Two reports in early January highlighted the ongoing tumult in the national debate over the death penalty. A story in The New York Times looked at a prominent legal group’s decision to end its support for capital punishment. And the annual survey from the Death Penalty Information Center presented a mixed picture.
A landmark hate-crimes bill expanding federal statutes to include protections for homosexuals was signed into law on Oct. 28, 2009 by President Barack Obama. The law is a landmark achievement for the gay community but a dividing line for some religious groups.
A revolution is quietly taking place in criminal justice. Restorative justice, a system of legal resolution that involves the victim, offender and community, emphasizes repairing the harm caused when a crime is committed. Crime victims are part of the process of resolution, and criminals take responsibility for what they have done.
Sex trafficking is rising around the globe and in the United States, and children are increasingly being targeted. The U.S. government, state governments, and religious organizations are putting new energy and money into fighting trafficking with new strategies. That includes redefining who the victims are and facing moral ambiguities involved in the sex trade.
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