R Street Institute’s Post

#Race, #Policing and #CriminalJustice in #Memphis #Tennessee, what a fascinating evolution of this #CivilRights issue. As a #SocialJustice advocate involved since the 1960s in #CivilRights, including as #VP of the #CampusDemocrats at U of #Illinois 1966-67 and decades later on the Boards of Directors in #Delaware for Criminal Justice-reform groups #StandUpForWhatsRightAndJust (#SURJ) and the #DelawareCenterForJustice (#DCJ), I've also been a lifelong #RuleOfLaw advocate whose experience included #VietnamEra #USArmyCounterIntelligence-supported "#RaceRiot" (as called in the 1960s) disorder management. Certainly this is a Painful Issue on introspection. #Crime -- including Rapes, Robberies and Murders -- in one economically-depressed area of towns deserves heightened attention from #LawEnforcement, and the #Citizens / #Taxpayers who live in those areas share rights with others who live in "better areas" to live safely and crime-free. #Government exists to do for its #Stakeholders what they cannot do for themselves, and among those functions historically have been #PublicSafety, #Security, #BorderSecurity from #Invasion and #Attack and Usurpation, and more. #BigGovernment has gotten bigger, much bigger, but as "the #SocialCompact" frays in its critical assumptions, support for those #BigGovernment assumptions seems undermined. This is not a political story, rather it's a factual story about the #Political Manifestation of Issues Management.

The “Defund The Police” is a failed experiment that anti-police activists, “progressive” politicians, and so called scholars can not let go. This agenda, based on lies, falsehoods, misleading statistics, and progressive fairy-tales, has done nothing but decrease the safety of City’s that followed the asinine movement, deprive their community members of efficient and effective Law Enforcement Services, and empower/embolden criminals. #police #policeofficer #officers #officers #lawenforcement #lawenforcementofficer #sheriff #policechief #deputy #fbi #criminallaw #law #crime #criminials #copscountpolicematter #policematter #policingmatters #publicsafety #communitysafety #accountability #criminaljustice #court #districtattorney #prosecutor #prosecutors #cop #cops #policemen #backtheblue International Association of Chiefs of Police Police Executive Research Forum Major Cities Chiefs Association FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) FBI National Academy National Police Chiefs' Council National Policing Institute National Police Association National Sheriffs' Association California Police Chiefs Association California College and University Police Chiefs’ Association California State Sheriffs Association National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives Fox News TV Fox News Media Police1 American Police Beat Law Enforcement Today American Police Hall of Fame & Museum TEEX - Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services PORAC (Peace Officers Research Association of California) California Peace Officers' Association https://lnkd.in/gBCBHQrg

Two important investigations have been published by Deep South Today newsrooms in the last week: Verite News New Orleans examined a new law that was meant to target teen violence and found that 17 year-olds are being charged as adults for lesser offenses. Louisiana lawmakers lowered the age from 18 to curb teen violence, but nearly 70% of the 17-year-olds arrested in the state’s three largest parishes aren’t accused of violent crimes. These arrests come with consequences that could follow them for years, and, many experts say, make them more likely to reoffend. You can read the article at: https://lnkd.in/gCxXh2Gp A new Mississippi Today investigation reveals that more than $7 million in state taxpayer funds have improved the private country club neighborhood and golf course where Rep. Trey Lamar, one of Mississippi’s most powerful lawmakers, lives. Taxpayers are also footing the bill for another state-funded project that will repave a quiet Jackson street where Lamar also owns a house. The series of articles is available at: https://lnkd.in/gZb9E8QF

For the 20% of Black men who say they’re supporting Trump, please know that he wants to reverse all the efforts at police reform in Minneapolis and across the country. As we were remembering George Floyd on the fourth anniversary of his murder, The Atlantic released Ron Brownstein’s scary piece about Trump pledging to stop efforts at police reform, resulting in more arrests of young Black and Brown people. Trump wants to send the National Guard into high crime areas even if the state’s Governor opposes the move. And to top it off, Trump is calling for mass deportations. Here are two key paragraphs: “Even as Donald Trump relies on unprecedented support from Black and Latino voters, he is embracing policies that would expose their communities to much greater police surveillance and enforcement. The policies that Trump is pledging to implement around crime and policing in a second presidential term would reverse the broad trend of police reform that accelerated after the murder of George Floyd, four years ago today. “Trump has endorsed a suite of proposals that would provide cities with more funds to hire police officers; pressure officials in major cities to employ more aggressive policing tactics, such as “stop and frisk,” in high-crime neighborhoods; and strengthen legal protection for law-enforcement officers accused of misconduct.” Please share this wake-up call widely. https://lnkd.in/gcFFTfWz

After too many years of “reforms” by activists and “progressive” politicians, California’s Criminal Justice System is in shambles. However, the California Safer Communities initiative is a step in the right direction. This initiative would rollback parts of the failed Prop. 47 and start holding thieves and drug dealers accountable for their criminal actions. Hopefully this initiative, with 900,000 signatures, gets on the ballot and gets passed. Common sense needs to return to the Criminal Justice System and the Criminal Justice System needs to return to its mission of protecting the rights of law abiding citizens and victims and not those of criminals. All Law Enforcement Leaders should be speaking out loudly in favor of the California Safer Communities initiative. #police #policeofficer #officer #lawenforcement #lawenforcementofficer #policedepartment #policechief #cops #cop #sheriff #deputy #prosecution #prosecutor #prosecutors #criminaljustice #crimnallaw #crimnaljusticesystem #law #communitysafety #publicsatey #brokenwindows #copscountpolicematter #policematter #policingmatters #safestreets #commonsense #safety #criminals #crimes #districtattorny #accountability #consequences FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) National Police Association National Police Chiefs' Council Police Strategy Forum California Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Today TEEX - Institute for Law Enforcement and Protective Services International Association of Chiefs of Police FBI National Academy Police Executive Research Forum Police1 CA Commission on POST American Police Beat PORAC (Peace Officers Research Association of California) Southern Police Institute American Security Today National Policing Institute https://lnkd.in/gud5bW7P

