ALTERNATIVE ATTITUDES

A majority of U S adults believe that some crimes, for which offenders are currently incarcerated, do not demand time behind bars. Eight in 10 (77 percent) adults believe the most appropriate sentence for nonviolent, nonserious offenders is supervised probation, restitution, community service, and/or rehabilitative services; if an offender fails in these alternatives, then prison or jail may be appropriate. Over three-quarters (77 percent) believe alternatives to incarceration do not decrease public safety. More than half (55 percent) believe alternatives to prison or jail decrease costs to state and local governments. U.S. adults more often think alternatives to incarceration are more effective than prison or jail time at reducing recidivism (45 percent vs. 38 percent). Respondents cited a variety of reasons they believe justify sending fewer people to prison or jail, including expense, overcrowding (danger to guards, danger to inmates), the ability of proven alternatives to reduce crime and the fairness of the punishment relative to crime.
— The results of a Zogby Survey done for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Results of the survey, titled “Attitudes of U.S. Voters toward Nonserious Offenders and Alternatives to Incarceration,” was published in June.

RENEWED FOCUS

“It is clear to me that the crisis in indigent defense has not ended. And the Justice Department has not remained an active part of the conversation about indigent defense in recent years. ... Some may perceive the goals of the prosecution and the goals of the defense as irreconcilable — that those who represent the state and those who represent the accused are forever at odds. I served as a prosecutor for many years, and I strongly reject that premise.”
— Attorney General Eric Holder in remarks prepared for the American Council of Chief Defenders Conference on June 24, during which Holder announced a renewed commitment to improving the indigent defense system, and five steps his office is taking to help address challenges associated with indigent defense. The steps include hosting a national conference focusing on indigent defense, the first of its kind since 2000.

NOT BLAMING THE PARENTS

Nearly a third of all children are overweight, often caused by factors such as poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Pediatricians see another potential culprit: poor community design. While doctors can advise parents to encourage exercise, the recommendation is useless if there aren’t safe places to walk, ride bikes or play. Previously, neighborhood schools were focal points of the community, and many children walked to school. But past state-adopted policies required future schools to be located on acres of land, and untouched parcels were often located on the outskirts of urban areas. In 2001, only 13 percent of children walked to school. In a number of surveys, parents most often claimed that the reason their kids did not walk was because schools were located too far away.
— Governing.com’s Idea Center

BIG NEWS DAY

About 31 million people in the United States watched Michael Jackson’s last act across 19 networks, according to Neilsen. That means about one in every 10 people in the country were watching celebrities send Jackson off July 7 at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. This is pretty significant, given that the funeral aired from 1 to 4 p.m. EDT, when, presumably, many people were at work. Unlike Princess Di’s funeral, which, conveniently, was held on a Saturday in 1997 — and hypnotized 33 million. Nielsen’s stat includes on viewing on actual TVs and on these networks: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Telefutura, Telemundo, Univision, CNN , Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Headline News, BET, E!, MTV, VH1, VH1 Classic, TV Guide Network, TV ONE and MUN 2. It does not include people watching online, which is, of course, a much bigger deal now than in Princess Di’s day. MSNBC.com set a new video stream record — nearly 19 million — for its bye-bye-bash coverage, topping its previous record set on President Barack Obama’s Inauguration Day.
— The Washington Post