COLUMBUS, Ohio — State laws requiring that certain sex offenders register with local authorities and verify their address every six months for 25 years do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The case involved a 21-year-old defendant, Travis Blankenship, who pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor between 13 and 16 years old, a fourth-degree felony. He challenged the constitutionality of the sentence requirement that he register with the local sheriff and report every six months for the next 25 years. But…
Read MoreDay: November 12, 2015
Early release saves money and redeems lives
About 20 federal prisoners from Massachusetts serving time for drug-related crimes are newly free after having their sentences reduced. They’re among the first to benefit from a revision of sentencing guidelines for drug offenses that, on average, shaves two years off qualified inmates’ jail terms. About 6,100 prisoners nationwide are affected, the majority of them African-American and Hispanic men convicted of dealing drugs. Over the next few years, thousands more could gain their freedom. Full Article
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