Criminal Justice

On Tuesday, Nebraska abolished the practice of civil asset forfeiture after Governor Pete Ricketts signed a bill that passed by a wide margin through Nebraska’s state legislature. The new law requires a criminal conviction before property can be seized and limits the set of crimes for which people can have their cash, vehicles, firearms, or […]

Retired Johnson City, Kansas, sheriff Currie Myers is no stranger to the rule of law. Formerly a special agent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a task force agent for the U.S. Customs Service and Drug Enforcement Administration, Myers has come face to face with his share of convicted criminals. However, Myers has also […]

A new survey of Virginians finds that most residents of the Old Dominion view their justice system as too costly and too detrimental to restored citizens upon their re-entry to society. It’s no surprise, then, that proponents of reform filled the room as Stand Together Trust, in conjunction with Prison Fellowship, brought together an array […]

Last week, advocates, policy experts, and concerned citizens alike gathered in Oklahoma City for “Criminal Justice: A Better Way for Oklahoma,” an event co-hosted by Stand Together Trust and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA). The event featured a panel of policy experts from across the country who discussed how proposed criminal justice reform […]

Last week Stand Together Trust joined the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) in Oklahoma City to host an event highlighting the problematic nature of civil asset forfeiture. Increased awareness of this practice has led to currently proposed reforms in the state. The event kicked off with remarks from Jonathan Small, president of OCPA, followed […]

February 14 marks Frederick Douglass’ birthday—not the day he was born, but the day he chose to celebrate his birth. Douglass’ actual birthday and even his birth year remain uncertain. Because he was born a slave, his birth was not recorded. The only date we know for certain is the day he died: February 20, […]

Results show Virginians support policies that improve public safety, reduce costs, and respect the human dignity of all individuals. Lansdowne, Va. and Arlington, Va. – As Virginians consider what is next for criminal justice reform, Prison Fellowship and Stand Together Trust today released the results of a public opinion survey on criminal justice. “The people […]

This week the Richmond Times-Dispatch published an op-ed co-authored by Ken Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general, Pat Nolan, director of the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform, Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and Vikrant Reddy, senior policy fellow at Stand Together Trust. In the op-ed, the authors discuss […]

Yesterday, football fans watched Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, defeat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Adding to the sweetness of the Broncos’ victory was the fact that Thomas’s mother, Katina Smith, was there to experience it in person after having her 24-plus year prison sentence commuted 15 years in. In […]

Criminal justice reform was the center of focus in the Land of Enchantment last week, as Stand Together Trust joined with the Rio Grande Foundation in Albuquerque to discuss the negative implications of overcriminalization in New Mexico. Also participating were experts from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Buckeye Institute, as well […]