Looking for clues when buildings go bad - Boston.com
"Bullet fragments, bloodstains, and DNA are clues for crime investigators. But for construction forensics specialists like Von Salmi, a bit of mold or a rotten baseboard provides the telltale signs.
Salmi, of Von Salmi & Associates in Westminster, is on the trail of sloppy or incompetent contractors, trying to determine why a homeowner is facing catastrophic failures — such as roofing problems — after buying a new home or completing a renovation.
One of his most unusual cases involved $1 million worth of landscaping that shriveled a month after it was installed at a large coastal home. No one could pinpoint the cause. But Salmi, a former building contractor, ultimately discovered the culprit: saltwater in the well."
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Expert Panel: Weighing The Value Of A Test For Psychopaths : NPR
Expert Panel: Weighing The Value Of A Test For Psychopaths : NPR
"Many psychologists believe that psychopaths are almost bound by nature to commit crime. So if psychopaths can be accurately identified, their menace to society can be contained. That's the hope, at least.
But there is real debate about how to diagnose a psychopath and the usefulness of the tools available to do it. A test developed by psychologist Robert Hare called the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, or PCL-R, is widely used in the criminal justice system -- before trial, during sentencing and even in parole and death-penalty decisions -- to evaluate a person's psychopathic tendencies.
Some psychologists believe the PCL-R is a critical tool in predicting which offenders pose the greatest risk. Others see the test as too vulnerable to human bias and question its place in the criminal justice system. We asked three experts in the field of forensic psychology to weigh in."
"Many psychologists believe that psychopaths are almost bound by nature to commit crime. So if psychopaths can be accurately identified, their menace to society can be contained. That's the hope, at least.
But there is real debate about how to diagnose a psychopath and the usefulness of the tools available to do it. A test developed by psychologist Robert Hare called the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, or PCL-R, is widely used in the criminal justice system -- before trial, during sentencing and even in parole and death-penalty decisions -- to evaluate a person's psychopathic tendencies.
Some psychologists believe the PCL-R is a critical tool in predicting which offenders pose the greatest risk. Others see the test as too vulnerable to human bias and question its place in the criminal justice system. We asked three experts in the field of forensic psychology to weigh in."
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sarah Stern: Michelle Alexander on the Criminal (In)Justice System
Sarah Stern: Michelle Alexander on the Criminal (In)Justice System
"A single tear rolled down the cheek of Neill Franklin as he sat onstage wordlessly, in front of hundreds of people at Riverside Church in Harlem last Saturday. Franklin shifted in his chair, visibly uncomfortable, as the room fell silent.
"I am not proud," Franklin said, of his 34-year career in law enforcement. "The War on Drugs put police in a war against our people."
He spoke on a panel to discuss mass incarceration, deemed "America's most inconvenient truth" by Dr. Michelle Alexander. Her book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, is an examination of racial inequality in America's criminal justice system. The U.S. has an extraordinarily high incarceration rate, with 1 out of every 31 adults incarcerated, on parole or on probation. In some states, like Georgia, that rate is 1 in 13."
"A single tear rolled down the cheek of Neill Franklin as he sat onstage wordlessly, in front of hundreds of people at Riverside Church in Harlem last Saturday. Franklin shifted in his chair, visibly uncomfortable, as the room fell silent.
"I am not proud," Franklin said, of his 34-year career in law enforcement. "The War on Drugs put police in a war against our people."
He spoke on a panel to discuss mass incarceration, deemed "America's most inconvenient truth" by Dr. Michelle Alexander. Her book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, is an examination of racial inequality in America's criminal justice system. The U.S. has an extraordinarily high incarceration rate, with 1 out of every 31 adults incarcerated, on parole or on probation. In some states, like Georgia, that rate is 1 in 13."
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Flogging Could Answer U.S. Prison Problems (Seriously): Books
Flogging Could Answer U.S. Prison Problems (Seriously): Books
"May 25 (Bloomberg) -- "In Defense of Flogging" isn't a joke, a satire or a thought experiment. Peter Moskos, a former Baltimore cop who's now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, seriously wants to reintroduce corporal punishment in the United States.
Don't laugh: He makes a convincing case. From the straightforward question he begins with -- "Given the choice between five years in prison and 10 brutal lashes, which would you choose?" -- he had my attention.
Moskos isn't a sadist or a fetishist. In fact, he finds flogging distasteful. (He describes the physical effects in graphic detail: "skin is literally ripped from the body," etc.)
But he's far more outraged by the American penal system, which incarcerates the largest total number (2.3 million) and the largest per capita proportion (750 per 100,000) of prisoners of any country in the world. When the U.S. has criticized China on human-rights issues, Beijing has had the satisfaction of pointing to these figures in response."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/05/24/bloomberg1376-LLNW4Z1A74E901-2PR8D2COUBJILAS1EARFBQBITJ.DTL#ixzz1NNbCQmjZ
"May 25 (Bloomberg) -- "In Defense of Flogging" isn't a joke, a satire or a thought experiment. Peter Moskos, a former Baltimore cop who's now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, seriously wants to reintroduce corporal punishment in the United States.
Don't laugh: He makes a convincing case. From the straightforward question he begins with -- "Given the choice between five years in prison and 10 brutal lashes, which would you choose?" -- he had my attention.
Moskos isn't a sadist or a fetishist. In fact, he finds flogging distasteful. (He describes the physical effects in graphic detail: "skin is literally ripped from the body," etc.)
But he's far more outraged by the American penal system, which incarcerates the largest total number (2.3 million) and the largest per capita proportion (750 per 100,000) of prisoners of any country in the world. When the U.S. has criticized China on human-rights issues, Beijing has had the satisfaction of pointing to these figures in response."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/05/24/bloomberg1376-LLNW4Z1A74E901-2PR8D2COUBJILAS1EARFBQBITJ.DTL#ixzz1NNbCQmjZ
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Construction Forensic Specialist Nails Down Problems - The Job Doc Blog - Boston.com
Construction Forensic Specialist Nails Down Problems - The Job Doc Blog - Boston.com
"Whodunit? Bullet fragments, bloodstains, and DNA samples are the clues for crime investigators. But for construction forensics specialists like Von Salmi, telltale signs can range from a bit of mold or a rotten baseboard, often symptomatic of a bigger issue. Instead of solving grisly murders, Salmi, of Von Salmi & Associates in Westminster, is on the trail of sloppy contractors or incompetent subcontractors, trying to determine why a homeowner is facing catastrophic failures – such as flooding, construction defects or roofing problems – in a new home or following a renovation. He’s also hired as an expert witness in arbitration and litigation cases. “Many people are at the point of last resort; they don’t have a lot of money to retain an attorney, so they have me investigate, identify the problem, and recommend the proper fix,” said Salmi. "
"Whodunit? Bullet fragments, bloodstains, and DNA samples are the clues for crime investigators. But for construction forensics specialists like Von Salmi, telltale signs can range from a bit of mold or a rotten baseboard, often symptomatic of a bigger issue. Instead of solving grisly murders, Salmi, of Von Salmi & Associates in Westminster, is on the trail of sloppy contractors or incompetent subcontractors, trying to determine why a homeowner is facing catastrophic failures – such as flooding, construction defects or roofing problems – in a new home or following a renovation. He’s also hired as an expert witness in arbitration and litigation cases. “Many people are at the point of last resort; they don’t have a lot of money to retain an attorney, so they have me investigate, identify the problem, and recommend the proper fix,” said Salmi. "
Monday, May 23, 2011
Texas lawmakers in lockstep on juvenile-justice reform efforts | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Texas lawmakers in lockstep on juvenile-justice reform efforts Houston & Texas News Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"AUSTIN — Every day, lawmakers entering the Texas House face a gantlet of advocates handing out "one-pagers" - flyers promoting or bashing the bills scheduled for debate that day - usually signed by several like-minded organizations.
