City police unions in New York City don’t have the right to block a local law that makes it easier for the public to sue cops for racial profiling. A judge ruled that “the law only seeks to deter the use of attributes such as race as the sole basis for an investigatory stop which is antithetical to our constitution and values,” while adding that the court understood that cops had to make “split-second decisions” when conducting investigative stops. The ruling has been hailed as a victory for all New Yorkers, including the police, because it builds trust and respect between officers and the communities they serve. Quelle: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/public-allowed-sue-cops-stop-and-frisk-profiling-judge-article-1.1835438

An estimated 2.7 million children have a parent in jail or prison in the US. A pilot program in Philadelphia uses videoconferencing to give incarcerated parents a more active role in the decision-making surrounding their kids. But while technology is creating new avenues for jailed parents to stay connected with their children, researchers emphasize the importance of contact meetings and say videoconferencing should only be used as a supplemental measure. Quelle: http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/philadelphia-prison-women-mothers-children-videoconferencing-dhs

Eight US-states that have had significant reductions in both recidivism and crime rates. The recidivism rate ranged from about 6 percent to 18 percent in those states. Researchers analyzed data and the report pointed to specific strategies that reduced recidivism, including: investing in community-based treatment, tailoring approaches to individual needs and providing incentives for participation in programs designed to reduce likelihood of a person reoffending. Drops in crime rates in the states highlighted coincided with decreases in recidivism rates, according to the report. http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ReducingRecidivism_StatesDeliverResults.pdf

Pay for success (PFS) is a new method of forming public private-partnerships in the US. Private investors finance a social program with a specific performance goal. If an independent evaluator certifies that the program achieves its goals, the investors receive their principal and a return. If the program does not achieve its performance targets (such as recidivism reduction), some or all of the investment is forfeit. The Urban Institute´s report shows that risks associated with social impact bonds can be mitigated by following a five-step model. Source: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/413148-Five-Steps-to-Pay-for-Success.pdf

In the US, over the last 30 years large-capacity ammunition magazines — which hold more than 10 rounds — have proliferated, allowing assailants to become much more destructive and significantly more deadly. The Citizens Crime Commission of New York City has launched a report analysing shootings since 1984 that resulted in more than four deaths. Mass shootings were dramatically less deadly between 1994 and 2004, when the federal Assault Weapons Ban was in effect. Overall, shooters who used large-capacity magazines between 1984 and 2012 killed or injured 161 percent more people than those who did not, according to the study. Source: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-MayhemMultiplied.pdf