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U.S. Prison Count Continues to Drop
After nearly four decades of explosive growth, the U.S. prison population declined for two years in a row, according to the Justice Department. Inmate counts fell in about half the states in each year from 2009-10 and 2010-11. more
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- Stateline Story
Schools Rethink Post-Columbine Discipline
When schools began expanding zero-tolerance policies against student misbehavior after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, few expected to see kids as young as 6 handcuffed and removed from school. Now, evidence of zero-tolerance policies going too far has sparked a growing debate over the proper balance between safety and tolerance in America's schools. more
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- Stateline Story
New Year Rings in Hundreds of New Statutes
The new year brings more than just a change of calendars. Hundreds of new state laws are taking effect from coast to coast, covering such diverse matters as the creation of a highway fast lane, determining who pays for birth control pills and dictating how you can split your tongue to resemble a snakes. And thats just in Illinois! more
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- Stateline Story
'O Christmas Tree' More Than a Carol in Some States
Even the Christmas tree is a matter of public policy. Some state governments regulate various aspects of the Yule symbol, from the manner in which people buy their live evergreens to where they mount them and what happens the trees are ready for the mulch pile. more
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- Stateline Story
Governor Vetoes Wisconsin Gun Bill
A bill allowing gun-owners to pack concealed weapons even into the state Legislature -- has sparked a political shootout in Wisconsin, with Republican proponents blazing away rhetorically at criminals, druggies and wackos, while Democrats return fire with equal passion. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle put at least a temporary stop to this feuding Tuesday with a veto, backed by strong support from Wisconsins law enforcement community and the public at large. more
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- Stateline Story
Kentucky Jail Breaks Raise Political Hackles
Earlier this month, Brian Keith Herron was charged with robbing three banks in Owensboro, Ky. days after being released from prison. This could have been just another crime story, but it has become a key part of a broader political issue in Kentucky. more
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- Stateline Story
Seven States To Compete for Innovation Awards
Seven state-run programs in areas such as education, public safety, and the environment are among 15 policy initiatives competing for five $100,000 awards for being the most innovative programs in American government. The awards are given annually by the Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government in conjunction with the Council for Excellence in Government. The 15 finalists were chosen from 1,300 applicants, and each will receive a $20,000 grant. more
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- Stateline Story
Private Prison Boom Shows Signs of Slowing
A private prison in Whiteville, Tenn., a town with 1,100 residents 60 miles east of Memphis, incarcerates as many convicted Wisconsin killers as any Wisconsin penal institution. States seeking the cheapest way to jail people have shipped felons beyond their borders rather than expand their own prisons. But studies show private prisons cost taxpayers nearly as much as public ones, and critics argue that punishing criminals shouldnt be left to organizations whose primary motive is profit. more
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- Stateline Story
Fireworks, Public Safety Uneasy Bedfellows
Many state borders look different around the Fourth of July. Colorful signs spring up as border towns and back roads become convenient locations for fireworks vendors to set up shop. The reason? State fireworks laws are as spotty as one's vision after a shimmering fireworks show, and open borders permit a free flow of pyrotechnics from states where fireworks are legal to ones where they are not. more
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- Stateline Story
Stalemate on Crime Law A Problem For Wisconsin
Tough new criminal sentencing regulations go into effect in Wisconsin soon, and some experts fear the result could be miscarriages of justice and severe prison overcrowding because the legislature hasn't tailored the criminal code to fit the new rules. more
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- Stateline Story
Legislatures Continue to Wrestle With School Prayer
The U.S. constitutional tension between the right to freedom of religious expression and its limits has long posed thorny policy questions for politicians and educational officials, but in the last year those questions have grown more acute. The debate over rights and limits exploded with new force after last April 20 when two youths carried out the most violent and deadly school house massacre in the nation's history at Colorado's Columbine High School, killing 15 people including themselves. more
