President Obama is about to be the first ever sitting president to visit a federal prison. During his visit to the El Reno prison in Oklahoma next week, he will take part in Vice’s documentary on the American criminal justice system. Obama has said that his next move in his agenda is to tackle criminal justice reform. The New York Times has reported that the president plans to commute the sentence of dozens of federal prisoners in jail for non-violent drug offenses next week. Do you agree with Obama's decision to reduce these sentences as the first part of his criminal justice reform?
Marco Rubio has called for dismantling the “cartel of existing colleges and universities." Do you agree?
Senator Marco Rubio addressed the burden of student debt that has stymied the path of many college graduates in his speech on Tuesday. Outlining his vision for the American economy, Rubio said, “We do not need timid tweaks to the old system; we need a holistic overhaul.” His plan for college and university education included two proposals that would make student loans more affordable. He first proposed an income-based payment system that would allow graduates to pay back their creditors at a rate suitable for their levels of earnings. His second idea was to allow a relationship between investors and students. Investors would pay for the students’ tuition, and in return, receive a percentage of the students’ salary for a few years after they graduate. What do you think about Rubio’s economic plan for higher education?
Is closing down youth prisons the next big idea for justice reform?
President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation Patrick McCarthy has asked states to consider closing down their youth prisons. In his TEDx talk, he spoke of the detrimental effects these prisons have on young people. McCarthy said states can produce better outcomes for young people who get into trouble with the law, and they should commit to three things: First, decrease the number of youth going into juvenile systems by half; second, improve existing systems by expanding community-based and family-centered programs proven to help kids who have the most serious problems; and third, eliminate all publicly operated and contracted youth prisons and instead use small, treatment-intensive secure care programs. He believes that youth prisons are inherently flawed and speaks against a model heavy on isolation, restraints, and excessive force by staff. McCarthy implores states to close down these prisons and offers the support of his foundation in any such endeavors. Do you think McCarthy has the right idea?
For more info: http://www.aecf.org/blog/annie-e-casey-foundation-ceo-calls-for-states-to-close-youth-prisons/