The one-pager touting this year's reorganization of the Texas juvenile justice system, however, carried an endorsement by the strangest of political bedfellows this session: the liberal Texas Appleseed and the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Their joint endorsement blessed the latest milestone in a five-year transformation of the Texas criminal justice system, perhaps the one area in state government where the left and right have found common ground — in the shared belief that prisons cost too much and accomplish little.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7575646.html#ixzz1NBnRoxnc"
"AUSTIN — Every day, lawmakers entering the Texas House face a gantlet of advocates handing out "one-pagers" - flyers promoting or bashing the bills scheduled for debate that day - usually signed by several like-minded organizations.
The one-pager touting this year's reorganization of the Texas juvenile justice system, however, carried an endorsement by the strangest of political bedfellows this session: the liberal Texas Appleseed and the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Their joint endorsement blessed the latest milestone in a five-year transformation of the Texas criminal justice system, perhaps the one area in state government where the left and right have found common ground — in the shared belief that prisons cost too much and accomplish little.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7575646.html#ixzz1NBnRoxnc"
Friday, May 20, 2011
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON:PART V
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON:PART V
IACFP: What kinds of outcomes has your research revealed?
SC: What we’ve found is a decrease in drug use, a decrease in the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and a decrease in the symptoms of trauma.
IACFP: Do you have information our members can follow up with?
SC: Yes. For more information, members may go to the Center for Gender and Justice
( www.centerforgenderandjustice.org ) and my link, www.stephaniecovington.com
IACFP: Last year you were on the Oprah Winfrey show “Breaking down the bars.”
What was your experience like, and what happened as a result of your being on her show starting February 16, 2011?
SC: It was an interesting experience. There were seven episodes on the OWN network, based on work in the women’s prison in Rockville, Indiana. They selected about 8-9 women for me to work with for this show. I wanted people to see who the women are in prison and the impact of drugs on their lives. I was really surprised when women (and men) e-mailed (or called ) me after seeing one of the shows because they were in crisis. There is such desperation in some people’s lives and they do not know where to go for help. The other surprise was the women who talked about watching the show with their teen-aged daughters, whose daughters were saying “Wow, you can make one mistake and it can impact your life. We want young people to see this can happen inadvertently and in a split second.
At this point, we concluded our interview and promised to stay in touch.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
IACFP: What kinds of outcomes has your research revealed?
SC: What we’ve found is a decrease in drug use, a decrease in the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and a decrease in the symptoms of trauma.
IACFP: Do you have information our members can follow up with?
SC: Yes. For more information, members may go to the Center for Gender and Justice
( www.centerforgenderandjustice.org ) and my link, www.stephaniecovington.com
IACFP: Last year you were on the Oprah Winfrey show “Breaking down the bars.”
What was your experience like, and what happened as a result of your being on her show starting February 16, 2011?
SC: It was an interesting experience. There were seven episodes on the OWN network, based on work in the women’s prison in Rockville, Indiana. They selected about 8-9 women for me to work with for this show. I wanted people to see who the women are in prison and the impact of drugs on their lives. I was really surprised when women (and men) e-mailed (or called ) me after seeing one of the shows because they were in crisis. There is such desperation in some people’s lives and they do not know where to go for help. The other surprise was the women who talked about watching the show with their teen-aged daughters, whose daughters were saying “Wow, you can make one mistake and it can impact your life. We want young people to see this can happen inadvertently and in a split second.
At this point, we concluded our interview and promised to stay in touch.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON: PART IV
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON: PART IV
IACFP: Do you think that staff who provide “trauma-informed services” to women ought to be women?
SC: There is a sense (among female inmates) that there is more safety with female officers. Often women will say “I’d rather have a female counselor. It’s a sense of safety and just the comfortability of talking about what happened.”
IACFP: Is it important that the person who provides trauma-informed treatment ought to have resolved their own traumas? For example, should people have an understanding of addiction based in their own lives in order to better treat addicts?
SC: I think you have to have some understanding of the process of addiction, even if it’s to cigarettes, coffee, or chocolate. It is important that you understand your relationship with whatever you use as a coping strategy and realize how you would feel if you had to give it up.This will help you have a sense of how addiction works.
If people who are trauma survivors haven’t done any work on their own life experience, then it is going to be difficult for them to work with trauma issues in another person’s life. They’re at risk of often being triggered. We always want to be a step or two ahead of our clients.
IACFP: What kind of materials have you developed and implemented in your work in the criminal justice system?
SC: I have several programs. There is a program for treating addiction called “Helping Women Recover.” We’ve used that in over 1,000 different programs across the county. “Beyond Trauma” is a trauma specific treatment program and I’ve made this new shorter version one called “Healing Trauma.” I also have a Twelve Step program for women entitled “A Woman’s Way through The Twelve Steps.” This is designed to help women understand the 12 steps from a female point of view. The girl’s program is entitled “Voices.” For the Michigan Department of Corrections, I developed “Beyond Violence” a prevention program for women who have committed violent/ aggressive crimes. Many places have used these program materials, many people have been trained to use them, and we’ve done research on them to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Check back tomorrow for the final posting of the interview.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
IACFP: Do you think that staff who provide “trauma-informed services” to women ought to be women?
SC: There is a sense (among female inmates) that there is more safety with female officers. Often women will say “I’d rather have a female counselor. It’s a sense of safety and just the comfortability of talking about what happened.”
IACFP: Is it important that the person who provides trauma-informed treatment ought to have resolved their own traumas? For example, should people have an understanding of addiction based in their own lives in order to better treat addicts?
SC: I think you have to have some understanding of the process of addiction, even if it’s to cigarettes, coffee, or chocolate. It is important that you understand your relationship with whatever you use as a coping strategy and realize how you would feel if you had to give it up.This will help you have a sense of how addiction works.
If people who are trauma survivors haven’t done any work on their own life experience, then it is going to be difficult for them to work with trauma issues in another person’s life. They’re at risk of often being triggered. We always want to be a step or two ahead of our clients.
IACFP: What kind of materials have you developed and implemented in your work in the criminal justice system?
SC: I have several programs. There is a program for treating addiction called “Helping Women Recover.” We’ve used that in over 1,000 different programs across the county. “Beyond Trauma” is a trauma specific treatment program and I’ve made this new shorter version one called “Healing Trauma.” I also have a Twelve Step program for women entitled “A Woman’s Way through The Twelve Steps.” This is designed to help women understand the 12 steps from a female point of view. The girl’s program is entitled “Voices.” For the Michigan Department of Corrections, I developed “Beyond Violence” a prevention program for women who have committed violent/ aggressive crimes. Many places have used these program materials, many people have been trained to use them, and we’ve done research on them to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Check back tomorrow for the final posting of the interview.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
Thursday, May 19, 2011
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON: PART III
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON: PART III
IACFP: We’re always looking for ways to streamline interventions and provide effective services in shorter periods of time so we can provide services to larger numbers of folks over time. Does the idea of “trauma informed services” facilitate that kind of intervention?
