A California ballot measure that purports to help drug offenders is being opposed by virtually every law enforcement organization in the state. Proposition 5, The Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act of 2008 (NORA) allows drug users arrested for "non-violent" felonies including domestic violence, child abuse, commercial burglary, identity theft, vehicular manslaughter, grand theft, and drug dealing, to be diverted to a community treatment program rather than face prosecution and punishment. The measure effectively eliminates drug courts and allows defendants to commit up to four of these felonies before actually being held accountable by the criminal justice system. In a column in today's Sacramento Bee, actor Martin Sheen explains why he is opposed to NORA.

Prisons Scramble To Get Digital TV Switch: AP writer, Jim Davenport, reports a story of prisoners across the nation scrambling to keep broadcast television - said to be one of the most important peacekeeping tools in prisons. The switch from analog to digital broadcast television, mandated by the Congress, will affect all analog televisions. Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital. However, after February 17, 2009, full-power television stations will broadcast in digital only and all analog televisions will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set. Prison officials are concerned about the prisoners because they don't quality for the $40 coupons prepared by the TV industry to purchase digital-to-analog converter boxes. While TV might seem like an undeserved luxury for inmates, prison officials say it provides a sense of normalcy and is a bargaining chip that encourages good behavior. Many states are now scrambling to get the converter boxes by asking for donations and buying the converters themselves.

Child's Murder Revives Capital Punishment Debate In Latvia: A story, written by a staff member from the Earth Times online newspaper, reports that the murder of a young girl has sparked a debate over the re-introduction of the death penalty in Latvia. Eleven-year old Daina was found with her throat cut in bed in the town of Bauska. Her father, Ivars Grantins, confessed to the killing after emerging from hiding three days after the August 27 attack. Latvia abolished the death penalty in 1996 in order to meet a requirement for joining the European Union in 2004. However, Justice Minister Gaidis Berzins told Latvian national radio this week that situations like this "require renewed debate on the suitability of not having capital punishment."

No Death Penalty For 1,000-Pound Woman: According to a news story by the KGBT-TV Channel 4, The Hidalgo County, Texas, District Attorney's Office will not seek the death penalty against a 1,000-pound woman charged with beating her 2-year-old nephew to death. Mayra Rosales was scheduled for arraignment on Thursday but her lawyers scheduled her doctor to testify instead. Dr. Jetta Brown is expected to tell the judge that Rosales is immobile and moving her is dangerous to her health. A judge agreed to postpone the hearing until Monday. Prosecutors told the court that they do not intend to seek the death penalty against the half-ton woman. As of Thursday evening, she was not in custody. Rosales' defense attorney Sergio J. Sanchez said his client is currently under house arrest and not a flight risk. The boy's mother Jamie Lee Rosales was charged earlier with injury to a child because she allegedly left her son alone with his aunt.

Violation Sends Convicted Sex Offender Back To Prison: A story from the DelcoTimes, written by Marlene DiGiacomo, reports that a convicted sex offender violated his parole when the probation officers discovered a youngster in the defendant's home. He had told a judge he didn't know a youngster was visiting with his grandparents. David John Evans, 50, is not to be in the company of a minor unless certain conditions are met. Judge Chad Kenney Thursday found the defendant in violation and resentenced Evans to serve 22 months to five years back time to be followed by a consecutive five years of probation. Evans was found guilty in 2005 of charges including statutory sexual assault on a teenage girl. He was also found to fit the criteria of a sexually violent predator following a state-mandated evaluation and was described as having a "high risk to reoffend," according to a court document. Defense Attorney Andrew Edelberg charged that Evans is being singled out as "an example" by probation officials.

Union: Corrections Covering Up Assaults On Staff: According to a story from the 3 News Channel, the union that looks after prison officers says the Department of Corrections of New Zealand is covering up to make prisons look safer. The Corrections Association president Beven Hanlon says the Department of Corrections are manipulating the statistics to mask its failure to keep staff safe as the dangers increase. On the contrary, the Corrections say prison safety is improving, its statistics are correct, and serious assaults on wardens are declining. The Minister of Corrections says improvements to warden and prison safety are being considered, however, there is no timeline in place for the improvements, which could include stab-proof vests. The Corrections Association says that is not good enough.