{"id":1586,"date":"2014-03-14T15:46:38","date_gmt":"2014-03-14T22:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=1586"},"modified":"2014-03-14T17:30:38","modified_gmt":"2014-03-15T00:30:38","slug":"justice-department-gives-progress-report-civil-rights-geneva-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=1586","title":{"rendered":"Justice Department Gives Its Progress Report on Civil Rights in Geneva, Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"

[box type=”info” bg=”#FFFFFF” font=”times” fontsize=”20″ float=”right”]”These lawsuits evidence the department\u2019s continuing commitment to ensuring that Americans across the country can cast a ballot free from discrimination,” said Ron Austin. [\/box]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This week, the U.S. Department of Justice gave its fourth periodic report on Civil Rights to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Geneva Switzerland.<\/p>\n

Roy Austin, \u00a0who is \u00a0a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice\u2019s Civil Rights Division, \u00a0spoke to the U.N. Human Rights Committee.<\/p>\n

Here is what Austin told the Committee:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Voting Rights Lawsuits<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawsuits have been filed against Texas and North Carolina to block the implementation of their “highly restrictive” voter identification.<\/p>\n

“These lawsuits evidence the department\u2019s continuing commitment to ensuring that Americans across the country can cast a ballot free from discrimination,” said Ron Austin.<\/p>\n

Public Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

Almost 60 years ago, our Supreme Court recognized that equal access to public education is a basic right, he said.<\/p>\n

The Justice Department continues to “vigorously enforce federal laws” to expand opportunities for all students, protecting them from discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, language, religion and disability, according to Austin.<\/p>\n

Ethnic Diversity in Colleges and Universities<\/strong><\/p>\n

This past summer, the Supreme Court preserved the well-established legal principle that colleges and universities have a compelling interest in achieving the educational benefits that flow from a racially and ethnically diverse student body and can lawfully pursue that interest in their admissions programs.<\/p>\n

Impacts of Discriminatory Lending<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since its creation in 2010, the Civil Rights Division\u2019s Fair Lending Unit has obtained more than $775 million in monetary relief for borrowers and communities impacted by discriminatory lending.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making Courts Language Accessible<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Austin said state courts that receive Justice Department funds must provide people with limited English skills meaningful access to their programs and services, and we have recently worked with over 15 states to ensure this access.<\/p>\n

Effective Assistance of Counsel<\/strong><\/p>\n

In support of its mission to protect the Sixth Amendment guarantee of effective assistance of counsel, the department successfully filed a statement of interest in 2013 in a class action lawsuit in Washington state, said Austin.<\/p>\n

Last December, he said the court issued an injunction that required the cities to hire a public defender supervisor to monitor and report on the delivery of indigent defense representation.<\/p>\n

Unlawful Stops, Searches and Arrests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the last five years, the Civil Rights Division has obtained groundbreaking reform agreements with police departments to address issues including the excessive use of force; unlawful stops, searches or arrests; or policing that unlawfully discriminates against protected minority groups or women, according to Austin.<\/p>\n

Prison Civil Rights Abuse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Austin said the Justice Department is continuing its work to prevent, detect and respond to abuse in U.S. prisons.<\/p>\n

“Individuals confined in institutions are also often among the most vulnerable in our society,” said Austin.<\/p>\n

Last month, \u00a0Austin said a department investigation of Pennsylvania\u2019s prisons found that the manner in which Pennsylvania Department of Corrections \u00a0uses long-term and extreme forms of solitary confinement on prisoners with serious mental illness\u2014many of whom also have intellectual disabilities\u2014constitutes a violation of their rights under the Eighth Amendment and the Americans with Disabilities Act.<\/p>\n

Reforming Prison Sentencing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Austin said the Justice Department is working to change or reform the prison sentencing guidelines so that\u00a0those who commit certain low-level, nonviolent federal offenses will receive sentences commensurate with their individual conduct\u2014rather than be subject to mandatory minimum sentences.<\/p>\n

In January 2014, the Sentencing Commission voted to propose, for public comment, amendments that would include possible reductions to the sentencing guidelines levels for federal drug trafficking offenses, Austin said.<\/p>\n

“These could have the effect of reducing eligible sentences by approximately 11 months,” said Austin.<\/p>\n

Violence Against Women<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are also making significant strides in our effort to reduce violence against women, he said.<\/p>\n

Under new provisions in the reauthorized Violence Against Women Act, \u00a0Austin told the committee that tribes and the federal government can better work together to address domestic violence against Native American women, who experience the highest rates of assault in the United States.<\/p>\n

“The Act has led to significant improvements at the local government level\u2014where the majority of these crimes are prosecuted\u2014by encouraging victims to file complaints, improving evidence collection, and increasing access to protection orders,” said Austin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[box type=”info” bg=”#FFFFFF” font=”times” fontsize=”20″ float=”right”]”These lawsuits evidence the department\u2019s continuing commitment to ensuring that Americans across the country can cast a ballot free from discrimination,” said Ron Austin. 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