Criminal records from childhood can create life-long barriers, often regardless of the original offence. 👇 This article highlights some of these cases. We're holding a roundtable of people from the criminal justice and children & young people sectors in September, focused on developing proposals for a new system for dealing with childhood criminal records. https://lnkd.in/ePxKiCUj

This topic is so heavily politicized that many will dismiss it out of hand, but this is the perfect example of the age-old two-tiered justice system: for the poor, any small crime deserves the harshest punishment, but for the rich, any massive crime shouldn't be illegal, or if it is, it should just be ignored. Jump a subway turnstile, download copywritten music or video, steal diapers for your infant, steal a loaf of bread because you're hungry: harsh fines and/or time in jail or prison. Les Misérables popularized that timeless truth for many. But steal millions or billions from taxpayers, collapse the economy of a country, or cause an international crisis: it's either legal because buying lawmakers through "campaign donations" wrote the laws, or it's ignored because the crimes are "too complex to understand and too expensive and time-consuming to prosecute". That's not even getting into the two-tiered nature of legal defense where the poor get an overworked public defender if they're lucky and the rich get a high-payed, high-powered legal team that delays proceedings for years through one "legal maneuver" after another. If the rich are held accountable, it's almost always a slap on the wrist financial penalty for a fraction of the money they stole: a fine of millions for a crime that made them billions. If they do go to prison, it's one that's described as a "country club". Their freedom of movement is restricted, but they live well and some use the time to improve their health, in sharp contrast to overcrowded hell-holes the poor go to that lack even basic amenities such as air conditioning in hot climates and seasons. Do the poor get away with crimes both small (petty theft) and great (murder), and are the rich occasionally held accountable for their wrong-doings (Elizabeth Holmes and Sam Bankman-Fried)? Of course. It's the percentage of times and the scale of the injustice that is galling. Creating a bubble that bursts and causes a global recession that lasts for years and harms billions of people around the world should be economic terrorism and punished accordingly with lengthy prison sentences in real prisons and forfeiture of all possessions and assets, not a shrug of societies' collective shoulders and asking when the next one will occur. All crimes should be prosecuted and punished proportionately to the harm they cause. Nothing harmful should be legal, no crimes should be ignored, and no one should get disadvantageous or preferential treatment based on their social class or financial worth. #financialcrime #lawandorder #justiceforall #whitecollarcrime

Fueled by public outrage over the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and other high-profile incidents of police violence, a seismic shift swept across the United States shortly afterward, with a wave of initiatives aimed at reining in police powers and reimagining criminal-legal systems. Yet less than half a decade later, political leaders from coast to coast are embracing a return to “tough-on-crime” policies, often undoing the changes of recent years. This resurgence is most palpable in the nation’s major urban centers, traditionally bastions of progressive politics. San Francisco voters earlier this month approved ballot initiatives that would require drug screenings for welfare recipients and would loosen restrictions on police operations. The District of Columbia, too, has pivoted toward a harder stance on crime, with its mayor signing into law a sweeping package that toughens penalties for gun crimes, establishes drug-free zones and allows police to collect DNA from suspects before a conviction. Note - The above content was taken directly from the posted article with no edits.

**WAKEUP CALL FOR ALL AMERICANS** Many (but not all) people, regardless of where they live or their political perspective or lack thereof, can see some very disturbing changes happening in the US. One of the things that concerns people is the trend towards lawlessness and against law and order. Criminals go free while law-abiding citizens -and those in law enforcement are hamstrung and punished. The reason for this is a diabolical strategy to overturn the Constitution, ignore laws and destroy our nation. It has been underway for decades, and started at the very highest levels of our government. **This article from Imprimis explains and provides names, details, facts, data and history of how 'rogue #prosecutors' are making it happen.** https://lnkd.in/dg-iPQuW Despite what we are being told about it, the reality is that homicides, non-fatal shootings, aggravated assault while armed with a handgun, retail thefts and auto theft are on the increase. HERE'S MY POINT. We tend to get the government we elect. So, if we do not stay involved, informed and vigilant about issues and candidates, bad things will happen. And many people actually want that to happen. They see chaos as an opportunity to gain more control and power, which they will abuse. I am NOT one of them. Please read, consider and share this with your network and friends. We are living in very dangerous times, but all is not lost IF good people will act.

This spring, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee reversed a series of reforms implemented by the city of Memphis after members of its police force killed Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop in 2023. The governor’s decision is a mistake. For the past 15 months, Vera has partnered with local community researchers and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s office to examine what the people of Memphis need to build safe and thriving communities. One prominent trend emerged from the data: More than half of the people talked about traffic stops and nearly every story was traumatic. District Attorney Mulroy is committed to changing this. In 2023, his office reduced the number of prosecutions for traffic stops by 65% compared to 2017. Though #Tennessee has rolled back progress on ending low-level traffic stops, the research findings in Shelby County and the success of similar policy changes nationwide emphasize the need to follow research and common sense, not scare tactics. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e9eCrH_j