In a historic US Congress Joint Economic Committee hearing Thursday, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) opened up discussion on the Hill of the economic costs of US drug policy.
Alternatives to Incarceration
Stop Filling Prisons, California -- Advocates to Take Sentencing Reform Case to Voters
California's prison system is the nation's second largest, behind only the federal prison system. Now, an initiative that would dramatically expand Proposition 36-style "treatment not jail" programs, as well as other systemic reforms, is headed for the November ballot.
Law Enforcement: Chicago's Courts Are in Crisis, and the Drug War Is a Big Contributor, Report Finds
Chicago's 26th Street Criminal Court Building handles more than 28,000 felony cases a year, more than half of them drug cases. That's too much, says a new report, which offers some recommendations for reducing the burden.
Sentencing: Nevada Supreme Court Justices Ask Legislature for More Discretion, More Funding for Drug Courts
With Nevada prisons bursting at the seams, state Supreme Court justices went to the legislature Monday to ask for more discretion in sentencing and more funding for drug and mental health courts.
It Was the Best of Times: Drug Reform Victories and Advances in 2006
As 2006 comes to an end, we look back to find the most significant victories and advances for drug reform this year.
Sentencing: Public Hearings on Illinois SMART Act Pack 'Em In
Public hearings on an Illinois bill that would divert first-time drug possession offenders into "drug schools" instead of prison are now underway across the state, and if the crowd in Chicago is any indication, public interest is high.
Web Scan
Pregnancy and drug use, Maryland criminal justice, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, reformers on air.
Feature: Brazilian President Signs New Drug Law -- No Jail for Users
Brazilian President "Lula" da Silva signed into law a bill that will keep most drug users out of jail last week. Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
United States Sentencing Commission's Symposium on Crime and Punishment: Alternatives to Incarceration
The United States Sentencing Commission will host a Symposium on Crime and Punishment in the United States: Alternatives to Incarceration on July 14-15, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in W
Prop 36 Works! Rally
Clients, graduates and supporters of Proposition 36, Californiaâs treatment-instead-of-incarceration law, will gather at the Capitol to celebrate seven years of the groundbreaking programâs success. Hundreds of rally participants will represent the over 84,000 people who have graduated from the program in the last seven yearsâand call attention to the over $1.5 billion saved by Prop 36 so far.