« "The Problem with Capital Pleas" | Main | Citing prior "attempt to flee the country," feds urging that Elizabeth Holmes start her prison sentence in April »
January 20, 2023
Rounding up some recent notable reads
A busy week has left me behind on both my reading and blogging on various sentencing and punishment law and policy topics. So I will try to do a bit of catch up through this round up:
From ABC News, "Alabama extends time for executions, ends automatic review"
From the AP, "Explainer: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty"
From the FAMM Foundation, "Proposed BOP Rule Will Hurt Struggling Families"
From The Guardian, "Texas prisoners continue hunger strike in protest against solitary confinement"
From the Marshall Project, "How an Illicit Cell Phone Helped Me Take College Courses from Prison"
From Nonprofit Quarterly, "What the US’ Mass Incarceration Regime Costs Black Women"
From Reason, "Sentencing Commission Proposes Restricting Judges' Use of Acquitted Conduct"
From Rick Nevin, "Update: Continuing trend toward zero youth incarceration"
From Spectrum News NY1, "Path to Power: Hakeem Jeffries' push to reform the criminal justice system"
As always, I welcome reader comments on which of these stories or others may merit additional blog time. It has been fun to see a more active comment space lately, and I hope that always will include readers highlighting new stories or worthwhile reading.
January 20, 2023 at 10:28 AM | Permalink
Comments
Oklahoma AG needs to man up and get justice done.
Posted by: federalist | Jan 20, 2023 11:31:44 AM
Off topic:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/rust-tragedy-alec-baldwin-should-not-be-charged-criminal-case-shooting-death-halyna-hutchins
Posted by: federalist | Jan 20, 2023 1:42:29 PM
I don't know how much of a "backlog" Oklahoma has. It looks like they have thirty-nine awaiting execution for whom at least 20 -- those with current execution dates -- have completed federal habeas review.
I know in my state, when all of the stays were lifted, we did 18 executions over 22 months to dispose of all of the individuals who had completed federal habeas review during the lengthy period when the stays were in effect. Six weeks between executions appeared to be manageable with existing state resources. The handful of defense attorneys who took capital habeas cases, of course, complained about the lack of time between one client being executed and the next client being scheduled for execution, but the Department of Corrections appeared to be able to manage that pace without any significant issues.
I am not seeing a lack of will by the Oklahoma AG to move at a faster pace. I am seeing a lack of resources.
Posted by: tmm | Jan 20, 2023 1:56:43 PM
By the time a date is set, all the appeals should be done with--that may not be reality, but the AG shouldn't let the capital defense bar get away with elongating the process.
Posted by: federalist | Jan 20, 2023 5:40:02 PM
I enjoy reading Rick Nevin's blog as it shows the declining incarceration rates for people under 25. Juvenile arrests rates have significantly declined over 25 years and will continue to drop. I hope this drop in crime will lead to greater criminal justice reform, i.e. shorter sentencing penalties and phasing out prisons.
Posted by: Anon | Jan 21, 2023 12:09:35 AM