SC. First, I would like to juxtapose the concepts of “trauma-informed services” and trauma-specific services. Trauma-specific,” meaning you’re providing some kind of intervention for a trauma survivor, whereas “Trauma-informed services” is based on the idea there is so much abuse, violence, and trauma in the world that anyone who works with people—doctors, nurses, school teachers, correctional officers—needs to become trauma informed so that when they go about their daily work they’re not reactivating the trauma and making things worse. Trauma-informed means teaching people what trauma is, what general responses are, and helping people have coping skills, both the person who is the employee as well as the person they may be working with.
The best example I can give is a dentist I have worked with. She realized that the dentist’s office has a lot of triggers for people who are trauma survivors. So she has become “trauma informed.” We need to be educating staff working in the institutions about trauma.
The other thing I’ve done, I have written Beyond Trauma, which is an 11-session intervention which is used in a lot of correctional institutions. I’ve just taken that and reduced it to 5 sessions, particularly for domestic violence shelters and jails and prisons because it’s a very short and brief intervention that can actually be facilitated by non-clinical staff. Many places need shorter, briefer interventions. Hazelden will have this available in June.
I think the concept of “trauma informed” is really important and useful language. When you look at what it is, fundamentally it means we’re providing better services.
You might be interested in knowing that Roger Fallot and Maxine Harris wrote a book several years ago called Designing trauma-informed systems of care, published by Jossey Bass. They’ve done a lot of work in this area It’s a critical component in training helping professionals. The concept is useful in the training of doctors, nurses, teachers….and correctional staff.
IACFP: What do you think are some of the most important considerations for staff providing this kind of service?
SC: I think people really need to understand what abuse is and what trauma is. I think that’s true for both staff as well as the people who are participating in services. We see many women in denial of experiences that have actually been abusive. I think staff also often don’t know what trauma is, and many of them come from backgrounds of abuse and have experienced trauma, and their method of dealing with it has just been to “wall it off.”
The women and the staff need to know what typical responses are, and that all of a sudden some behavior could be the result of something that’s happened in the past. When staff understand this then they have the capacity to respond differently. And I think staff also need to have coping skills for how to deal with difficult situations, and the women themselves need coping skills. So all three of these things are critical.
We find with correctional officers you get a certain amount of resistance, but one of the things we’ve found most useful in getting their attention is using the ACE study (The Adverse Childhood Experiences study) which has 10 questions. I have them answer the 10 questions for themselves as well as a typical woman they might work with. This is a very powerful tool from a study of 17,000 people—Kaiser, an HMO in San Diego, asked 10 questions to 17,000 people, based on early childhood experiences before age 18. They found if people had a score of 5 or more on this 10-question scale, these were the people at highest risk for alcoholism, obesity, smoking, and injecting illegal drugs. If they had a score of 6 or more, it (these risks) decreased their longevity by 20 years. The highest impact was on mental health. The same study was taken into the California prison. If a woman had a score of 7 or more, it increased her risk of having mental health problems by 980%.
Look for the work of Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda for additional information on this. .
When correctional officers take this questionnaire…they begin to listen more about the women. Then we talk about being “trauma informed.”
Check back tomorrow for Part IV of V.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
IACFP: We’re always looking for ways to streamline interventions and provide effective services in shorter periods of time so we can provide services to larger numbers of folks over time. Does the idea of “trauma informed services” facilitate that kind of intervention?
SC. First, I would like to juxtapose the concepts of “trauma-informed services” and trauma-specific services. Trauma-specific,” meaning you’re providing some kind of intervention for a trauma survivor, whereas “Trauma-informed services” is based on the idea there is so much abuse, violence, and trauma in the world that anyone who works with people—doctors, nurses, school teachers, correctional officers—needs to become trauma informed so that when they go about their daily work they’re not reactivating the trauma and making things worse. Trauma-informed means teaching people what trauma is, what general responses are, and helping people have coping skills, both the person who is the employee as well as the person they may be working with.
The best example I can give is a dentist I have worked with. She realized that the dentist’s office has a lot of triggers for people who are trauma survivors. So she has become “trauma informed.” We need to be educating staff working in the institutions about trauma.
The other thing I’ve done, I have written Beyond Trauma, which is an 11-session intervention which is used in a lot of correctional institutions. I’ve just taken that and reduced it to 5 sessions, particularly for domestic violence shelters and jails and prisons because it’s a very short and brief intervention that can actually be facilitated by non-clinical staff. Many places need shorter, briefer interventions. Hazelden will have this available in June.
I think the concept of “trauma informed” is really important and useful language. When you look at what it is, fundamentally it means we’re providing better services.
You might be interested in knowing that Roger Fallot and Maxine Harris wrote a book several years ago called Designing trauma-informed systems of care, published by Jossey Bass. They’ve done a lot of work in this area It’s a critical component in training helping professionals. The concept is useful in the training of doctors, nurses, teachers….and correctional staff.
IACFP: What do you think are some of the most important considerations for staff providing this kind of service?
SC: I think people really need to understand what abuse is and what trauma is. I think that’s true for both staff as well as the people who are participating in services. We see many women in denial of experiences that have actually been abusive. I think staff also often don’t know what trauma is, and many of them come from backgrounds of abuse and have experienced trauma, and their method of dealing with it has just been to “wall it off.”
The women and the staff need to know what typical responses are, and that all of a sudden some behavior could be the result of something that’s happened in the past. When staff understand this then they have the capacity to respond differently. And I think staff also need to have coping skills for how to deal with difficult situations, and the women themselves need coping skills. So all three of these things are critical.
We find with correctional officers you get a certain amount of resistance, but one of the things we’ve found most useful in getting their attention is using the ACE study (The Adverse Childhood Experiences study) which has 10 questions. I have them answer the 10 questions for themselves as well as a typical woman they might work with. This is a very powerful tool from a study of 17,000 people—Kaiser, an HMO in San Diego, asked 10 questions to 17,000 people, based on early childhood experiences before age 18. They found if people had a score of 5 or more on this 10-question scale, these were the people at highest risk for alcoholism, obesity, smoking, and injecting illegal drugs. If they had a score of 6 or more, it (these risks) decreased their longevity by 20 years. The highest impact was on mental health. The same study was taken into the California prison. If a woman had a score of 7 or more, it increased her risk of having mental health problems by 980%.
Look for the work of Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda for additional information on this. .
When correctional officers take this questionnaire…they begin to listen more about the women. Then we talk about being “trauma informed.”
Check back tomorrow for Part IV of V.
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON: PART II
IACFP: Do you think the stereotypic belief “once a criminal always a criminal” is applied to female offenders as it is to males?
