RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia is 12th in the nation when it comes to the number of marijuana arrests. A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also revealed that African-Americans were almost three times as likely as white people to be arrested for possession in the state.

Study author Ezekiel Edwards, director of the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project, blamed racial bias, since federal studies show usage rates are about the same for both blacks and whites.

"Race being the one common factor here certainly raises questions about racial profiling and community profiling. I think the police are more likely to go to certain neighborhoods," Edwards said.

The study found that black people were almost eight times more likely to be arrested than whites in Arlington and Botetourt counties.

Virginia and neighboring Maryland are also spending heavily to crack down on marijuana use, Edwards said.

"Maryland spent an estimated $106 million enforcing marijuana laws, Virginia over $67 million. That's money that really should go to public schools, drug treatment and to fight serious crime."



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For thousands of Mississippians leaving prison each year, a single question looms large: Who will hire me?

State lawmakers could remove some of the biggest barriers to answering that question by expanding the Fresh Start Act. Backers say it could change lives and save taxpayers millions. The bill would dramatically widen a 2019 law that helps people with criminal records obtain professional licenses. If passed, barbers, electricians and dozens of other professionals would no longer be automatically disqualified from licensing because of unrelated past convictions.

Will Ervin, senior vice president of Empower Mississippi, is advocating for its passage.

"By reforming the licensing process to ensure that past convictions unrelated to a profession don't serve as an automatic disqualification," he said, "we believe the bill promotes economic opportunity while also maintaining necessary safeguards."

The 2019 law covered only eight licenses. Senate Bill 2248 would expand it to more than 40. And it excludes fields such as law enforcement. It cleared the state Senate unanimously. Some House members have voiced concerns about impacts on medical licensing compacts.

Mississippi faces a persistent recidivism problem, with 40% of people who are released returning to prison within three years. Ervin pointed to stable employment and housing as the most important factors needed to lower that rate.

"If we can address those things, I think we can have a really big impact on recidivism in the state," he said. "We've seen great reception from lawmakers to combating recidivism. I think they recognize that this is a public safety issue."

The debate comes as Mississippi spends nearly $500 million annually on corrections, with one of the nation's highest incarceration rates. Proponents say helping more people find work upon their release could ease this burden and strengthen the state's workforce.


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The federal HALT Fentanyl Act advancing through Congress would increase prison time for fentanyl traffickers.

Kentuckians convicted on distribution charges involving more than 10 grams of fentanyl would receive at least five years in prison, or no fewer than 10 if they had a prior conviction. For cases involving larger amounts of the substance and a second conviction, the minimum sentence would be 20 years.

Shreeta Waldon, executive director of the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, said the legislation will have little effect on helping individuals and families who lives are affected by substance use.

"It's been a failed concept but we continue to try to use that same concept with different language," Waldon contended. "We're just dealing with the War on Drugs 2.0."

According to the 2023 Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report, nearly 2,000 Kentuckians lost their lives last year to a drug overdose. Fentanyl accounted for almost 80% of those deaths, and methamphetamine accounted for around 55%.

Waldon pointed out a lack of education about fentanyl and other drugs has contributed to a spike in use among the Commonwealth's youngest residents, despite an overall decline in fentanyl-related death rates statewide.

"Now we're seeing more and more reports of youth who are having building an inappropriate relationship with substance," Waldon reported. "That is a big issue in our larger cities like Louisville and Lexington."

She added a major concern is the dwindling local resources for harm reduction strategies, noting recently passed state laws to criminalize camping and homelessness have created additional barriers.

"We're penalizing poverty," Waldon argued. "We're penalizing substance use disorder or chaotic use. We're penalizing people who do not realize the access to resources around them because of messaging, because of stigma, because of shame."

The HALT Fentanyl Act would reclassify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Currently, fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. In 2021, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration made more than 3,000 arrests nationwide for fentanyl.


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Setting aside funding for a new South Dakota prison is a thorny issue for state lawmakers this year. There is also renewed talk about the state's recidivism rate and whether programming is consistent enough to fix any problems.

The Prison Policy Initiative said South Dakota leads the U.S. and most democratic countries in the rate of people who are incarcerated. It also ranks high when measuring the number of people who wind up back in the criminal justice system.

Jenna Borseth, assistant professor of political science at the University of South Dakota, said she thinks state and federal policymakers do not let meaningful reform efforts breathe.

"We're not actually following through with our ideas," Borseth contended. "We're throwing it at the wall, and if it doesn't stick immediately, we just throw it in the garbage."

Borseth, who took part in a discussion hosted by the South Dakota Humanities Council, also suggested there is a consistent fear crime is too high, even though many numbers are trending downward. Last year, South Dakota launched a new program which employs reentry coaches, transitional case managers and includes enhanced community support.

Borseth argued there should be an emphasis on preventive approaches before someone even encounters the legal system.

"Improving our educational system, reducing our poverty rate, having adequate health care accessibility, whether that's mental health care, physical health care," Borseth outlined.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation reported people spending too much time incarcerated disrupts family life and parental incarceration creates an unstable environment for kids and can have lasting effects on their development and well-being.

There is contentious legislative debate this session about building a new men's prison amid overcrowding issues.