2014 was a year, as many are, of modest steps forward and a few steps back in criminal justice reform. But the national focus on flaws in our criminal justice system could lead to stronger reforms in 2015.
The year proved to be a victory for those advocating for changes in drug laws. In November, voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington DC voted to legalize marijuana, while New York City police officers will issue summonses in lieu of arrest for possession of small amounts of marijuana — a marked shift from the nation’s mood in June of 1971 when President Richard Nixon officially declared a “war on drugs” and stated that drug abuse is “public enemy number one.”
[For more of this story, written by Lauren-Brooke Eisen, go to http://billmoyers.com/2014/12/...eforms-horizon-2015/]
Comments (0)