Audacious Ideas

Sara’s crimmigration nightmare

Emily Datnoff — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:30:56 +0000

Sara entered this country with a green card when she was 10 years old. She never became a citizen. When Sara was 19, she was caught shoplifting. She pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to one year, all time suspended. She served no jail time. Twelve years later, Sara has a husband and two young children. She works two jobs. She pays taxes every year. She is happy. One day, Sara is arrested at work. Another worker wrongfully accused Sara of assault after a disagreement. Sara’s crimmigration nightmare begins. Continue reading →

Knowing the full face of our history

Felicia Pride — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:30:52 +0000

If you’re like me, you were taught that slavery ended with Emancipation Proclamation. Then Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus and the Civil Rights Movement began. It wasn’t until adulthood when I realized that I had only a vague understanding of a large part of our history, and that what I was taught regarding slavery in this country was only a part of the story. Continue reading →

Students tackle Baltimore’s public transportation system

Susan Malone — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:30:58 +0000

The voices of young people can have the power to revive and transform Baltimore, starting with its very infrastructure. In Baltimore, transportation creates obstacles for its residents, and this is no less true for its young people. Late buses, skipped stops, and rude drivers are major barriers to students getting to school on time. Continue reading →

Reducing pretrial detention in Maryland

Paul DeWolfe — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:30:21 +0000

Editor’s note: In conjunction with OSI-Baltimore’s forum series, The Burden of Bail, Audacious Ideas is pleased to feature a month-long blog series about pre-trial detention and bail reform. This is the last post in the series. It can be fairly said, the events of the past four months have advanced in a positive way, the right to counsel in Maryland. The plaintiffs, public defenders and advocacy groups in the Richmond litigation and before the legislature have shed light like never before on the unfairness and injustices in the pretrial detention of poor people in the State of Maryland. Continue reading →

Fighting for the right to counsel in every courtroom

Norman Reimer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:30:56 +0000

Editor’s note: In conjunction with OSI-Baltimore’s forum series, The Burden of Bail, Audacious Ideas is pleased to feature a month-long blog series about pre-trial detention and bail reform. Over the next month, four experts will talk about what can be done to make our pre-trial justice system fair and efficient. The Supreme Court has held that a person cannot be sentenced to even a single day in jail if they are convicted of a crime unless they are afforded representation at trial. Yet in far too many places in the country, and throughout all of Maryland, people are arrested and remanded into custody in a proceeding without the benefit of counsel. Continue reading →

Keeping pretrial justice fair

Tim Murray — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:13:59 +0000

Editor’s note: In conjunction with OSI-Baltimore’s upcoming forum series, The Burden of Bail, Audacious Ideas is pleased to feature a month-long blog series about pre-trial detention and bail reform. Over the next month, four experts will talk about what can be done to make our pre-trial justice system fair and efficient. I remember when my elementary school teacher explained the US system of justice to us during Civics class. “Justice is blind,” she said, “everyone gets treated the same, regardless of whether they are rich or poor.” Yet as you read this, more people are held in jail in America simply because they cannot afford to pay their bond set by the court than for any other reason! Continue reading →

Michael Bloomberg Gives $5 Million to OSI-Baltimore

Diana Morris — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:30:12 +0000

During his visit to Baltimore yesterday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a gift of $5 million to the Open Society Institute-Baltimore for its Accelerated Pathways Initiative. This five-year initiative will create rigorous, supportive and accelerated high school options in … Continue reading →

Legal representation at an accused’s first appearance following arrest

Doug Colbert — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:31:03 +0000

Editor's note: In conjunction with OSI-Baltimore’s upcoming forum series, The Burden of Bail, Audacious Ideas is pleased to feature a month-long blog series about pre-trial detention and bail reform. Over the next month, four experts will talk about what can be done to make our pre-trial justice system fair and efficient. You probably thought that in 2012, Maryland indigent defendants would be guaranteed counsel when their liberty is first at stake. Not so. Continue reading →

A stain that never goes away

Jessica Turral — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:23 +0000

According to the Just Kids Report, each year Maryland charges 1,250 youth as adults with little concern or attention to the stain this places on the life of a young person. Youth charged as adults are forced to carry the burden of a felony for the rest of their lives. Continue reading →

Skateboarding for Success

Stephanie Murdock — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:31:56 +0000

Meet Daniel Oliver. Daniel is 17 years old, he grew up in Baltimore City attending public schools, and he is presently a junior at Baltimore City College. Danny is a skateboarder and this is what skateboarding means to him: “Ever since I started skateboarding around the age of 7, I've seen the world in an entirely different light." Continue reading →