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prison overcrowding

Equal Justice Initiative report: Alabama prisons deadliest in nation despite funding increases

So far this year, 13 Alabama inmates have been murdered, which was twice as many as were killed during the entire ten-year period between 1999 and 2009, making the state’s prisons the most dangerous in the nation, according to an Alabama nonprofit.  The Montgomery-based Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal services for inmates, released the … Continued
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November 19, 2019

NPR covers Alabama’s dangerous prisons, state announces prison commissioner receives award

Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn received a “National Outstanding Service” award, the department announced Thursday, the same day a nationally-syndicated radio program broadcast live from Birmingham about the state’s broken prison system.  Dunn has been selected for the 2019 Michael Francke Career Achievement Award by the Correctional Leaders Association (CLA). Kevin Kemph, executive … Continued
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November 15, 2019

Parole hearings in Alabama will resume today after a two month suspension of hearings

Monday, State Pardons and Paroles director Judge Charlie Graddick said at a news conference that he speaks for the public by encouraging that actions taken regarding violent offenders be reviewed very carefully. “Foremost, inmates do not have an innate right to be paroled, they must earn such a privilege,” Graddick told reporters. “Parole consideration dates … Continued
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November 5, 2019

Sentencing reform needed, advocates say, but state official says it won’t come easy or cheap

Montgomery– Alabama’s prisons are overcrowded, violent and the living conditions horrid, but the fixes aren’t going to come easy, according to the director of the state’s Sentencing Commission, speaking to the Governor’s Study Group on Criminal Justice Policy on Thursday. Alabama’s prison system is under threat of federal takeover if the state doesn’t remedy the … Continued
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October 4, 2019

SPLC releases special report claiming that Alabama’s Community Corrections system is flawed

Thursday, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released a special report that claims that Alabama’s community corrections pay-to-play model prioritizes making money over rehabilitation or public safety. The report, titled “Opportunity Costs: Unequal Justice in Alabama’s Community Corrections Programs,” is the first in a series analyzing what the SPLC sees as serious flaws within Alabama’s … Continued
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August 16, 2019
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State budgets: Priority number one

After their successful special five-day Special Session, the Legislature has been in their Regular Session for a few weeks now. The session will end in June so it is about one-fourth over. Almost one-third of the members are new — freshmen if you will. Even though they are, for the most part, a bright and … Continued
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April 3, 2019

Corrections asks for $42 million budget increase

Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn presented the ADOC fiscal year 2020 budget request to an Alabama joint House and Senate budget committee meeting in Montgomery. “The Department of Corrections is undergoing unprecedented change,” Dunn said. The ADOC is, “Transforming the department into the most respected and trusted law enforcement agency in the state.” … Continued
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January 31, 2019

Gov. Kay Ivey orders a halt to early parole hearings

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) met with the three members of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles after the board scheduled early parole hearings for 150 violent offenders including dozens of convicted murderers. At the conclusion of the meeting, Governor Ivey announced that she has designated Lyn … Continued
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October 16, 2018