by Matt Clarke
On December 18, 2008, just a week before Christmas, the U.S. Postal Service abruptly suspended its decades-old Operation Santa Claus, a holiday program in which volunteers sift through children’s letters addressed to Santa, “adopt” one or more letters, and then provide gifts to needy children.
The reason ...
By Matt Clarke
On February 20, 2009, a medic in the U.S. Army was sentenced to life in prison for his part in the 2007 murder of four Iraqi prisoners in Baghdad. The next day, the infamous Abu Ghraib prison reopened under a new name.
Sgt. Michael Leahy, Jr., 28, ...
Cheney and Gonzales Indicted in Connection with Private Prison in Texas
by Matt Clarke
On November 17, 2008, a Texas grand jury returned an indictment against then-Vice President Richard B. Cheney and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, charging Cheney with contributing to prisoner abuse in privately-run prisons and Gonzales ...
Texas Court of Appeals Upholds $42.5 Million Award Against Wackenhut / GEO Group
by Matt Clarke
On April 2, 2009, a Texas Court of Appeals upheld a jury award of $22,000,000 in actual damages and $20,500,000 in punitive damages against Wackenhut Corrections (now known as GEO Group) in a lawsuit ...
New Trial and JNOV Denial Upheld in $15,545,000 Michigan Prisoner Sexual Harassment Case
by Matt Clarke
On January 27, 2009, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld a trial court’s denial of a motion for judgment nonwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) or a new trial in a case that resulted in a ...
Nevada Ramps Up Prisoner Deportations – Even Those Ineligible for Early Release
by Matt Clarke
In an attempt to reduce prison overcrowding and save money, Nevada has expanded its efforts to deport incarcerated non-citizens, including those not eligible for early release.
Nevada began its deportation program in 2007 when 100 ...
by Matt Clarke
Texas has 112 prisons and employs 23,700 guards – which is 2,600 shy of the number authorized by the state legislature. The shortage of prison staff is not new and neither is the state’s use of non-citizens as guards. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has ...
Madoff Fraud Bankrupts JEHT Foundation, Hurts Criminal Justice Reform Efforts
by Matt Clarke
Wall Street mogul Bernard Madoff’s $50 billion Ponzi scheme has led to the closure of a New York-based charity devoted to reducing the booming prison population while maintaining public safety. The Justice, Equality, Human dignity and Tolerance ...
Michigan DOC Rehabilitation Programs Emphasize Education, Reentry Support
by Matt Clarke
In 1998, Michigan passed a law requiring most prisoners without a high school diploma to earn a GED before being released on parole. That law has since been copied by other states, but most merely purport to give enhanced ...
State Auditor: Texas Prisoners Face Retaliation for Airing Grievances
by Matt Clarke
In September 2008, the Texas State Auditor released a report on the investigation and resolution of complaints in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The report found that while grievance administrators filled out investigation forms properly and ...
