Life in Prison for Stealing $11, Criminalizing Homelessness & Other News You Might've Missed

by Charles Davis · 2010-10-15 12:56:00 UTC
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Any week where Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's efforts to mistreat the men and women housed in his jails are shot down by a federal court is a good week, as far as I'm concerned. But before you celebrate by downing a shot of Cuervo and walking outside your house without your state-issued ID -- take that, Arizona! -- check out some of the other criminal justice stories that ran on Change.org this week:

-- In 1993, Jamie and Gladys Scott allegedly participated in a robbery in which they stole $11 was stole. No one was hurt and it was the first criminal offense for either of the sisters, aged 19 and 21 at the time. But as Nadra Kareem notes on the Race blog, the Scotts made the mistake of committing their crime in Mississippi. While being black. They've been behind bars ever since, each having been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Supporters are calling on the governor to pardon them.

-- San Francisco has a reputation of being a bastion of liberalism and one of America's most progressive major cities. Yet Rich and Elizabeth Lombino report on the End Homelessness blog that Mayor and Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing a ballot initiative that would make it illegal to sit or lie on a city sidewalk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Why, a cynic might think the mayor just wants to push the problem of homelessness out of sight (and out of mind).

-- In the police-shooting-dogs story of the week, Animals blog editor Stephanie Feldstein actually has some good news to report. After Oakland police shot and killed an 11-year-old arthritic lab earlier this month, Chief Anthony Batts responded by ordering all officers to undergo mandatory training in how to handle dogs and other animals. It's a start.

-- Compared to mainland China, Taiwan is a beacon of democracy and human rights. But Amanda Kloer reports on the Human Trafficking blog that lawmakers there are considering what is essentially 21st century Fugitive Slave Act with a proposal that would offer cash rewards for turning in "runaway" migrant workers.

-- At just 16 years of age, Chinese immigrant Xiao Fei "Eddy" Zheng was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Since his release in 2007, though, Zheng has emerged as an advocate for prisoner rehabilitation and a leading activist voice in the San Francisco community. Yet despite his story of redemption and good work, Erin Pangilinan reports on the Immigrant Rights blog that Zheng faces being deported to a country he barely knows because of his past criminal record. A pardon from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would allow him to say in the U.S.

Anything I leave out? Ideas for stories I should cover or have one of your own you'd like to tell? Leave a link or comment below.

Photo Credit: Brittany Randolph

Charles Davis has covered Congress and criminal justice issues for public radio and Inter Press Service.
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