SC: The same perception exists. I think the concept of the “criminal mind” has reinforced this belief. The reality is, as you and I know, the majority of people—males and female—who are in these institutions are there because of drug addiction, not because of their criminal mind. I always ask wardens of women’s facilities what percentage of the women under their custody do they believe could be supervised in the community, and usually I’m told about 75%. And then in our communities there are many barriers to re-entry; if you’re a drug felon you can’t get public housing, you can’t get grants to go to school…can’t get food stamps. I could murder somebody and get food stamps. There is a great deal of ignorance about women in correctional settings and a lot of short-sightedness.”
Because of the Oprah TV show, there are blogs so people can write in their responses to the show. Most of those writing online had positive things to say about the show. Often people commented on how much they had learned about women in prison. However, there were some who wrote things like: “I can’t believe anyone would waste their time to show these horrible women or don’t let any of these women come into my community. Some people are hostile and angry. I’ve also met people who don’t think that people who commit a crime should ever be given anything. They don’t realize that most of these women are just like your next door neighbor.” There is this lack of generosity…’I don’t want anybody to get anything I’ve worked really hard for.’ It’s very shortsighted.
I think there is just a lot of mythology and ignorance about our criminal justice system and who is there.
IACFP: Do you think it’s really possible to successfully do the work you propose and have been doing in a prison setting?
SC. It is. There are places in the country…or little pockets inside institutions…where you can do gender-responsive and trauma-informed work in a therapeutic environment. It always takes support at the top. In various settings, we are able to provide programs, make changes, and do things a little differently. Women do well when they’re given what they need. We saw this in a research study funded by NIDA in a California prison, and I’m currently working in Michigan with their Department of Corrections. We’ve made quite a few changes there, and we’re also running a pilot project in the MDoC. In the California project, twelve months post- release, we had decreased recidivism by 67%. So yes, it’s possible…but not necessarily easy.
Currently I am also working with women who are lifers or have long-term sentences What I’m trying to do is help them not only receive programming, but to also select those who are appropriate to receive training to be co-facilitators of some of the program material I have developed. Thus helping them to have a meaningful job.
Check back tomorrow for Part III of V
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
IACFP: Do you think the stereotypic belief “once a criminal always a criminal” is applied to female offenders as it is to males?
SC: The same perception exists. I think the concept of the “criminal mind” has reinforced this belief. The reality is, as you and I know, the majority of people—males and female—who are in these institutions are there because of drug addiction, not because of their criminal mind. I always ask wardens of women’s facilities what percentage of the women under their custody do they believe could be supervised in the community, and usually I’m told about 75%. And then in our communities there are many barriers to re-entry; if you’re a drug felon you can’t get public housing, you can’t get grants to go to school…can’t get food stamps. I could murder somebody and get food stamps. There is a great deal of ignorance about women in correctional settings and a lot of short-sightedness.”
Because of the Oprah TV show, there are blogs so people can write in their responses to the show. Most of those writing online had positive things to say about the show. Often people commented on how much they had learned about women in prison. However, there were some who wrote things like: “I can’t believe anyone would waste their time to show these horrible women or don’t let any of these women come into my community. Some people are hostile and angry. I’ve also met people who don’t think that people who commit a crime should ever be given anything. They don’t realize that most of these women are just like your next door neighbor.” There is this lack of generosity…’I don’t want anybody to get anything I’ve worked really hard for.’ It’s very shortsighted.
I think there is just a lot of mythology and ignorance about our criminal justice system and who is there.
IACFP: Do you think it’s really possible to successfully do the work you propose and have been doing in a prison setting?
SC. It is. There are places in the country…or little pockets inside institutions…where you can do gender-responsive and trauma-informed work in a therapeutic environment. It always takes support at the top. In various settings, we are able to provide programs, make changes, and do things a little differently. Women do well when they’re given what they need. We saw this in a research study funded by NIDA in a California prison, and I’m currently working in Michigan with their Department of Corrections. We’ve made quite a few changes there, and we’re also running a pilot project in the MDoC. In the California project, twelve months post- release, we had decreased recidivism by 67%. So yes, it’s possible…but not necessarily easy.
Currently I am also working with women who are lifers or have long-term sentences What I’m trying to do is help them not only receive programming, but to also select those who are appropriate to receive training to be co-facilitators of some of the program material I have developed. Thus helping them to have a meaningful job.
Check back tomorrow for Part III of V
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON
GENDER-RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED WORK WITH INCARCERATED WOMEN: AN IACFP INTERVIEW WITH DR. STEPHANIE COVINGTON
Richard Althouse, Ph.D.
Immediate Past President, IACFP
Those who work in the criminal justice and correctional agencies are aware that the number of incarcerated women has significantly increased over the past decade. Currently, women are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. incarcerated population, being incarcerated at nearly double the rate of men since l985. Unfortunately, as with males, rehabilitation and treatment programs have not kept pace with their incarceration rate, especially for women with histories of substance abuse and addiction, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other trauma. Consequently, there has been a significant need for treatment programming for incarcerated women who have these challenges. Dr. Stephanie Covington has spent the past 25 years of her pioneering career formulating and providing programs to meet the treatment needs working with girls and women who are under the supervision of the criminal justice system.
Dr. Covington has focused much of her recent work on “gender-responsive and “trauma-informed” approaches to treatment. Currently Co-Director for the Center for Gender and Justice as well as the Institute for Relational Development, Dr. Covington has provided training, technical assistance and consulting services to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the National Institute of Corrections, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Correctional Services of Canada, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, as well as many state and local jurisdictions and community-based programs. Among her many clients are found the Betty Ford Treatment Center, Pine Grove Women’s Center, and her co-authored three-year research project—“Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders”—received the University of Cincinnati Award for an outstanding contribution to the field of corrections in the U.S. and Canada.
More recently, Dr. Covington’s work has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network’s “Breaking Down the Bars,” and in her work Helping Women Recover (Jossey-Bass, 2008), Dr. Covington addressed the special concerns and issues of substance-abusing women in correctional settings. Her other works include Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women, Women and Addiction: A Gender-Responsive Approach, A Woman’s Way through the Twelve Steps, and Leaving the Enchanted Forest: The Path from Relationship Addiction to Intimacy, among others.
I was delighted to have an opportunity to talk with Dr. Covington about her work, and wanted to share the highpoints of our conversation with IACFP members.
Although her offices are in LaJolla, California, she was in New York City at the time of our conversation.
PART I
IACFP: How did you get involved with working with women in prisons”
SC: It started at end of 80s…I was doing a woman’s conference in North Carolina, and incarcerated women were an invisible population for me. I met a warden there and realized that I had never thought about women in prison. I spoke with the warden who told me that six honorees were coming to hear my talk that evening in the community. That night, I was standing with the warden and the incarcerated women and I had one of those ‘life changing moments,’ asking myself “why are you in there and I’m out here?” My next thought was “privilege.” Because of this experience I began to speak with the warden on a monthly basis. The following year I arranged with the warden to live in the women’s prison for a few days, and it changed the course of my life. Since then, 80-90% of my time has been spent with girls and women in criminal justice settings.
IACFP : How would you say the correctional environment impacts on women with histories of trauma and abuse?
SC: The environment of most correctional settings has a negative impact on women and girls. They often come out of a correctional setting in worse shape than when they went in, they are often re-traumatized just by the environment: yelling, being called names (e.g., “come on you ‘ho’s,’ get moving.”) Consequently, women often dissociate…..there is a mind-body split.
