Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't and What's Promising

Here's a link to a report organized and funded by the Department of Justice in which a number of criminologists discuss the latest research on crime prevention.  There might be some useful information in here for how New Orleans might deal with the problem of violent crime.  Keeping in mind the root causes of violent crime which are located in entrenched, sustained poverty and racism and social isolation (and the long term, fundamental solutions that this requires--i.e., jobs, schools, mental health), this report might offer some ideas on more immediate solutions.

Chapter 8 of the report focuses on police.  Changes in policing is often one of the more immediate moves that municipalities can make.  While it doesn't address the root causes of violent behavior, the report suggests that measured, strategically located community policing can have some effect on violent behavior. I offer an excerpt below:

2012 State of the Union Address

Here's a 5 minute summary video of President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address (thanks to TalkingPointsMemo).

Interview with Michelle Alexander: Author of The New Jim Crow

Here's an interview with Michelle Alexander on Fresh Air.  She recently wrote a book called "The New Jim Crow" in which she discusses the way the U.S. uses it's criminal justice system to continue controlling people of color, particularly African American men.   She offers a detailed and insightful critique of the War on Drugs and how it's impacted poor, urban communities of color, and the consequences of this for future trajectories.  She links this to past systems of control and as a conservative outgrowth of the Civil Rights movement and the GOP's "Southern Strategy."

Does Corporate Cash Explain the Networks' Silence on SOPA?

There are a number of FCC policy issues that every independent blogger should be aware of.  Net Neutrality and the Stop Online Piracy Act are two of them. Rulings on both of these will affect access to online information, downloading speeds, and the ability of others to get to our blogs and read what we have to say.  Below, I post a story from SaveTheInternet.com which is related to the policy site FreePress.net.  I suggest check out FreePress.net.  They're on the ball when it comes to the latest policy issues and how they'll impact and open, fair, and equal web.

From Save the Internet.com  Click Here to go to the original.

Earlier this week we pointed to a Media Matters for America study showing that most of the major networks — ABC, CBS, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC — have failed to cover opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

RIP Austerity Economics

Here's a really good analysis of Austerity economic philosophy, including its roots, it's supporters, how it's been implemented in both western European countries and as a condition of IMF and World Bank loans, and what it's done to these countries.

This is the time of year when we're reminded of all the famous people who died over the last twelve months, a list which includes two of my favorite guitar players (Hubert Sumlin and Cornell Dupree). But there were also some notable non-human deaths in 2011, especially in the world of economic policy.

One of those deaths should have completely altered the political debate in Washington. The name of the deceased was "Austerity Economics," and it was first glimpsed in a 1921 paper by conservative economist Frank Wright. Austerity died of natural causes brought on by prolonged exposure to reality.

But the debate in Washington didn't change nearly enough after its passing. In the nation's capital, dead things still rule the night.

Thanks to Richard Eskow at Crooks & Liars (click here for the whole article)

A Welcome Home Kiss

A welcome home kiss, from TPM

Sheriff’s Office special taxing district to hold hearing on 2012 budget

Courtesy of Matt Davis at The Lens:

 Friday, December 16 at 3pm at Sheriff Gusman's offices at 619 S. Broad Street.

A little-scrutinized but powerful government body run by Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is holding a public hearing on its budget on Friday, though scant information on the budget has been made available.

The organization is the taxpayer financed Orleans Parish Law Enforcement District.

By law, the district’s budget must be available 10 days in advance of the hearing for the review, but it’s unclear whether the document given to The Lens is the right budget.

The district primarily exists to borrow and pay back money used for bricks-and-mortar projects, and a page included with the Sheriff’s Office budget is entitled “Debt Service Fund.” The Lens asked the Sheriff’s Office to verify that this is the Law Enforcement District budget but received no response.

Click Here to be taken to the original report.