“We Are Witnesses”

The impact of America’s punishment policies is often measured in numbers: there are now 2.2 million people in our jails and prisons; one in a hundred and fifteen adults is confined behind bars; our inmate population is four times larger than it was in 1980. “We Are Witnesses,” a collection of short videos, offers a

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National Take Back Drugs Day

This Saturday, October 28, 2017, the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends,

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A Year-and-a-Day for an Escape

PITTSBURGH -A former Fayette County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day of imprisonment on her conviction of escaping from federal custody following a prior federal felony conviction, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today. United States District

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U.S. Sentencing Commission Publishes New Report on Drug Mandatory Minimums

mandatory minimum, sentencing, commission

Earlier today, the U.S. Sentencing Commission published an updated report on mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenders.  The comprehensive report surveys recent sentencing trends for drug offenders subject to mandatory minimum penalties, as well as the impact such penalties have had on the Bureau of Prisons’ inmate population.  Among the key findings was the impact

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