Although Dr. Covington spent time in a minimum security facility, her two major observations were that women experienced a “loss of any respect, and inability to make any choice.” As she explained, “You’re told what to do and how to do it every hour of the day,” and basic human respectful interactions didn’t take place. She went on to say, “This at was very startling to me because it didn’t have to be that way. This is not an essential ingredient in a custodial setting. This should be a major concern for us all because ideally we would want people coming out of prison in better shape to live in our communities…not in worse shape.”
IACFP: In your experience, what are the biggest challenges to working in the criminal justice system?
SC: The biggest challenges are the attitude of the people who work there and the lack of informed training as to how you can work with people in a custodial setting. There is this whole demeanor and attitude…it’s not everyone, by any stretch of the imagination…but it’s the dominant theme.” There is also a “code of silence among correctional officers, so even if someone sees something they don’t agree with they will never report it.
This is not a therapeutic environment…that’s the bottom line. It’s not an environment of rehabilitation.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of V
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
Richard Althouse, Ph.D.
Immediate Past President, IACFP
Those who work in the criminal justice and correctional agencies are aware that the number of incarcerated women has significantly increased over the past decade. Currently, women are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. incarcerated population, being incarcerated at nearly double the rate of men since l985. Unfortunately, as with males, rehabilitation and treatment programs have not kept pace with their incarceration rate, especially for women with histories of substance abuse and addiction, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other trauma. Consequently, there has been a significant need for treatment programming for incarcerated women who have these challenges. Dr. Stephanie Covington has spent the past 25 years of her pioneering career formulating and providing programs to meet the treatment needs working with girls and women who are under the supervision of the criminal justice system.
Dr. Covington has focused much of her recent work on “gender-responsive and “trauma-informed” approaches to treatment. Currently Co-Director for the Center for Gender and Justice as well as the Institute for Relational Development, Dr. Covington has provided training, technical assistance and consulting services to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the National Institute of Corrections, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Correctional Services of Canada, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, as well as many state and local jurisdictions and community-based programs. Among her many clients are found the Betty Ford Treatment Center, Pine Grove Women’s Center, and her co-authored three-year research project—“Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders”—received the University of Cincinnati Award for an outstanding contribution to the field of corrections in the U.S. and Canada.
More recently, Dr. Covington’s work has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network’s “Breaking Down the Bars,” and in her work Helping Women Recover (Jossey-Bass, 2008), Dr. Covington addressed the special concerns and issues of substance-abusing women in correctional settings. Her other works include Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women, Women and Addiction: A Gender-Responsive Approach, A Woman’s Way through the Twelve Steps, and Leaving the Enchanted Forest: The Path from Relationship Addiction to Intimacy, among others.
I was delighted to have an opportunity to talk with Dr. Covington about her work, and wanted to share the highpoints of our conversation with IACFP members.
Although her offices are in LaJolla, California, she was in New York City at the time of our conversation.
PART I
IACFP: How did you get involved with working with women in prisons”
SC: It started at end of 80s…I was doing a woman’s conference in North Carolina, and incarcerated women were an invisible population for me. I met a warden there and realized that I had never thought about women in prison. I spoke with the warden who told me that six honorees were coming to hear my talk that evening in the community. That night, I was standing with the warden and the incarcerated women and I had one of those ‘life changing moments,’ asking myself “why are you in there and I’m out here?” My next thought was “privilege.” Because of this experience I began to speak with the warden on a monthly basis. The following year I arranged with the warden to live in the women’s prison for a few days, and it changed the course of my life. Since then, 80-90% of my time has been spent with girls and women in criminal justice settings.
IACFP : How would you say the correctional environment impacts on women with histories of trauma and abuse?
SC: The environment of most correctional settings has a negative impact on women and girls. They often come out of a correctional setting in worse shape than when they went in, they are often re-traumatized just by the environment: yelling, being called names (e.g., “come on you ‘ho’s,’ get moving.”) Consequently, women often dissociate…..there is a mind-body split.
Although Dr. Covington spent time in a minimum security facility, her two major observations were that women experienced a “loss of any respect, and inability to make any choice.” As she explained, “You’re told what to do and how to do it every hour of the day,” and basic human respectful interactions didn’t take place. She went on to say, “This at was very startling to me because it didn’t have to be that way. This is not an essential ingredient in a custodial setting. This should be a major concern for us all because ideally we would want people coming out of prison in better shape to live in our communities…not in worse shape.”
IACFP: In your experience, what are the biggest challenges to working in the criminal justice system?
SC: The biggest challenges are the attitude of the people who work there and the lack of informed training as to how you can work with people in a custodial setting. There is this whole demeanor and attitude…it’s not everyone, by any stretch of the imagination…but it’s the dominant theme.” There is also a “code of silence among correctional officers, so even if someone sees something they don’t agree with they will never report it.
This is not a therapeutic environment…that’s the bottom line. It’s not an environment of rehabilitation.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of V
----------------
For members who would like to follow up on any of the points in our interview, feel free to go to Dr. Covington’s website for additional information. It is www.stephaniecovington.com. I urge members to visit both her website and learn more about trauma-informed services. For publication information regarding publications by Dr. Covington, members can also visit the Hazelden website at www.hazelden.org
Senate to vote on Brittany's Law - FOX23 News - The 10 O'Clock News
Senate to vote on Brittany's Law - FOX23 News - The 10 O'Clock News
"Members of the state Senate are expected to vote today on "Brittany's Law"
It's a bill that would create a registry of violent felony offenders, similar to the "Megan's Law" sex offender registry.
It would require violent offenders to register with the Department of Criminal Justice Services upon release.
The law is named after 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua, who was murdered in 2009 by a violent felon released from jail early and put on parole months before his crime."
"Members of the state Senate are expected to vote today on "Brittany's Law"
It's a bill that would create a registry of violent felony offenders, similar to the "Megan's Law" sex offender registry.
It would require violent offenders to register with the Department of Criminal Justice Services upon release.
The law is named after 12-year-old Brittany Passalacqua, who was murdered in 2009 by a violent felon released from jail early and put on parole months before his crime."
Monday, May 16, 2011
Lawmakers Target Texas Prison School for Makeover — Texas Department of Criminal Justice | The Texas Tribune
Lawmakers Target Texas Prison School for Makeover — Texas Department of Criminal Justice The Texas Tribune
"As state lawmakers combed the budget this year for cuts to close a multibillion-dollar shortfall, some leaders focused on a line item that usually draws little attention: the Windham School District, which received more than $128 million in 2010-11 to provide education to inmates in the state’s sprawling prison system.
Lawmakers will most likely cut that number significantly in the 2012-13 budget, and that could be just the beginning of big changes to come."
"As state lawmakers combed the budget this year for cuts to close a multibillion-dollar shortfall, some leaders focused on a line item that usually draws little attention: the Windham School District, which received more than $128 million in 2010-11 to provide education to inmates in the state’s sprawling prison system.
Lawmakers will most likely cut that number significantly in the 2012-13 budget, and that could be just the beginning of big changes to come."
