Find
Civil Liberties
We'll be writing up something soon. Be sure to check out Dispatches on this issue as well as other resources in the sidebar. You can also use the issue menu to the right to navigate to related issues.
From the Dispatch
-
“The Good Example”: The Story Behind Connecticut’s New “Ban the Box” Law
Aug 05, 2010
A recent GritTV segment featured Connecticut’s enactment of a law (HB 1570) to protect the civil rights of ex-prisoners and reduce recidivism (repeat offenses) by prohibiting inquiries into the criminal backgrounds of people applying for jobs with the state until an applicant is determined qualified for the position. -
Supreme Court 2009-2010: Pro-Corporate, But Continued Trend Towards Deferral to State Authority
Jun 29, 2010
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ended its term with a bang with a ruling in McDonald v. City of Chicago that state gun control regulations can be struck down by federal courts based on the Second Amendment. While the number and scale of blockbuster decisions was not so high this session, the singular impact of the Citizens United case earlier in the term unleashing unregulated corporate money on elections, combined with the dangerous implications of the Rent-A-Center, West v. Jackson arbitration decision, emphasizes the pro-corporate bias the Supreme Court has increasingly exercised in recent years. -
Protecting the Unemployed from Abusive Credit Inquiries
Aug 13, 2009
As the economic downturn progresses, American workers are facing a disturbing rise in employers using credit ratings to determine job worthiness. According to a 2006 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, the number of firms using credit histories to screen applicants rose from 25% in 1998 to 43% despite such inquiries often being discriminatory and even illegal. -
The Supreme Court and the States 2008-2009: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term
Jul 14, 2009
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.
- 1 of 2
- ››