The federal judiciary has grown visibly more diverse during the first two years of the Biden administration. Of the 97 federal judges confirmed during his term, 74 are women. This includes the first woman of color to serve on the 5th Circuit appeals court as well as the first black woman to serve on the 7th Circuit Appeals Court from Indiana. Learn more here.
It is disheartening to see support for the death penalty remain this high despite more publicity than ever on the racial and class disparities present in our criminal justice system. Read more here.
Older people can still pose a threat to another person, regardless of how old or mentally capable they are. For example, when a police officer is called on an older person, the interaction may escalate quickly due to simple confusion or difficulty following the officer’s instructions. Since Dementia and Alzheimer’s can make it difficult for people to communicate, confusion can seem aggressive if the person is overwhelmed or afraid. Learn more here.
While many agree that police departments should reflect the communities they serve, this has not always been applied often enough to the gender makeup of police departments. The 30×30 initiative’s goal is for women to make up 30% of the recruits in police training classes by 2030. Currently, 28% of Madison’s 509 sworn officers are women. We hope this effort will result in a police department that reflects the diversity of our community and increases trust and engagement. We believe this is one of many reforms that need to take place to increase the legitimacy of our criminal justice system and protect the individual rights of the accused. As stated in the article, “It’s not just about getting women in the door, but on transforming police agencies by taking a deep look at policies, procedures and culture.”