Friday, May 13, 2011
MHCC in Chicago: “I’m Back! Now What? Who Cares?” Notes from Dr. Althouse
MHCC in Chicago: “I’m Back! Now What? Who Cares?”
Richard Althouse, Ph.D.
Immediate Past President, IACFP
Member, MHCC Advisory Board
This year’s annual Mental Health in Corrections Conference (MHCC) was again in Chicago, held at the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel April 18th through the 20th. The accommodations were very adequate, as might be expected at the Blackstone.
Annually, there are thousands of inmates returning to their communities (“I’m back”), often to communities that don’t want them (“Who cares?”) and, in some cases, communities to which they don’t want to return, and to communities that lack the resources to meet their employment, educational, housing, medical and mental health needs (“Now What?”). Re-entry challenges are often more overwhelming than many of these individuals can manage, and a high percentage recidivate or commit parole violations and are returned to jail or prison. Many experts agree that this “revolving door” process has to be minimized if the overcrowding and program challenges facing many counties and states is to be more effectively managed. Therefore, the primary program emphasis of this year’s MHCC was on reentry challenges and practices facing returning citizens.
The conference, primarily sponsored by the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, was co-sponsored by the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology. Attendance at the conference was modest because of the negative impact of our economy on states’ budgets, and the absence of a passed federal budget on federal budgets. A number of potential attendees from the Federal Bureau of Prisons were unable to attend, lacking funding approval. Nonetheless, there were about 135 attendees, many students among them.
Plenary speakers included Joe Williams, founder and CEO of New Creations Community Outreach in Detroit, MI., who spoke about the importance of successful collaboration with faith-based and community organizations; Halbert Sullivan, CEO of the Fathers’ Support Center, in St. Louis, who discussed reunifying incarcerated fathers with their families and employment opportunities. Deborah Kratky, director of Capacity Building and Training for Workforce Solutions in Tarrant County, spoke about how subsidized transitional employment can help returning citizens get a fresh start “one step at a time.” Ashley Nellis, Ph.D., from The Sentencing Project, presented some of the challenges facing delinquents and young adults after release, and advocated for improving reentry services for this population. Eileen Henderson, from Restorative Justice in Toronto, Canada, and Detective Wendy Leaver, from the Toronto Police Service and their Sex Crimes Unit, spoke about their unusual and challenging work with sex offenders returning back to their communities through the “Circles of Support and Accountability/Mennonite Central Committee Ontario.” Finally, Ron and Catherine Tijerina, co-founders and co-directors of The RIDGE Project, Inc., in Defiance, OH, shared (at times tearfully) their personal experience with the challenges incarceration places on families, and the difficulties and necessity of keeping families with inmates together and in harmony. We were very fortunate in being able to provide these presenters for the conference!
In addition to these informing, inspirational, and at times moving presentations, there were workshops addressing various aspects of reentry, including community collaboration, teaching relationship skills, healthcare for returning veterans, emphasizing healthy lifestyles with high risk offenders, working with female offenders, and being informed about the additional consequences of incarceration so returning citizens are better prepared to meet reentry challenges such as the loss of voting rights, housing, employment, and educational barriers. Conference attendees—both professionals and students--left better informed about the challenges of reentry, the daunting tasks many communities have faced and are facing in attempting to manage these challenges, and how some have been successful. Needless to say, such efforts need to be expanded across the country!
As a student side benefit, a number of students received monetary awards for informational and research posters they prepared for the conference, and many attendees took advantage of the opportunity for a one-year free membership in IACFP!
Comments about the conference were very positive.
IACFP Executive Director John Gannon was able to join the MHCC Advisory Board in its discussion of future directions for the MHCC, and preliminary planning efforts are underway for next year’s conference. We will keep IACFP members posted!
Richard Althouse, Ph.D.
Immediate Past President, IACFP
Member, MHCC Advisory Board
This year’s annual Mental Health in Corrections Conference (MHCC) was again in Chicago, held at the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel April 18th through the 20th. The accommodations were very adequate, as might be expected at the Blackstone.
Annually, there are thousands of inmates returning to their communities (“I’m back”), often to communities that don’t want them (“Who cares?”) and, in some cases, communities to which they don’t want to return, and to communities that lack the resources to meet their employment, educational, housing, medical and mental health needs (“Now What?”). Re-entry challenges are often more overwhelming than many of these individuals can manage, and a high percentage recidivate or commit parole violations and are returned to jail or prison. Many experts agree that this “revolving door” process has to be minimized if the overcrowding and program challenges facing many counties and states is to be more effectively managed. Therefore, the primary program emphasis of this year’s MHCC was on reentry challenges and practices facing returning citizens.
The conference, primarily sponsored by the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, was co-sponsored by the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology. Attendance at the conference was modest because of the negative impact of our economy on states’ budgets, and the absence of a passed federal budget on federal budgets. A number of potential attendees from the Federal Bureau of Prisons were unable to attend, lacking funding approval. Nonetheless, there were about 135 attendees, many students among them.
Plenary speakers included Joe Williams, founder and CEO of New Creations Community Outreach in Detroit, MI., who spoke about the importance of successful collaboration with faith-based and community organizations; Halbert Sullivan, CEO of the Fathers’ Support Center, in St. Louis, who discussed reunifying incarcerated fathers with their families and employment opportunities. Deborah Kratky, director of Capacity Building and Training for Workforce Solutions in Tarrant County, spoke about how subsidized transitional employment can help returning citizens get a fresh start “one step at a time.” Ashley Nellis, Ph.D., from The Sentencing Project, presented some of the challenges facing delinquents and young adults after release, and advocated for improving reentry services for this population. Eileen Henderson, from Restorative Justice in Toronto, Canada, and Detective Wendy Leaver, from the Toronto Police Service and their Sex Crimes Unit, spoke about their unusual and challenging work with sex offenders returning back to their communities through the “Circles of Support and Accountability/Mennonite Central Committee Ontario.” Finally, Ron and Catherine Tijerina, co-founders and co-directors of The RIDGE Project, Inc., in Defiance, OH, shared (at times tearfully) their personal experience with the challenges incarceration places on families, and the difficulties and necessity of keeping families with inmates together and in harmony. We were very fortunate in being able to provide these presenters for the conference!
In addition to these informing, inspirational, and at times moving presentations, there were workshops addressing various aspects of reentry, including community collaboration, teaching relationship skills, healthcare for returning veterans, emphasizing healthy lifestyles with high risk offenders, working with female offenders, and being informed about the additional consequences of incarceration so returning citizens are better prepared to meet reentry challenges such as the loss of voting rights, housing, employment, and educational barriers. Conference attendees—both professionals and students--left better informed about the challenges of reentry, the daunting tasks many communities have faced and are facing in attempting to manage these challenges, and how some have been successful. Needless to say, such efforts need to be expanded across the country!
As a student side benefit, a number of students received monetary awards for informational and research posters they prepared for the conference, and many attendees took advantage of the opportunity for a one-year free membership in IACFP!
Comments about the conference were very positive.
IACFP Executive Director John Gannon was able to join the MHCC Advisory Board in its discussion of future directions for the MHCC, and preliminary planning efforts are underway for next year’s conference. We will keep IACFP members posted!
