U.S. Sentencing Panel to Focus On Alternatives to Jail: According to a story written by Gary Fields from the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. sentencing panel plans to focus on developing alternatives to incarceration, setting up a possible clash with the Justice Department. It is not clear exactly what the panel might recommend. However, possible recommendations include drug courts. Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said the department is hopeful about the alternatives but believe there should be rigorous research showing their effectiveness in promoting public safety before expanding them. More than two million people are in prison in the U.S., including more than 200,000 in the federal system. The panel and Congress have been inching toward a move in recent years.

Judicial Nominations At A Slower Rate: An editorial in the Wall Street Journal Review and Outlook, points out that the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are responsible for the slowest rates for judicial confirmations in modern times. Since the beginning of the year, the Senate has confirmed a total of four nominees to the federal circuit courts. According to the Committee for Justice, the average number of days from nomination to confirmation for circuit court nominees has risen to 348 days during the Bush Administration from an average of 238 days under President Clinton. In President Clinton's final two years of office, a Republican Senate confirmed 15 circuit court judges and 57 district court judges. To match that record, Senate Democrats will need to confirm five more circuit court nominees and nine more district court nominees when they return for a session that will only last a few weeks.

New Jersey Lawmaker Wants Sex Offenders To Register E-Mail: Associated Press writer Angela Santi reports that New Jersey sex offenders would be required to divulge their personal e-mail addresses and share their passwords as well, under a proposal sponsored by a New Jersey lawmaker. The current proposal would require anyone under Megan's Law restrictions to register their e-mail addresses and passwords. It also would require offenders to notify the state of any e-mail address changes 10 days before sending or receiving electronic correspondence, and would subject sex offenders under supervision to periodic, unannounced examinations of their computers. The maximum penalty for those who don't comply would be up to 18 months in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

George Banks, who murdered 13 people including five of his own children during a 1982 killing spree, has been declared too mentally unstable for execution, according to this AP story from today's Washington Post. Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan announced his ruling today. Banks, who was unsuccessful in persuading the Supreme Court to overturn his conviction in 2004 (decision here), has had some success in delaying it in Judge Conahan's court before. Pennsylvania's high court found a flaw in that ruling and directed the judge to rehear Banks' claim.