“Equal justice under legislation will not occur whenever a punishment that is person’s dependant on their wide range in the place of their actions,” said Knaack. “For instance, use of diversion programs in many cases are predicated on nothing but an individual’s financial well-being. Hence, those who commit the act that is same completely different punishments as a result of nothing but how much cash they will have. This two-tiered justice system needs room in Alabama.”

The report examines the collateral consequences of Alabama’s court financial obligation system and explores the methods for which it undermines general public security and drives the state’s racial wide range divide. It absolutely was funded to some extent because of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which through its Southern Partnership to Reduce Debt, is developing techniques to minimize the impact of unlawful and civil judicial fines and fees, in addition to medical charges, and high-cost customer items on communities of color.

The report can be located here.

Alabama Appleseed Data Amicus Quick in U.S. Supreme Court Situation Arguing the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause Should Rein In Civil Asset Forfeiture Abuses

On Tuesday, Alabama Appleseed joined up with a set that is diverse of businesses asking the U.S. Supreme Court to locate that the Eighth Amendment’s exorbitant fines clause relates to the states. The outcome is Timbs v. Indiana. Mr. Timbs ended up being arrested during an undercover medication enforcement operation, pled accountable, paid more or less $1,200 in charges, and was sentenced to house detention and probation. Months after his arrest, the federal government initiated a civil proceeding to forfeit Mr. Timbs’ personal vehicle which he had purchased using the profits of their father’s life insurance coverage.

“Civil asset forfeiture has developed from a course designed to remove illicit earnings from drug kingpins into a scheme that is revenue-generating police force this is certainly trusted against individuals — disproportionately African American — accused of low-level crimes or no crime at all,” said Frank Knaack, executive manager of Alabama Appleseed. “We join a diverse pair of companies like the medication Policy Alliance, FreedomWorks, NAACP, and People in the us for Prosperity in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to acknowledge that civil asset forfeiture’s incarnation that is current become a stark exemplory instance of the punishment of energy that the extortionate fines clause had been supposed to curtail.”

This amicus brief highlights the broad, ideologically diverse opinion all over have to restrain government punishment of civil asset forfeiture programs. Along with Alabama Appleseed, signatories into the brief are the medication Policy Alliance, FreedomWorks, nationwide Association when it comes to development of Colored individuals, The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law class, People in the us for Prosperity, police force Action Partnership, Independence Institute (Colorado), Libertas (Utah), Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, Drug Policy Forum of Hawai’i, together with Rio Grande Foundation (brand new Mexico).

The brief can be located right here .

To learn more exactly how Alabama police abuse civil asset forfeiture, read our report right here (cited within the amicus).

Civil Rights Groups Applaud Governor Ivey’s Action to Stop Sheriffs from myself Profiting from Taxpayer Funded Jail Food cash

In reaction to Governor Kay Ivey’s statement today that the Alabama Comptroller will now need sheriffs to signal an affidavit swearing that they’ll make use of prison meals cash for prison meals, the Southern Center for Human Rights and Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice have actually released listed here statements:

“We strongly commend Governor Ivey and Comptroller Baxter to take action that is concrete deal with the misappropriation of huge amounts of taxpayer cash by sheriffs throughout the state. As Governor Ivey explained recently, dealing with prison meals funds as individual income is actually unreasonable and unsupported by the legislation. It really is long time that is past this punishment of general public trust to end.”

The statement that is following be caused by Frank Knaack, executive manager of Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and https://paydayloanpennsylvania.net Justice:

Some Alabama sheriffs have continued to treat jail food money as their own personal income“Despite a long-standing Attorney General opinion stating that taxpayer dollars meant for jail food must be spent on jail food. Today’s action by Governor Ivey can help make sure taxpayer dollars are used on public solutions. We thank Governor Ivey for bringing increased accountability to Alabama’s prison meals program.”

Dr. Wayne Flynt to get Alabama Appleseed’s 2018 Brewer/Torbert Public Provider Award

Dr. Wayne Flynt, Professor Emeritus when you look at the Department of History at Auburn University, will get the 2018 Brewer/Torbert Public provider Award. First granted in 2006, the honor is offered yearly by Alabama Appleseed to a person in Alabama that has demonstrated a substantial dedication to general public solution while the enhancement associated with life of Alabamians.

Also known as the “Conscience of Alabama,” Dr. Flynt the most recognized and honored scholars of Southern history, politics, and faith. Professor Flynt has invested their profession teaching us just how and exactly why Alabama need to do better.

“Dr. Flynt has dedicated their life to problems poverty that is affecting social justice, along with his classes have actually led Alabama Appleseed with its quest for justice and equity for many,” said Frank McPhillips, seat of Alabama Appleseed’s Board of Directors. “The Brewer/Torbert Public provider Award luncheon will provide us a platform to identify Dr. Flynt’s distinguished dedication to these essential axioms.”

Dr. Flynt is a teacher that is revered scholastic, and activist. During their 40 teaching career at Samford and Auburn universities, he won 18 teaching awards year. Dr. Flynt may be the writer of fourteen publications (three co-authored), two of that have been selected for the Pulitzer Prize. Dr. Flynt served for ten years regarding the United states Cancer Society’s Committee for the Socio-economically Disadvantaged, and had been a co-founder of both the Alabama Poverty venture (now called ALABAMA VIABLE) and Sowing Seeds of Hope (Perry County). He’s got additionally served regarding the panels of sounds for Alabama’s kids and also the A+ training reform coalition. In 1993 he served during the demand of Gov. James E. Folsom, Jr. and Circuit Judge Eugene Reese due to the fact court facilitator within the Alabama equity capital lawsuit.

The Brewer/Torbert Public provider Award had been known as in honor of Alabama Appleseed founding board people Gov. Albert P. Brewer and Chief Justice C.C. Torbert, both of who made significant efforts towards the state, both actually and expertly. Last honorees include Bill Smith, Tom Carruthers, Gorman Houston, Odessa Woolfolk, Mike Warren, Mike Goodrich, Ralph Cook, Janie Shores, Fred Gray, Johnny Johns, Neal Berte, and John Carroll.