Bill limiting convicted sex offenders' use of social network sites breezes out of committee | NOLA.com
Bill limiting convicted sex offenders' use of social network sites breezes out of committee NOLA.com
"BATON ROUGE -- A House committee Thursday took the first step toward enacting a law that would prohibit convicted child sex predators from using instant messaging devices or social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook.
The Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice gave unanimous support to House Bill 55 by Rep. Ledricka Thierry, D-Opelousas, after amending the measure. The bill now heads to the full House for debate.
Thierry's bill would make it a crime for convicted sex offenders to use the websites or chat rooms if they have to register as sex offenders and have been convicted of an offense in which the victim was a minor."
"BATON ROUGE -- A House committee Thursday took the first step toward enacting a law that would prohibit convicted child sex predators from using instant messaging devices or social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook.
The Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice gave unanimous support to House Bill 55 by Rep. Ledricka Thierry, D-Opelousas, after amending the measure. The bill now heads to the full House for debate.
Thierry's bill would make it a crime for convicted sex offenders to use the websites or chat rooms if they have to register as sex offenders and have been convicted of an offense in which the victim was a minor."
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
MSU study: Digital forensic examiners face stress, role-conflict | MSU News | Michigan State University
MSU study: Digital forensic examiners face stress, role-conflict MSU News Michigan State University
"EAST LANSING, Mich. — Despite playing an increasingly vital role in criminal investigations, digital forensic examiners face staffing cuts, heavy caseloads and stress within police departments that may not fully understand their responsibilities, according to a study led by a Michigan State University criminologist.
Police officials should consider hiring more digital forensic examiners or, failing that, improving their work environment, said Thomas Holt, MSU assistant professor of criminal justice. His study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice."
"EAST LANSING, Mich. — Despite playing an increasingly vital role in criminal investigations, digital forensic examiners face staffing cuts, heavy caseloads and stress within police departments that may not fully understand their responsibilities, according to a study led by a Michigan State University criminologist.
Police officials should consider hiring more digital forensic examiners or, failing that, improving their work environment, said Thomas Holt, MSU assistant professor of criminal justice. His study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice."
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
BBC News - Hidden costs to crime victims
BBC News - Hidden costs to crime victims
"Victims of violent crime can find themselves tens of thousands of pounds out-of-pocket, according to research completed for the first commissioner for victims and witnesses for England and Wales.
Louise Casey has spent her first year in post listening to the views of people who have experienced serious violent crime - as victims, witnesses or families bereaved through murder and manslaughter.
There have been improvements in the last decade and more to the way victims and witnesses are treated. There is a criminal justice system Code of Practice which sets out rules for dealing with the victims of crime.
Families can now provide impact statements to the courts so that judges can take them into account when sentencing.
The UK offers the most generous criminal injuries compensation in Europe - paid on a sliding scale, usually up to £11,000 - and, in addition, it has Victim Support, the largest charity of its kind in the world.
Only two months into the job, Louise Casey described the Victims' Code of Practice as "a maybe code which confers no real rights" which crucially, in her view, offers no effective route for complaint."
"Victims of violent crime can find themselves tens of thousands of pounds out-of-pocket, according to research completed for the first commissioner for victims and witnesses for England and Wales.
Louise Casey has spent her first year in post listening to the views of people who have experienced serious violent crime - as victims, witnesses or families bereaved through murder and manslaughter.
There have been improvements in the last decade and more to the way victims and witnesses are treated. There is a criminal justice system Code of Practice which sets out rules for dealing with the victims of crime.
Families can now provide impact statements to the courts so that judges can take them into account when sentencing.
The UK offers the most generous criminal injuries compensation in Europe - paid on a sliding scale, usually up to £11,000 - and, in addition, it has Victim Support, the largest charity of its kind in the world.
Only two months into the job, Louise Casey described the Victims' Code of Practice as "a maybe code which confers no real rights" which crucially, in her view, offers no effective route for complaint."
Monday, May 9, 2011
PR-USA.net - Digital Forensics Certification Board Now Accepting Applications for First-Ever Independent Digital
PR-USA.net - Digital Forensics Certification Board Now Accepting Applications for First-Ever Independent Digital
"The Digital Forensics Certification Board (DFCB), an independent certifications organization for digital evidence examiners, today announced it's now accepting applications for its Digital Forensics Certified Practitioner (DFCP) designation. The new certification is expected to serve as a new, unmatched mark of distinction within the digital forensic community.
Formed in March 2009, the DFCB has completed its "Founder's Process" that formed the initial group of certified experts and created the testing materials and process for certification that opens today. The DFCB now offers applications for its Digital Forensics Certified Practitioner (DFCP) designation, which is only available to digital evidence professionals with a strict minimum of five years of experience related to digital evidence or digital forensics. Those seeking the DFCP designation must demonstrate two or more years of practical experience in the last three years and pass the DFCP exam. Interested examiners can find all application information at www.dfcb.org."
"The Digital Forensics Certification Board (DFCB), an independent certifications organization for digital evidence examiners, today announced it's now accepting applications for its Digital Forensics Certified Practitioner (DFCP) designation. The new certification is expected to serve as a new, unmatched mark of distinction within the digital forensic community.
Formed in March 2009, the DFCB has completed its "Founder's Process" that formed the initial group of certified experts and created the testing materials and process for certification that opens today. The DFCB now offers applications for its Digital Forensics Certified Practitioner (DFCP) designation, which is only available to digital evidence professionals with a strict minimum of five years of experience related to digital evidence or digital forensics. Those seeking the DFCP designation must demonstrate two or more years of practical experience in the last three years and pass the DFCP exam. Interested examiners can find all application information at www.dfcb.org."
Friday, May 6, 2011
Realistic Criminal Justice Careers – Conquering the CSI Effect
Realistic Criminal Justice Careers – Conquering the CSI Effect
"Many people watch crime shows on television and decide they want to pursue similar criminal justice jobs. These jobs are often portrayed inaccurately on television, contributing to a situation known as the “CSI effect.”
The CSI effect has many different interpretations, says Stuart Henry, director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program School of Urban and Public Affairs, at the University of Texas. Henry, who is also the co-author of the book, A Realistic Guide to Criminal Justice Careers for College Graduates, says in the criminal justice careers context, the CSI effect produces myths about careers that appear to be abundant, but are in fact difficult to obtain.
For example, Henry says police and crime shows inspire some students to want to become FBI officers, but when they get to college, they are disappointed to learn that the FBI is highly selective, only hiring a small portion of outstanding individuals.
Henry says that when some crime scene investigation shows began to appear on television, criminal justice students became more interested in jobs that examine the science of crime, especially forensics and criminal profiling.
Students quickly learned that forensic scientist jobs actually require a natural science degree, instead of criminal justice, and that many other jobs in forensics are often glorified for television, Henry says."
"Many people watch crime shows on television and decide they want to pursue similar criminal justice jobs. These jobs are often portrayed inaccurately on television, contributing to a situation known as the “CSI effect.”
The CSI effect has many different interpretations, says Stuart Henry, director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program School of Urban and Public Affairs, at the University of Texas. Henry, who is also the co-author of the book, A Realistic Guide to Criminal Justice Careers for College Graduates, says in the criminal justice careers context, the CSI effect produces myths about careers that appear to be abundant, but are in fact difficult to obtain.
