New UNC Senator laments tragedy of T&T prison system

from Jai Parasram's blog:

Opposition Senator Verna St Rose Greaves made an emotional appeal to government Tuesday to improve prison conditions in Trinidad and Tobago as part of a strategy for dealing with crime.

In her maiden speech in the Upper House, St Rose Greaves spoke about the country's high crime rate and in particular the recent murder of four members of one family.

“When they rolled those four coffins out, it rocked me to my core. So if I cry, I apologise, but I cry for the nation as we have ignored our responsibilities,” St Rose Greaves said in her contribution to the debate on the Prison Amendment Bill.

Mar 23, 2010 Limitations, Potential, Region: North America and Caribbean, Prison

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Restorative justice stops fights, keeps kids in schools

from Nelson Garcia's article on 9News.com:

Juan Salazar used to be one of those students who got into trouble for fighting at North High School. Now he uses words instead of fists.

"If someone bumped into me, I started saying something," Salazar, a senior, said. "It always led to a fight."

It also always led to a suspension.

Mar 10, 2010 Story, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA

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What role should crime victims play in plea bargains?

from Scott Hensen's entry at Grits for Breakfast:

Prosecutors represent the state, not crime victims, and they're charged with seeking justice, not convictions. But the Houston Press published a feature questioning whether prosecutors should be required to notify crime victims or get their sign-off before entering into a plea deal. The Harris County DA's Office says "There is no obligation to give advance notice to all victims of plea bargains," a policy which has the Mayor's crime victim advocate Andy Kahan hopping mad.

Mar 03, 2010 Victim, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA, System

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