Dear %BASIC:EMAIL%,

Welcome to The Criminal Justice Forum!
In this Issue:

Bradley's Ghost

White Collar Crime

Sexuality Education

Daughter?s Keeper

Bradley's Ghost, by Ray Derby

What does a 40 year emergency preparedness veteran have to say about the Department of Homeland Security? This former Civil Defense Director, civilian Air Force Disaster Preparedness Officer, and Federal Emergency Coordinator says they are not doing enough to prepare our communities and our schools.  

Although he believes Homeland Security is working hard at the federal level, he insists that communities are not getting accurate information and will be ill prepared for any chemical,  biological, or radiological attacks. But, he?s got a plan that we can all use to prepare. His advice is simple- ?plan for the worst? then we?ll be prepare for anything else.  

If your disbelieving thoughts are telling these dangers are unrealistic and this could never possibly happen, just consider the minute amount of Anthrax (one teaspoon) which closed down the US Mail system and sent our country into a mild panic attack. And Mr. Derby reminds us there?s more Anthrax out there.

Mr. Derby even has a plan for revamping the Homeland Security Advisory System- wouldn?t it be nice if we could all understand what each color really means?

If you?re not sure what sleeper cells and dirty bombs are, or you want to hear more about Ray Derby?s four step plan to ensure the Department of Homeland Security does its job of keeping each citizen safe, listen to our show, Bradley?s Ghost, with Ray Derby, on our page.

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Waging a War on White Collar Crime

What is a white collar crime? Karen Bond, Director of Government Affairs for Federal Prison Policy Project, distinguishes it from a violent crime. She says first-time and non-violent offenders who have not caused injury to another have engaged in white collar crime.

Both she and Walt Pavlo, now the Director of Business for Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, talk candidly about each of their own experiences from the commencement of their investigations to their actual prison time.

Mr. Pavlo says that mounting a defense during a federal investigation doesn?t mean the accused is innocent, but instead is an attempt at protection against many other accusations which come out, ?It is possible to become entangled in other people?s crimes.? And the expense is overwhelming- he spent $300,000 in lawyer fees over an 18-24 month investigation and his case never went to trial. He says it?s easy to be tempted into accepting a plea deal just to stop spending money. Does that sound like justice?

Ms. Bond mentions that about 8% of federal prisoners have committed white collar crimes, and 84% are first-time offenders. And she poses the question, ?what is the purpose of prison?? And it seems the answer is simply, punishment.

?There is no restorative justice practiced in the federal system? says Ms. Bond.  ?The victim is given very little consideration. The focus is on punishing the defendant, not making the victim whole again.?

Listen to more from the inside perspective and even learn the real reason for a PERP walk, by listening to this show on our page.

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Sexuality Education with Planned Parenthood

Abstinence education is not working. Marilyn Anderson, Director of Education with Planned Parenthood wonders why, as a society, we are more comfortable taking off our clothes and having sex than we are talking about sex.

She says we are sending mixed messages to teens. Teens see messages of sex selling everything from shampoo to underwear. Then we tell them to choose abstinence because sex is an evil, nasty, thing that will kill you. But then tell them to save it for the one you love.

Telling teens that condoms don?t work doesn?t scare them out of having sex, Ms. Anderson claims, it?s only telling them to not use condoms. And she?s got the research to prove it!

Parents-- wouldn?t you like to raise your child to become a good critical thinker? If so, give your kids opportunities to practice decision making. And teach them that they are valuable human beings, that they their sexuality is their own, and that they can make a difference in their lives. We need to speak about sex honestly and factually with teens, give them good information, and access to protection. It only makes sense since 1 in every African American, 1 in every 176 Latino, and 1 in every 346 Caucasian is living today with HIV.  And, 88% of teens who took a pledge of virginity reported having sex before marriage.

Let?s teach our kids healthy sexuality messages and to keep themselves safe. To learn more about how to do that age appropriately visit our page to listen to the Sexuality Education show with Marilyn Anderson.

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Daughter?s Keeper, by Ayelet Waldman

The ?War on Drugs? seems to be a war on American people and their families. Ayelet Waldman, author of Daughter?s Keeper, says there has to be something wrong with the fight against drugs if drugs we?re fighting (and spending $50 billion a year to do it) have become cheaper, more accessible, and better quality than ever before. Hmmmm!

This former federal public defender tells in her book what she claims is a rather common story. A woman gets caught up in her boyfriend?s drug crimes by association only. She takes a few phone messages from the undercover agents, gets named as part of the group, and is sentenced to the same mandatory minimum sentence as everyone else in the deal.

The only way to escape the sentence is to trade information. However, the lower you are in the conspiracy, the more likely you are to get a longer sentence because you have no information to trade.

We are incarcerating 1 in 32 people largely due to the drug war. Ms. Waldman says our priorities are messed up, ?Young woman go to jail for 20 years for being next to her boyfriend during a drug deal, but the average child molester gets a six year sentence.?

Ms. Waldman explains how some of the most dishonest people barter their services to get out of detainment. And then, they set up shop as an informant and earn millions of dollars in the business of setting up first-time drug offenders. Find out how and listen to the rest of the show on our page

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No Child Left Behind, airing May 1^st

Mark Pudlow of the Florida Education Association and Joel Packer of the National Education Association explain The No Child Left Behind Act- a school punishment plan with a feel-good name. All schools should strive to improve, but with unrealistic expectations set, you won?t believe what happens when your child?s school doesn?t make the grade.

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