A new movement called The Prison Reform Project has officially launched to help publicize and bring national attention to the thousands of innocent Black prisoners who have been wrongfully convicted.
BBC News
By Holly Honderich
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image captionUS police kill more people while on the job than officers in most other developed countries
Since the April conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, police officers in the US have killed at least 83 civilians, almost two per day.
On duty officers in the US kill civilians at a rate of 33.5 people per 10 million annually, according to advocacy group Prison Policy - a higher rate than most wealthy nations.
More police are killed on the job in the US as well, due in part to the proliferation of guns. In 2020, 42 police officers were fatally shot while on duty, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Resentencing Laws To Cut Terms Gain Momentum Across US By
Sarah Martinson | May 16, 2021, 8:02 PM EDT More lawmakers and prosecutors are considering resentencing laws to decrease mass incarceration and address the over imprisonment of people of color, recognizing that extremely long sentences don t deter crime and disproportionately target minorities, according to a recent report.
The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit research organization that aims to improve the U.S. criminal justice system and reduce the prison population, reported that 25 states, including California, New York and Illinois, are considering so-called second look laws that give convicts the chance to have their sentences reduced after they have served a certain number of years.
A cell block control plan repurposed for film production is labeled for ease of use within the Special Housing Unit at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Jimmy Pilinci, studio and grounds manager, stands beside a soundstage under construction at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
A gymnasium repurposed to be a soundstage complete with sound-proofed walls and flooring is shown at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted or raped and the likelihood is 12 times greater for females.
Melissa Van Hook chairs the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. During a Zoom call with educators, she talked about the challenges facing these families. What was discovered was that individuals and families are not receiving the information they needed to be safe as possible, she said. What makes things even harder for these families is that when some kids with disabilities get into their teen years, families feel like they re walking in the dark. They re struggling with balancing their wants, their loved ones needs for dating, and relationships, with also being over protective, at the same time that their youth are trying to seek some autonomy.