For example, Henry says police and crime shows inspire some students to want to become FBI officers, but when they get to college, they are disappointed to learn that the FBI is highly selective, only hiring a small portion of outstanding individuals.
Henry says that when some crime scene investigation shows began to appear on television, criminal justice students became more interested in jobs that examine the science of crime, especially forensics and criminal profiling.
Students quickly learned that forensic scientist jobs actually require a natural science degree, instead of criminal justice, and that many other jobs in forensics are often glorified for television, Henry says."
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Camp offers teenagers an inside look at criminal justice system
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Camp offers teenagers an inside look at criminal justice system
"FAIRBANKS — Law and Order comes to Fairbanks.
No, this is not about the TV show or even the barristers gathered in Fairbanks for the Alaska Bar Association convention.
This is about the week-long camp later this month for students ages 12-16 who want to get an inside look at the criminal justice system while staying on the right side of the law.
Mike Daku, an assistant professor of justice at UAF, and Ed Husted, the paralegal studies coordinator, will help guide teenagers through such topics as forensics, the courts, law enforcement agencies and the jail system.
To sign up for “UAF Law & Order Fairbanks: Inside the Criminal Justice System,” call the UAF Summer Sessions office at 474-7021.
The camp is May 23-27, daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 604 Barnette St. Registration is $250, with scholarships for those who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program in public schools."
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Camp offers teenagers an inside look at criminal justice system
"FAIRBANKS — Law and Order comes to Fairbanks.
No, this is not about the TV show or even the barristers gathered in Fairbanks for the Alaska Bar Association convention.
This is about the week-long camp later this month for students ages 12-16 who want to get an inside look at the criminal justice system while staying on the right side of the law.
Mike Daku, an assistant professor of justice at UAF, and Ed Husted, the paralegal studies coordinator, will help guide teenagers through such topics as forensics, the courts, law enforcement agencies and the jail system.
To sign up for “UAF Law & Order Fairbanks: Inside the Criminal Justice System,” call the UAF Summer Sessions office at 474-7021.
The camp is May 23-27, daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 604 Barnette St. Registration is $250, with scholarships for those who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program in public schools."
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Camp offers teenagers an inside look at criminal justice system
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Osama Bin Laden Dead - Accuracy of DNA Testing - Popular Mechanics
Osama Bin Laden Dead - Accuracy of DNA Testing - Popular Mechanics
"When President Barack Obama made his dramatic Sunday night announcement that U.S. forces had located and killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, one of the first questions many asked was: How could U.S. officials be so sure it was really bin Laden?
The answer came quickly. While the body was identified through photos and by bin Laden's wife, it was also the seemingly incontrovertible proof of DNA that gave officials such ironclad confidence in the dead man's identity. "Now, we can say with 99.9 percent confidence that this was bin Laden," John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said Monday.
So why not complete confidence? While the body recovered from Pakistan is almost certainly bin Laden, a 100 percent identification is tougher than one might think."
Read more: Osama Bin Laden Dead - Accuracy of DNA Testing - Popular Mechanics
"When President Barack Obama made his dramatic Sunday night announcement that U.S. forces had located and killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, one of the first questions many asked was: How could U.S. officials be so sure it was really bin Laden?
The answer came quickly. While the body was identified through photos and by bin Laden's wife, it was also the seemingly incontrovertible proof of DNA that gave officials such ironclad confidence in the dead man's identity. "Now, we can say with 99.9 percent confidence that this was bin Laden," John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said Monday.
So why not complete confidence? While the body recovered from Pakistan is almost certainly bin Laden, a 100 percent identification is tougher than one might think."
Read more: Osama Bin Laden Dead - Accuracy of DNA Testing - Popular Mechanics
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Wanted: A State of Emergency in Our Criminal Justice System, Articles | THISDAY LIVE
Wanted: A State of Emergency in Our Criminal Justice System, Articles THISDAY LIVE
"Sometime last year, I warned that former Governor, James Ibori’s various escapades involving our criminal justice system eroded confidence in that system, making inevitable the outsourcing of justice concerning persons who should normally be subject to tried by our system (Ibori and the Outsourcing of Justice, May 18, 2010; Outsourcing Justice: Time To Claim Our Profession back, June 15, 2010).
Now that Ibori has finally been extradited to the UK to have his day in court on money laundering and fraud charges I thought it pertinent to reproduce both columns below.
Interestingly, our cover this week former ICPC chairman, retired Supreme Court Justice Olayinka Ayoola, spoke frankly about the shenanigans of our Bar and how we get cases tied up in the legal system forever, through dubious applications and injunctions. Clearly, he’s deeply pained about how this affects our fight against corruption. Some of his views are quite radical, and I must say I have to agree with them. The interview is on pages viii-x, within."
"Sometime last year, I warned that former Governor, James Ibori’s various escapades involving our criminal justice system eroded confidence in that system, making inevitable the outsourcing of justice concerning persons who should normally be subject to tried by our system (Ibori and the Outsourcing of Justice, May 18, 2010; Outsourcing Justice: Time To Claim Our Profession back, June 15, 2010).
Now that Ibori has finally been extradited to the UK to have his day in court on money laundering and fraud charges I thought it pertinent to reproduce both columns below.
Interestingly, our cover this week former ICPC chairman, retired Supreme Court Justice Olayinka Ayoola, spoke frankly about the shenanigans of our Bar and how we get cases tied up in the legal system forever, through dubious applications and injunctions. Clearly, he’s deeply pained about how this affects our fight against corruption. Some of his views are quite radical, and I must say I have to agree with them. The interview is on pages viii-x, within."
Monday, May 2, 2011
Justice is served in sentencing, jury pool bills
Ledger-Enquirer.com 05/02/2011 Justice is served in sentencing, jury pool bills:
"Two bills passed in the waning days of Georgia’s 2011 regular legislative session will both advance the cause of criminal justice in the state, and both are years overdue.
The first and probably more important is one Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law last week. It creates a state panel to study and overhaul Georgia’s sentencing laws. Those laws have been misshapen by years of short-sighted get-tough politics, resulting in a system that too often gets tough on the wrong people and sucks away money and capacity the state needs for cracking down on the right ones.
It has been an expensive and irresponsible miscalculation: Georgia has the nation’s highest incarceration rate, and its taxpayers pour a billion dollars a year into prisons. The Associated Press reported last week that Georgia annually spends $3,800 per child in public schools, and $18,000 per inmate in state correctional facilities. That’s a warped statistic by any reasonable measure."
"Two bills passed in the waning days of Georgia’s 2011 regular legislative session will both advance the cause of criminal justice in the state, and both are years overdue.
The first and probably more important is one Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law last week. It creates a state panel to study and overhaul Georgia’s sentencing laws. Those laws have been misshapen by years of short-sighted get-tough politics, resulting in a system that too often gets tough on the wrong people and sucks away money and capacity the state needs for cracking down on the right ones.
It has been an expensive and irresponsible miscalculation: Georgia has the nation’s highest incarceration rate, and its taxpayers pour a billion dollars a year into prisons. The Associated Press reported last week that Georgia annually spends $3,800 per child in public schools, and $18,000 per inmate in state correctional facilities. That’s a warped statistic by any reasonable measure."
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