Yesterday, President Obama unveiled his $3.9 trillion 2015 budget proposal, which allocates $27.4 billion to justice programs. The President’s budget provides $115 million in continued support for Second Chance Act programs. This represents an important federal investment in evidence-based strategies to increase public safety and reduce recidivism by authorizing funding for the development and coordination […]
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Timely Warning: Police investigating assaults on taxi passengers
(The following announcement is being shared as a public service to broaden its distribution. Source: IowaNow by University of Iowa Police, 2014.02.17 | 12:00 PM.) The Iowa City Police Department is currently investigating three sexual assaults with adult female victims while they were passengers in taxi cabs. ICPD released the following information: The first incident was […]
Timely Warning: Police receive report of suspicious activity of “offers to give a ride”
(The following announcement is being shared as a public service to broaden its distribution. Source: IowaNow by University of Iowa Police, 2014.02.14 | 03:49 PM.) At 1:25 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, an Iowa City police officer observed a vehicle following a male pedestrian traveling in the area of Bowery and Johnson Streets. The vehicle stopped […]
Free Movie Screening and Discussion Panel – TRIGGER: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence
Collaborative Approaches to Gun Safety If you are concerned about gun violence in the United States, and would like to hear ideas about how citizens (gun owners and non-gun owners) can come together to discuss and agree on sensible ways to diminish gun violence, please come to this forum and community discussion. Event Details: Movie […]
Citizens Police Academy 2014
Course Goal The goal of the Citizens Police Academy (CPA) is to promote a better relationship between law enforcement and the community it serves through education and hands-on learning. Course Description The Citizen’s Police Academy is an eleven week program, which meets one night per week, typically January through April. Past academies have had training […]
Nite Ride to extend service hours during finals week
The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety will extend Nite Ride service hours during finals week. Nite Ride will operate on a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. schedule, starting at 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 and ending at 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20. Nite Ride will resume its normal hours—10 p.m. to 3 a.m.—Friday […]
Webcast: Principles of an Effective Criminal Justice Response to the Challenges and Needs of Drug-Involved Individuals
Monday, December 9, 2013 at 1:30-3:00 p.m. (eastern time) FREE Registration: http://tinyurl.com/kswsqbj Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 12:00-1:30 p.m. (eastern time) FREE Registration: http://tinyurl.com/lc3nfga Faculty: William Dressel, President, The National Judicial College Elaine Nugent-Borakove, President, The Justice Management Institute Tim Murray, Executive Director, Pretrial Justice Institute Carl Wicklund, Executive Director, American Probation and Parole Association Audience: Judges, attorneys, […]
The commercial bail industry shouldn’t profit off financial desperation
(Source: “The commercial bail industry shouldn’t profit off financial desperation,” ACLU Website) Eric Amparan likes the system the way it is now. As a bail bondsman, he’s part of an industry that pulls in $2 billion in revenue every year. Here’s how it typically works: If you’re booked into jail, you can either sit in […]
Justice Department Announces More Than $62 Million to Strengthen Reentry, Probation and Parole Programs
The Justice Department has awarded more than $62 million in grants to strengthen efforts to help people returning from prison rejoin their communities and become productive, law-abiding citizens. This grant announcement was made by Attorney General Eric Holder today while in St. Louis, where he visited Project EARN, a Drug Reentry Court program. Attorney General […]
Iowa police officers honored with valor awards
(Source: “Digest: Iowa police officers honored,” Sioux City Journal, 5 November 2013) Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds honored 11 Iowa police officers and firefighters with the 2013 Sullivan Brothers Award of Valor at a ceremony Tuesday in the Iowa Capitol building rotunda. Tuesday’s honorees included : Captains Steven Henry and Jason Barrick […]
Collaborative Approaches to Public Safety
(Source: “Senate Judiciary Committee to Hold Oversight Hearing on Bureau of Prisons,” Council of State Governments Justice Center, 5 November 2013) On Wednesday, November 6, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Oversight of the Bureau of Prisons & Cost-Effective Strategies for Reducing Recidivism.” The hearing, which will be chaired by Sen. Sheldon […]
Johnson County May Ask Voters for Courthouse Facility
(Source: “Johnson County May Ask Voters for Courthouse Facility,” KCRG, 24 October 2013, by Gregg Hennigan) IOWA CITY, Iowa – What to do with jail and courthouse needs is a question that has divided Johnson County voters the past year. Now it has done with same with county leaders. The answer favored by a split […]
Bastoy Prison Island – A Norwegian Prison That Works
(Source: “Bastoy: the Norwegian prison that works,” The Guardian, 3 September 2013, by Erwin James) The following excerpts are from an article published by The Guardian about the Bastoy prison island. (source) “I run this prison like a small society,” he says as we sip tea in his cramped but tidy office. “I give respect […]
FCC Forum / Workshop on Reforming Inmate Calling Services Rates
On December 28, 2012, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the matter of Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services to “consider whether changes to our rules are necessary to ensure just and reasonable [inmate calling services or ICS] rates for interstate, long distance calling at publicly- and privately-administered correctional facilities.” To gather […]
Johnson County can’t agree what to do about jail, courthouse needs
(Source: “Johnson County can’t agree what to do about jail, courthouse needs, Officials will meet again at later date,” The Gazette, 14 October 2013, by Gregg Hennigan) After more than three hours … nothing. Besides a commitment to meet again at another date, that’s what came out of a work session Monday between the five members […]
Supervisors consider splitting justice center
(Source: “Supervisors consider splitting justice center, Hope to get enough support for a solo courthouse project,” Press Citizen, 14 October 2013, by Adam B Sullivan) Johnson County leaders are ready to abandon their hopes for a large justice center behind the existing courthouse, but there’s no consensus about what a new plan to address space shortages at […]
Johnson County Iowa Jail Population Data Charts
The charts below are based on Sheriff’s Annual Reports and the latest data up to the present for daily average incarceration in the Johnson County Jail. Click any image for a larger gallery view. * * * Commentary. Below are some comments regarding the above data. “I think our low and declining incarceration numbers in […]
The Gazette: Jail, courthouse answers continue to elude Johnson County
(Source: “Jail, courthouse answers continue to elude Johnson County,” The Gazette, 9 October 2013, by Gregg Hennigan) Low attendance, lack of ideas at public meetings keeping officials from moving forward There were two takeaways for Johnson County officials during recent meetings on what to do about the county’s jail and courthouse needs, and neither was […]
Prison Projects Symposium
