HEALTH & JUSTICE IN THE NEWS
Date: October 24, 2016
Around the Nation
Why It Matters: Opioid epidemic
The Associated Press, 8/17/16
This story is part of AP's "Why It Matters" series, which will examine three dozen issues at stake in the presidential election. More Americans are dying from opioids than at any time in recent history, with overdose deaths hitting a peak of 28,000 in 2014. That amounts to 78 Americans dying from an opioid overdose every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 2.4 million Americans were addicted to synthetic pain relievers or heroin in 2014, according to the latest federal survey on drug use and health. And that number excludes the millions more - family members, first responders, taxpayers - who feel the ripple effects of addiction in their daily lives.
MATx Mobile App to Support Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
SAMHSA, 10/24/16
SAMHSA has released MATx, a mobile app, to empower health care practitioners to provide effective, evidence-based care for opioid use disorder. This free mobile app supports practitioners who currently provide medication-assisted treatment, as well as those who plan to do so in the future.
Insurer Cigna eases rules for opioid addiction medication
ABC News | AP, 10/21/16
The health insurer Cigna has agreed to end a policy that required physicians to fill out extra paperwork before they could give patients a drug used to treat opioid addiction. In a statement, the Bloomfield, Connecticut-based insurer says the change will make it easier for customers to get medications they need and is part of the company's broader effort to reduce opioid abuse by its customers.
Pinellas County, FL sheriff leads effort for second chance program
Tampa Bay Times, 8/5/16
Law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County have partnered to launch one of the largest criminal justice reforms in Tampa Bay's recent history. Led by Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the initiative will help adults who commit low-level crimes avoid a criminal record that could make it difficult to later find a job or housing. Instead of going to jail, they'll be required to complete community service, plus counseling or drug treatment. No fines or court costs are involved. Many diversion programs focus on intervening in a person's case after they've been charged, but few across the country, like Pinellas' plan, focus on preventing an arrest altogether. The closest one to Tampa Bay that has been launched is in Tallahassee. About 1,200 people have completed the program since its inception three years ago, said Greg Frost, president of the Civil Citation Network, a nonprofit that works closely with Leon County's initiative. As of last August, only 6 percent had committed another crime. "By doing this at the very first point of contact with law enforcement, we're able to really get people the assistance that they need," Frost said.
Around Illinois
Law Enforcement, Lawmakers Work to Stop Illinois Heroin Epidemic (video)
Fox Illinois, 10/21/16
On Friday, central Illinois law enforcement and lawmakers gathered to discuss the opioid epidemic and strategies to address the problem. One attendee, Anthony Kestner, runs a state undercover narcotics task force. He said the best way to fight drugs is to work with physicians and lawmakers.
New Program to Stem Chicago's Violence Epidemic Starts in Jail
Chicago Tonight | WTTW, 10/20/16
A new effort to stem Chicago's violence epidemic is starting in an interesting place: the Cook County Jail. For months, the jail has been quietly testing out a pilot program called the Sheriff's Anti-Violence Effort, or SAVE. The idea: to intervene in the lives of young men who aren't necessarily violent, but come from violent communities in order to prevent them from returning to jail after their release.
Research, Reports, and Studies
Americans' Views Shift on Toughness of Justice System
Gallup, 10/20/16
Americans' views about the toughness of the criminal justice system have clearly shifted in recent decades, with less than a majority now saying the system is "not tough enough" and more Americans describing it as "about right" or "too tough." Although more than in the past believe the system is overly tough, this view is still held by a relatively small minority. U.S. adults are much more likely, however, to describe drug crime sentencing guidelines as "too tough" compared with their opinions of the system's handling of overall crime, and this is the case among differing racial and political party groups. Reform of drug-related sentencing may be a more agreeable point for larger discussions of criminal justice reform.
New Report on Justice Spending
The Crime Report, 10/20/16
Three advocacy groups issued a report arguing that misguided criminal justice policies wasted $3.4 trillion over three decades that could have been used to address the root causes of crime and meet critical community needs. The report was compiled by Communities United, Make the Road New York, and Padres & Jóvenes Unidos. It analyzes U.S. investments in police, prisons, jails, prosecutors, and immigration enforcement. The report says that between 1982 to 2012, the U.S. increased spending on the justice system from $90 billion annually to nearly $297 billion, a 229 percent increase.
Report:
"The $3.4 Trillion Mistake: The Cost of Mass Incarceration and Criminalization, and How Justice Reinvestment Can Build a Better Future for All" (Communities United, Make the Road New York, and Padres & Jóvenes Unidos): http://www.reinvest4justice.org/report
Black Women With Criminal Records Have A Harder Time Than Their White Peers Finding Housing In D.C.
The Huffington Post, 10/18/16
Black women with criminal records are treated less favorably than their white counterparts while looking for housing in D.C., according to a new report from the Equal Rights Center released Tuesday. Housing providers favored white female applicants with criminal records in 47 percent of tests conducted by ERC, while 11 percent of tests found favor toward black applicants. Forty-two percent of tests found no differential treatment between applicants. Twenty-eight percent of tests discovered screening policies that may not align with those in the Fair Housing Act, the group says.
Youth
The Case for Rebuilding America's Juvenile Justice System
The Annie E. Casey Foundation Blog, 10/20/16
Liz Ryan directs Youth First, a national advocacy campaign to end the incarceration of young people by closing youth prisons and investing instead in community-based alternatives. Casey's Lisa Hamilton recently spoke to Ryan about what's wrong with America's prevailing juvenile justice system, what a better system looks like, and how we can help states end their reliance on youth prisons and incarcerating kids.
Opinions, Editorials, and Commentary
Bryant Jackson-Green: Overcrowded Prisons and Overdue Criminal Justice Reform
Roll Call, 10/21/16
The Illinois Policy Institute has highlighted that our state has one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country. But studies have shown that states can lower incarceration rates while lowering crime rates. In fact, 30 states have incarceration rates that are dropping while their crime rates continue to go down as well. Public polling shows this is a winning issue politically on both sides of the aisle... Illinois has made some modest progress by passing occupational licensing changes... Other commonsense measures have passed since Rauner announced his goal to reduce the prison population by 25 percent by 2025. In the last two years, besides removing occupational licensing barriers, the legislature passed a bill creating civil penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana, removed expungement fees in our largest county and restricted juvenile transfer to adult prisons. More significant sentencing reforms are expected next year. But there's also much more that needs to be done at the state and federal level.
