News & Commentary

Nothing is better than spending a frigid, snowy weekend inside reading a really good book. I spent this particularly cold weekend reading Just Mercy, a memoir by Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative.

According to documents recently obtained by the ACLU, the Drug Enforcement Administration has initiated a new program linking its National License Plate Recognition initiative with those of law enforcement agencies across the country. According to ACLU Senior Policy Analyst, Jay Stanley, this new program raises major civil liberties concerns, as it would allow the federal government to collect and store huge amounts of data tracking the movements of motorists across the country.

Yesterday, we closed our office in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and observed the legacy of this great civil rights leader. It was an opportunity for us to reflect on the immense gains our country made because of the Civil Rights movement and be inspired by the words, courage and actions of leaders like Dr. King. However it was also an opportunity for us to think about the goals of the Civil Rights movement and, when it comes to racial justice and equality, where America is today.  

Last week, we received the unfortunately news that a Maine lawmaker is introducing legislation to reinstate the death penalty here in Maine. Democratic Senator Bill Diamond of Windham introduced the bill, which will be considered this legislative session.

The Portland Press Herald recently ran two pieces discussing data recently released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which shows that Maine has the lowest rate of criminal justice involvement of any state in the country. The first, originally published in the Washington Post, compares Maine to states like Texas, California and Georgia and discusses the general trend towards declining prison populations. This trend reflects a nationwide realization that we are incarcerating far too many people at far too great a cost, with little benefit to society. The second, an opinion piece by Bill Nemitz, points out that, while our incarceration rates are lower than in other states, we may not be doing enough to prepare those who are locked up to successfully re-enter society.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released guidance on the use of race by federal law enforcement agencies. These new guidelines, expanding upon guidance issued by the DOJ in 2003, follow the tragic deaths of Eric Garner, Mike Brown and Tamir Rice, and come at a time of increased public dialogue about the role of policing in America, particularly within communities of color. 

Last week, the United Nations Committee Against Torture issued a report in which it took the United States to task on a wide range of issues, from lack of accountability for torture and overuse of immigration detention to criminal justice practices and police accountability. This report came after a month spent reviewing U.S. compliance with a major human rights treaty, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which the U.S. ratified in 1994. The last compliance review was in 2006.

Yesterday the grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., declined to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson on charges in the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown.

On November 5, we received the exciting news that Proposition 47 passed in California with a solid 59 percent of the vote. Not only will this measure reclassify six low-level offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, it is retroactive - meaning that thousands of individuals sentenced under these laws may now go before a judge to be resentenced or released, and hundreds of thousands of people with felony convictions for these offenses may have them removed from their record. Prop 47 enjoyed widespread support, from advocacy organizations, faith leaders, law enforcement, crime victims, judges, labor unions and republican and democratic leaders.