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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 11 January 2023

Feds outline new plan for inmates to pay victim restitution

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST inmate with some funds to
Associated Press spend within the institution
WASHINGTON (AP) — The and/or save for re-entry
Justice Department is pro- purposes,” Bureau of Pris-
posing changes to how it ons Director Colette Pe-
runs federal prisoners’ de- ters wrote in the proposed
posit accounts in an effort change.
to make sure victims are Few inmates have such
paid restitution, including high-dollar accounts,
from some high-profile in- though, and criminal-jus-
mates with large balances. tice reform advocates wor-
The new rule was published ry that the changes could
in the federal register Tues- disproportionately affect
day. It would automatically those who rely on small
put 75% of money sent or commissary accounts be-
donated to inmates toward hind bars and for rebuilding
victim restitution. The pro- their lives after release.
gram would be voluntary, “There’s a handful of bad
but prisoners would have to actors, but this isn’t going
participate in order to get to target them, it’s going to
credit under the First Step punish all the other guys,”
Act for early release from said Kevin Ring, the presi-
prison or into a community dent of the criminal justice
facility. The move comes as The seal for the Federal Bureau of Prisons is seen at Federal Bureau of Prisons headquarters in advocacy group FAMM.
the Justice Department has Washington, Oct. 24, 2022. The Bureau of Prisons has
faced increased scrutiny Associated Press said about .01% of inmates
after revelations that sever- by inmates to shield them- paid only about $100 per his fame to sexually abuse carry more than $100,000 in
al high-profile inmates had selves from paying debts. year, the minimum require- young fans. their accounts. The Justice
kept large sums of money For example, Larry Nassar, ment, since he first entered Inmates are allowed to Department considered a
in their prison accounts but the former USA Gymnastics the federal prison system keep large sums of money system that would divert
had only made minimal national team doctor con- in 2017, the Washington in their accounts, as long larger percentages from
payments to their victims. victed of sexually assaulting Post first reported. A judge as they’re not dodging or- higher-value accounts, but
The accounts are gener- athletes, had thousands of later ordered him to pay dered debts like child sup- eventually decided the
ally used for inmates to buy dollars in his prison account more toward his restitution. port, alimony or restitution. Bureau of Prisons wasn’t
things like food, personal even as he owned tens of Funds were also seized from The new percentage sys- equipped to implement it
hygiene products and reli- thousands to his victims, singer R. Kelly’s prison ac- tem would “more equitably in a completely fair way,
gious items, but they have prosecutors said in court count to go to a restitution account for each inmate’s though they may consider
at times been used for sus- documents filed in August fund for his victims in a de- specific obligations and re- other ways to divert more
picious or illegal activity, or 2021. Nassar had by then cades-long scheme to use sources while leaving the from larger balances.q

Elevated U.S. traffic deaths slipped in 1st 9 months of 2022

By TOM KRISHER work to do to address a of state traffic safety offi- tember. “Today’s news is a NHTSA said that Americans
AP Auto Writer crisis on the nation’s roads. cials, said the reduction in small step forward for safer continue to drive more
DETROIT (AP) — The num- She’s urging people to deaths is welcome, but it roads,” the group said, than during the height of
ber of traffic deaths on U.S. drive safely and watch out follows an unprecedented blaming the spike in the the pandemic, with prelimi-
roadways fell slightly dur- for vulnerable road users two-year surge in road- 2020 and 2021 on unsafe nary Federal Highway Ad-
ing the first nine months of such as pedestrians, cyclists way deaths and danger- driver behavior including ministration data showing
2022, but pedestrian and and motorcyclists. ous driving. The number of speeding, impaired and a 1.6% increase in vehicle
cyclist deaths continued to The Governors Highway deaths is down by only 65 distracted driving and lack miles traveled in the first
rise. The National Highway Safety Association, a group from January through Sep- of seat belt use. nine months of last year. As
Traffic Safety Administra- Fatalities began to rise a result, the estimated fa-
tion estimates that 31,785 two years ago when roads tality rate for the period fell
people were killed in crash- were largely empty due to 1.3 deaths per 100 million
es from January through to stay-at-home orders in miles traveled, compared
September last year, down many states. With less traf- with 1.32 a year earlier.
0.2% from the same period fic, speeds increased as The number of cyclists killed
of 2021. did reckless and impaired rose 8% through September
The agency also estimates driving, leading to a record of last year, the agency es-
that fatalities dropped spike in deaths last year, timated, while motorcyclist
slightly in the third quarter authorities have said. Many deaths rose 5% and pedes-
of the year, the second people weren’t wearing trian deaths were up 2%.
straight quarterly decline seat belts, the government Fatalities on rural interstates
after seven quarters of said. rose 12% during the first
year-over-year increases. NHTSA says its estimates nine months of 2022, and
Agency Acting Administra- typically are close to ac- crashes involving at least
tor Ann Carlson says in a Drivers work their way out of Dallas during rush hour, July 1, tual numbers. Final figures one large truck were up
prepared statement Mon- 2016. for 2022 won’t be released 10%, according to NHTSA
day that there’s still more Associated Press until later. estimates.q