While we were SCOTUSing: rounding up some non-Supreme Court sentencing stories
I have been pretty consumed the last couple weeks just trying to keep up with all the notable criminal justice stories surrounding the end of the Supreme Court’s Term. But the criminal justice system keep chugging on elsewhere, and here is a partial round-up of some stories and commentaries from the last few weeks that seemed worth flagging:
From the AP, “Child rapists can be sentenced to death in Tennessee starting July 1“
From the AP, “Hearing set to determine if a Missouri death row inmate is innocent. His execution is a month later“
From Capital B, “The Growing Crisis of Heatwave Deaths in America’s Prisons“
From the Carolina Journal, “NC Chamber polling says voters want criminal justice reforms“
From CBS News, “Biden pardons LGBTQ+ service members convicted for sexual orientation“
From The Guardian, “Will it stay or will it go? California voters decide fate of ‘momentous’ criminal justice law“
From NPR, “What to know about Louisiana’s new surgical castration law“
From the Providence Journal, “‘Time to release him’: RI Supreme Court rules Mario’s Law applies to its namesake.“
From Radio IQ, “Virginia Sentencing Commission debates ‘possibly unconstitutional’ post-release system“
From Reason.com, “Republicans Upset by Trump’s Conviction Should Embrace Criminal Justice Reform“
From the Salem Reporter, “Governor revokes over 20 commuted prison sentences from Salem area“
From the San Diego Union-Tribune, “As homicides plummet, experts look to the pandemic for answers“
From the Seattle Times, “After reforms, racial inequity in WA 3-strikes law remains, report finds“
From the Tallahassee Democrat, “After a flurry of executions during his presidential campaign, DeSantis now pauses“
From the Tennessee Lookout, “How CoreCivic stands to benefit as Tennessee pushes harsher prison sentences“
From WFTS (Tamba Bay), “Pay to stay: State law charging inmates for prison cells being applied differently from county to county“