New York's chief judge Jonathan Lippman is planning to propose that 16- and 17-year-olds be tried in family courts. There, their records will be sealed and their chances of being arrested again will decrease. Sign this position to support the change of the age of criminal responsibility in New York from 16 to 18. New York State is one of only two states in the country in which 16-year-olds are tried as adults. The other is North Carolina, and this year lawmakers there have proposed legislation to move these cases to juvenile courts. In eleven states, the age of criminal responsibility begins at 17. In the 37 remaining states (and the District of Columbia), the age is 18. Most recent scientific studies support the trial of those under-18 as juveniles, not adults. They have confirmed that the human brain continues to develop into an individual's twenties, and that the frontal lobe remains undeveloped in teenagers, making them less capable of making reasoned decisions, resisting peer pressure, and controlling impulses than adults. Each year, around 45-50,000 16- and 17-year-olds are tried as adults in New York, with the vast majority of them having committed nonviolent crimes. However, this leads to more recidivism, as adolescents tried as adults are more likely to commit crimes in the future. The New York State law was established in 1962, when lawmakers passed the Family Court Act. The age was set at 16 as a temporary measure, to be reviewed after research and public hearings were conducted. But it never was, and the issue has never been revisited.

The DEA misclassified Cannabis (marijuana) as a Schedule I forbidden drug (same scheduling as heroin) in 1970. This has never been corrected and Cannabis cannot become federally legal until it is rescheduled by Congress or by the U S Attorney General.

This act would remove marijuana from any schedule of drugs that would make it a punishable offense to possess any amount of the substance. The U.S. Government wastes too much money annually on the drug war on marijuana and puts too many people in prison for a drug that has been found to give relief to many people for various illnesses and is a safer alternative to alcohol for many people seeking a socil drug.

Well-loved, Sunday School teacher & handsome, gentle-giant - Scottie Wallace has been framed by an illegal-immigrant female. She is manipulating Utah laws & posing as a victim of domestic violence to get American residency. Scottie lost his lucrative job, apartment and all of his rights because he won't marry her because she is trying to bring the Mexican father of her child, into this country. Won't you help free my"church son"?

Hank Skinner is set to be executed in Texas on Nov. 9, 2011 despite uncertainty about his guilt which could be resolved by testing evidence that has never been tested. Prominent Texans, including current and former elected officials and former prosecutors, judges and law enforcement, have joined the growing chorus calling for DNA testing. Several jurors from Mr. Skinner’s trial have even expressed concern that the DNA testing has not been done. It’s just common sense to test the DNA evidence in Mr. Skinner’s case so that there can be certainty.

America has an addiction to incarceration with nearly 25 percent of the world's prisoners. This has drained government resources and destroyed the family structure. It is time for America to be smart on crime since the tough on crime tactics has proven to be very costly revenge.

Chad Emery Evans was wrongfully convicted in December, 2001 in New Hampshire of the murder of Kassidy Bortner, the 21-month old daughter of his girlfriend, Amanda Bortner. Chad is now in his eleventh year of a 43 years-to-life sentence. This petition requests that the State New Hampshire re-investigate the case, because there was much that was missed the first time, and much that Chad's jury did not see. See www.chadevanswronglyconvicted.org.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/10/06/338461/topeka-kansas-city-council-considers-decriminalizing-domestic-violence-to-save-money/ Topeka, Kansas City Council Considers Decriminalizing Domestic Violence To Save Money By Marie Diamond on Oct 6, 2011 at 5:45 pm Faced with their worst budget crises since the Great Depression, states and cities have resorted to increasingly desperate measures to cut costs. State and local governments have laid off teachers, slashed Medicaid funding, and even stopped paving roads and turning off streetlights. But perhaps the most shocking idea to save money is being debated right now by the City Council of Topeka, Kansas. The city could repeal an ordinance banning domestic violence because some say the cost of prosecuting those cases is just too high: Last night, in between approving city expenditures and other routine agenda items, the Topeka City Council debated one rather controversial one: decriminalizing domestic violence. Here’s what happened: Last month, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office, facing a 10% budget cut, announced that the county would no longer be prosecuting misdemeanors, including domestic violence cases, at the county level. Finding those cases suddenly dumped on the city and lacking resources of their own, the Topeka City Council is now considering repealing the part of the city code that bans domestic battery. [...] Since the county stopped prosecuting the crimes on September 8th, it has turned back 30 domestic violence cases. Sixteen people have been arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery and then released from the county jail after charges weren’t filed. “Letting abusive partners out of jail with no consequences puts victims in incredibly dangerous positions,” said Becky Dickinson of the YWCA. “The abuser will often become more violent in an attempt to regain control.” The YMCA also said that some survivors were afraid for their safety if the dispute wasn’t resolved soon. Town leaders and the district attorney all agree that domestic abuse cases should be prosecuted — but no one would step up to foot the bill. The city council is expected to make its decision on decriminalizing domestic violence next week, but the back-and-forth over funding has already put battered women and their families at increased risk of harm. Domestic violence is still at epidemic levels in the United States, and too few cases are prosecuted as it is. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence. And domestic abuse is a crime that damages entire communities, not just women. Witnessing violence between one’s parents is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next: boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partner when they grow up. And while not prosecuting domestic violence cases may seem to save money in the short term, it actually has staggering financial consequences. The health-related costs of domestic violenceexceeds $5.8 billion each year. Nearly $4.1 billion of that is for direct medical and mental health care services, and nearly $1.8 billion are for the indirect costs of lost productivity or wages. Victims lost almost 8 million days of paid work because of the violence. It should go without saying, but apparently doesn’t, that preventing domestic abuse is essential to promoting communities’ economic and social well-being. That the Topeka City Council would even consider such action is a heartbreaking illustration of the consequences of austerity. In Solidarity, Kay Diemer MoveOn Council Organizer 3rd District Kansas

PROP is a new organizing advocacy project focused on exposing and addressing harsh police practices in New York City.

Devry Broox, a concerned father and upstanding citizen of Florida, was arrested and faces up to 10 years in prison on CHILD ABUSE allegations. Broox used boot camp style disciplinary tactics to get his son off the wrong path and back on the right track and as a result was taken into custody by Orange County FL Sheriff's office. If you feel this is UNFAIR take action and help do something about it.

Ohio HB 160 eliminates the death penalty and replaces it with Life Without a Chance of Parole. The bill was introduced this spring and it has had one hearing in the House Criminal Justice Committee. The bill is scheduled to have proponent testimony in committee within the next few weeks.

Human government was established to keep the strong from enslaving the weak and the poor from being exploited by the rich. God says "Woe to you who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice," Isaiah 10:1-2. Goggle Corrupt Judges and Corrupt police and see for yourselves how the needy is being robbed of justice. WE NEED THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES