Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Law Enforcement News

Trafficked: How the Opioid Epidemic Drives Sexual Exploitation in Vermont
Seven Days, (04/10/2019), Kate O'Neil
This article takes an in-depth look at several cases of sex trafficking in Vermont, new laws, and the ways in which law enforcement and prosecutors have been trained to look at the connection between opioid addiction and sex trafficking differently.
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Kentucky Says It Will Be First to Use 'Rapid DNA' to Identify Rape Suspects Within Hours
Louisville Courier-Journal, (04/10/2019), Matthew Glowicki
Kentucky will become the first state in the country to begin using cutting-edge Rapid DNA technology to analyze DNA from sexual assault cases. The technology produces a DNA profile within approximately two hours, and should help more rapidly identify suspects and exonerate innocent individuals. The samples will also undergo a "traditional" DNA analysis for verific
ation
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Houston Pilot Program Will Let Victims Track Their Rape Kits Electronically
Houston Chronicle, (04/11/2019), Robert Downen
A pilot program set to launch in Houston and Harris County in May will allow sexual assault victims to track their rape kits from evidence collection to prosecution. The pilot, which will launch statewide in September, includes evidence collected in the Harris Health System and the Houston Forensic Science Center.
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Mississippi Sheriff's Deputy Who 'Played Dead' Saved by Vest
Officer.com, (04/15/2019)
A sheriff's deputy in Marshall County, Miss., survived a Friday evening shooting thanks to his ballistic-resistant vest. After a traffic stop turned into a high-speed chase that ended with suspects taking refuge in a home, the deputy confronted the suspect who shot him multiple times in the chest and torso even though he "played dead" after he was struck for the first time. The suspect ultimately shot himself in the head.
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Jacksonville Hopes 'Watch For Me NC' Will Reduce Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes
WNCT, (04/13/2019), Loyd Price
The Jacksonville Police Department is participating in the "Watch for Me NC" program, which trains law enforcement officers on ways to improve road safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. Participating jurisdictions receive technical assistance, materials and media assistance with raising public awareness. Nearly 30 communities in the state participate in the program.
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Corrections News

Mich. County Gets Grant to Treat Inmates With Disorders
CorrectionsOne.com, (04/12/2019), Dean Cousino for the Monroe News
The Michigan Re-Entry Project (MI-REP) effort recently received a $450,000 two-year grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to provide mental health and opioid use treatment to jail inmates. The funding will help integrate inmates back into the local community. The project is a joint effort of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and the Monroe Community Mental Health Authority.
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Cellphone Jamming Tested at South Carolina State Prison
Associated Press, (04/12/2019)
South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling recently became a special deputy U.S. marshal, allowing the state to conduct a five-day test of cellphone jamming technology at Broad River Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in Columbia. Federal Communications Commission regulations prohibit the use of jamming technology, but South Carolina and other states continue to lobby for the ability to use it to stop the use of contraband cell phones in correctional facilities.
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MetroHealth WRAP Program Decreases Recidivism Among People With Mental Health Diagnoses
Cleveland.com, (04/15/2019), Mary Kilpatrick
The Wellness Reentry Assistance Program (WRAP) identifies Cuyahoga County, Ohio, jail inmates with serious mental health conditions and substance abuse/addiction issues, and helps them find the resources they need on release. The free program helps inmates make plans for life outside the jail, providing assistance with food stamp and Social Security paperwork, job applications, and finding housing and transportation.
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