Prison Policy Initiative: Criminal Justice Research Clearinghouse. Updates for Sept. 23, 2014

Does Immigration Enforcement Reduce Crime? Evidence from "Secure Communities"California Prison Downsizing and Its Impact on Local Criminal Justice SystemsAging Behind Bars: Trends and Implications of Graying Prisoners in the Federal Prison SystemAdventures in Risk: Predicting Violent and Sexual Recidivism in Sentencing Law The Effect of Collateral Consequence Laws on State Rates of Returns to Prison  And more...  

There Has Been An Average Of One School Shooting Every Other School Day So Far This Year

The tragic pace of school shootings continues unabated for another week. On January 28, authorities responded to reports of shots being fired at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu Hawaii at around 8:30am HST (1:30pm EST). One student was shot in the wrist and transported to a local hospital and is listed in serious condition, and police say they have a suspect in custody. The school was placed on lockdown immediately, and students were sent home shortly after the situation had been resolved.
This brings the total number of school shootings to nine in just 18 school days so far this year.

Last year was supposed to be a year of action to curb gun violence in our schools. But three weeks into the new year, statistics suggest that the problem could actually be worsening.

Read on...

School Shooting in Ohio Leads to Call for More Guns in Schools

“This morning a gunman opened fire inside Chardon High School’s cafeteria, killing one student and wounding four others.”
USA Today February 27, 2012

As is the standard practice these days it’s a chance for the “guns everywhere” crowd to race to media sites and instantly shoot down the dreaded strawman: Gun Control.

They will attack any suggestions for things to be done differently — with the exception of providing more guns in the schools. Other comments will claim the problem was removing God from the public schools, praying for the families and admonishing people who suggest changing anything to have the decency to wait, “until the bodies are cold.” Sometimes they attack “anti-gunners” telling them that it’s an “inappropriate time to exploit a tragedy.”

This preemptive rush to deny people a chance to talk about making changes is an acknowledgement that this event is their most vulnerable time. They know that when emotions run high is exactly the time when change can take place. They also know that the media won’t do anything beyond their standard, “views differ on the shape of the world and the truth lies somewhere in the middle” stories.

The Guns Everywhere folks are still smarting from the time Ronald Reagan and James Brady were shot and some changes were actually made. But they have learned their lesson. No gun show loophole laws in Arizona were closed after the Gabby Gifford shooting.

Read on...