Page 5 - Aruba Today
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A5 U.S. NEWS A5
Thursday 31 March 2016
Thursday 31 March 2016
Obama shortens prison sentences for 61 drug offenders
JOSH LEDERMAN President Barack Obama walks into Busboys and Poets in Washington, Wednesday, March 30, a mistake in their lives that
Associated Press 2016, with a group of formerly incarcerated individuals who have previously received commuta- led to a conviction under
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- tions. our laws.”
dent Barack Obama on Obama met for lunch
Wednesday commuted (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Wednesday with people
the prison sentences of 61 whose sentences were pre-
drug offenders, including mums and expanded the has slowed as the chaotic inmates, said the presiden- viously commuted to hear
more than a third serving about the challenges of re-
life sentences, giving new criteria for inmates apply- presidential campaign has tial power to grant com- entering society.
energy to calls for over- “Their stories are extraordi-
hauling theU.S. criminal jus- ing for clemency. made cooperation be- mutations and pardons nary,” Obama said after-
tice system. ward. “We’re all imperfect.
All of the inmates are serv- Though there’s wide bipar- tween Republicans and “embodies the basic be- We all make mistakes.”
ing time for drug posses- The latest commutations
sion, intent to sell or related tisan support in Congress Democrats increasingly dif- lief in our democracy that bring to 248 the total num-
crimes. Most are nonviolent ber of inmates whose sen-
offenders, although a few for overhauling the criminal ficult. people deserve a second tences Obama has com-
were also charged with fire- muted, more than the past
arms violations. Obama’s justice system, momentum Obama, in a letter to the chance after having made six presidents combined,
commutation shortens their the White House said. The
sentences, with most of the pace of commutations and
inmates set to be released the rareruse of pardons
on July 28. are expected to increase
Obama has long called for as the end of Obama’s
getting rid of strict sentenc- presidency nears. Neil Egg-
es for drug offenses that leston, the White House
critics say lead to excessive counsel, said in a blog post
punishment and sky-high that clemency is a tool of
incarceration rates. With last resort that can help spe-
Obama’s support, the Jus- cific people, but doesn’t
tice Department in recent address the broader need
years has directed pros- for a justice system that’s
ecutors to rein in the use of “more fair and just.”q
harsh mandatory mini-
States look to provide lawyers for the poor in civil cases
DAVE COLLINS provide either public de- tion, debt collection and funding in the country. tion or foreclosure in New
Associated Press fenders or private lawyers bankruptcy cases, but also Legal aid lawyers say York.
HARTFORD, Connecticut at state expense for low- hindered people’s ability to scores of poor people who — Measures regarding free
(AP) — A flood of poor income people in certain pay for lawyers, judges and couldn’t afford lawyers lawyers for indigent people
defendants representing civil cases, according to lawyers say. have been evicted, lost in parental-rights cases in
themselves, often ineffec- the National Coalition for a Such cases have over- child custody or had trou- Kentucky and Mississippi.q
tively, in cases involving Civil Right to Counsel. whelmed and slowed court ble obtaining restraining — Georgia lawmakers this
eviction, foreclosure, child “When your basic human dockets, judges say. orders. year voted to give men-
custody and involuntary needs are at stake, you Every year, more than 80 Some proposals passed or tally ill people the right to
commitment has led to a should have a lawyer to percent of low-income being considered in other a free lawyer if they can’t
push in U.S. state legisla- protect those needs,” said people with civil legal trou- states: afford one when an order
tures to expand rights to John Pollock, a lawyer with bles do not obtain the legal — Measures in Florida, New for involuntary inpatient
free lawyers in certain civil the Public Justice Center representation they need, Jersey and Pennsylvania to treatment is about to ex-
proceedings. nonprofit group who coor- and legal aid organizations allow free lawyers in cases pire and medical experts
Everyone has a right to a dinates the coalition. “The have to turn away nearly a of involuntary commitment request continued involun-
free lawyer in criminal cas- consequences are too million people a year na- for substance abuse. tary treatment.
es if they can’t afford one. great.” tionwide because of a lack — Proposals to require free — Oregon lawmakers vot-
But the same right isn’t The spike in self-represent- of resources, according to legal counsel to poor peo- ed to allow free lawyers for
guaranteed in civil cases. ed defendants stems from the Legal Services Corp., a ple in certain eviction cas- eligible juveniles facing the
More than two dozen the Great Recession, which group funded by the fed- es in Massachusetts and to possibility of having to regis-
bills being considered in not only created new eral government that is the provide the right to a law- ter as sex offenders.q
18 states this year would waves of foreclosure, evic- largest provider of legal aid yer to the poor facing evic-
