From the Dispatch

The Supreme Court and the States: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term

Nathan Newman — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:41:02 -0700

Whether out of circumstance or an emerging trend, where state authority was at issue, this term the U.S. Supreme Court overwhelmingly deferred to state decision makers-- a significant reveral from last year.

New Jersey Looks to Abolish Death Penalty

J. Mijin Cha — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

This week, the New Jersey Senate voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, moving closer to becoming the first state to do so since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated it in 1976. The bill now moves to the Assembly, where it is expected to pass, and Governor Corzine, a staunch opponent of the death penalty, has said he would sign the measure into law.

IN: Prison Riots and Privatization

Nathan Newman — Thu, 03 May 2007 05:54:02 -0700

Take 1200 prisoners from Arizona, hire Indiana at $64 per day to house them, then ship them 1500 miles from home and loved ones to a private prison in New Castle, Indiana run by the GEO Group, a private prison company that has been repeatedly cited for substandard conditions. When a riot among 500 prisoners broke out last week, with prisoners taking over the facility for two hours, it was hardly surprising to observers.