Politics. On Point.

From  DOJ press release . Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced today that the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the city of Ferguson, Missouri, alleging a pattern or practice of law enforcement conduct that violates the First, Fourth and 14 th  Amendments of the Constitution and federal civil rights laws. “Today, the Department of Justice is filing a lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Missouri, alleging a pattern or practice of law enforcement conduct that violates the Constitution and federal civil rights laws,” said Attorney General Lynch.   “The residents of Ferguson have waited nearly a year for their city to adopt an agreement that would protect their rights and keep them safe.  They have waited nearly a year for their police department to accept rules that would ensure their constitutional rights and that thousands of other police departments follow every day.  They have waited nearly a year for thei...

In what could be considered an out-of-touch-with-regular-folk moment, Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Friday he was shocked that law enforcement uses citizens to generate revenue. "The notion that you would use a law enforcement agency or law enforcement generally to generate revenue, and then the callous way in which that was done and the impact that it had on the lives of the ordinary citizens of that municipality, was just appalling." Example of fees and costs generated by courts and law enforcement. ( Source ). Holder was referring to the findings of the Department of Justice investigation of the Ferguson, MO police department.  The investigation found that the department "engaged in or practiced a pattern of conduct that violates the Fourth, Fifth, and 14 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. See also:  The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness “Our investigation showed that  Ferguson  police officers routinely vi...

Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced a  Correctional Education Guidance Package  aimed at helping states and local agencies strengthen the quality of education services provided to America’s estimated 60,000 young people in confinement every day. This guidance package builds on recommendations in the  My Brother’s Keeper Task Force report  released in May to “reform the juvenile and criminal justice systems to reduce unnecessary interactions for youth and to enforce the rights of incarcerated youth to a quality education.”  Today’s guidance package is a roadmap that states and local agencies can use to improve the quality of educational services for confined youth. “In this great country, all children deserve equal access to a high-quality public education - and this is no less true for children in the juvenile justice system,” said Attorney General Holder.  “At the Department of Justice, we are work...

In 2013, Still Two Worlds: One Black. One White. Today's White House press briefing started out with press secretary Jay Carney telling reporters how he spent his weekend.   After telling reporters he hoped their weekend was good, he offered an unsolicited take on his own. "Since you asked", joked Carney who described his weekend as "great" and "unbelievable", "I had a great weekend". "I took my son to see Paul McCartney Friday night", Carney said, calling the experience "fantastic". "It’s just a fantastic experience because he’s amazing and his songs are amazing, but to be there with an 11-year-old who also knew all the words is pretty special." Good for you, Mr. Carney. Good for all fathers who still have their sons in their lives and can take them to baseball parks, basketball games, the movies, and Paul McCartney concerts. For one father, and for one family, those events will never happen agai...

  Award Allocated for the Development of a National Public Education Campaign on Responsible Gun Ownership Encouraging Safe Storage The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded $1 million to the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to support the development of a National Public Education Campaign on the subject of responsible gun ownership and safe gun storage. With the award, NCPC will create, produce, and distribute television, radio, and outdoor Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that encourage gun owners to safely store their firearms so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. The campaign will also emphasize the importance of immediately reporting lost or stolen guns to local law enforcement to ensure public safety. “As part of President Obama's comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence, the Administration is committed to working with firearm owners and enthusiasts to prevent tragic accidents and keep guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Atto...

The Departments of Justice and Education released two new guidance documents – one for school districts and one for colleges and universities – detailing the flexibility that the Supreme Court has provided to educational institutions to promote diversity and, in the case of elementary and secondary schools, reduce racial isolation among students within the confines of the law.   The guidance makes clear that educators may permissibly consider the race of students in carefully constructed plans to promote diversity or, in K-12 education, to reduce racial isolation.  It recognizes the learning benefits to students when campuses and schools include students of diverse backgrounds. “Diverse learning environments promote development of analytical skills, dismantle stereotypes, and prepare students to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.  “The guidance announced today will aid educational institutions in their efforts to p...