Criminal (In)justice

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Bonus: Supreme Court Session Preview Oct 25, 2021

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Dave previews some of the big cases coming before the U.S. Supreme Court this session -- first with Kevin Gavin on 90.5 WESA's "The Confluence," then continuing with extra podcast-only analysis of cases not covered in the segment.

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#145 Public Defense and Criminal Justice Reform Oct 19, 2021

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We know that every part of the criminal justice system needs transformational change. We’ve heard this about police, prosecution, the courts, and prisons. But what about public defense systems?

We talk to Jonathan Rapping, founder and president of Gideon’s Promise, a national organization supporting public defenders, and the author of “Gideon’s Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice,” (Beacon Press, 2020).

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Bonus: What's Behind Rising Murder Rates? Oct 16, 2021

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While crime remains down overall, over the last year we've seen a startling spike in the U.S. murder rate. What's going on?

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#144 To Blame or to Learn? Sentinel Event Reviews of Police Action Oct 05, 2021

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When something goes catastrophically wrong with a police action, we ask whose fault it was. Who made the mistake? Focusing on who’s to blame is a key question for justice. But what if we want to prevent similar errors going forward? How do we fix the system that allowed the mistake to happen?

We look at root cause analysis in the Criminal justice system with three people who were part of a Sentinel Event Review Board in Tucson, AZ.

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#143 Alternatives to Police Response: Denver’s STAR Program Sep 21, 2021

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As the country looks for better alternatives to police for people in crisis, Eugene, Oregon’s CAHOOTS is the model. So what happens when a much bigger city tries this approach?

In this episode, we talk to Colorado Public Radio journalist David Sachs, who has been reporting on the STAR program, in Denver – an attempt to do for his city what CAHOOTS did for much smaller Eugene. His work on STAR has been heard on NPR, and has been published in Denverite.

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Read This: The Opposite of Accountability Sep 16, 2021

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A pair of articles in USA Today (paywall) and the New York Times raises the question: do police officers face any real consequences for making false statements to cover up criminal abuse?

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#142 Public Safety Alternatives: CAHOOTS Sep 07, 2021

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When people experience a mental health crisis or homelessness, the best person to help may not be a uniformed and armed police officer. So, who ya gonna call? We talk to journalist Rowan Moore Gerety, who has investigated the CAHOOTS program, in Eugene, Oregon. His story, “An Alternative to Police That Police Can Get Behind,” was published in The Atlantic.

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#107 Bleeding Out (reprise) Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Criminal Injustice returns with new episodes in September 2021. Until then, we're reposting some of our favorite interviews. This episode originally appeared September 17, 2019.

Urban violence kills thousands of Americans every year. It accounts for almost three quarters of the murders in the U.S., and it traps a huge number of people in poverty, blight, trauma and despair. What if there was a way cut murderous urban violence – by half?

Guest Thomas Abt says it can be done with the tools we have now. He’s the author of “Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence – and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets.”

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Bonus: Is Congressman Mo Brooks the dumbest lawyer in America? Aug 28, 2021

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Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is suing his chambermate, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), over the latter's participation in the January 6 rally that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Brooks's defense is... not great.

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#135 A Break in Belonging (reprise) Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Criminal Injustice returns with new episodes in September 2021. Until then, we're reposting some of our favorite interviews. This episode originally appeared April 27, 2021.

When someone goes to prison, it can destroy the family left behind – and even more so when no one really knows what happened. But then, what does the family do years later, when that family member returns?

Our guest, filmmaker Shirley Vernae Williams, tells us the story of Pastor Martin Thomas: the murder he committed, and his quest to make his life worthwhile, after he returns from prison.

Trailer: A Break In Belonging

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