The Eyes of the World are on Georgia’s Parole Board
As many death row opponents have aptly stated, the eyes of the world are on
Georgia’s Parole Board’s clemency hearing for Troy Anthony Davis, a death row
inmate. Despite the absence of any physical evidence linking him to the crime, Troy
Davis was found guilty in a court of law for the shooting and killing Officer Mark
Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia, and sentenced to death. The Troy Davis
case has been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States
and has drawn both national and international attention due to lack of evidence
supporting the state’s case. The Parole Board is the sole authority in
Georgia with the authority to grant clemency to inmates. The Board may commute
a death sentence to life without parole, to life or deny clemency.
According to a press release, on September 7, 2011, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles invited representatives for condemned inmate Troy Anthony Davis to meet with the Board on Monday, September 19, 2011, at 9:00 a.m., to advocate for clemency for him. Davis is scheduled to die by lethal injection September 21, 2011, at 7 p.m., at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia. Davis’ defense counsel are timidly optimistic.The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, which has the power to change death sentences but rarely does, did not issue an immediate decision in this case. It was reported that, “…a spokesman for the panel said they would not decide before Tuesday.”
Conservatives, liberals, as well as opponents and proponents of the death penalty have asked the Georgia Parole Board to grant Troy Davis clemency. According to Georgian’s for an Alternative to the Death Penalty, over hundred thousand (800,000) people signed a petition requesting that the Georgia Parole Board grant clemency to Troy Case. The list of persons requesting clemency for Troy Davis includes but is not limited to: Former President Jimmy Carter, The Pope, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, Desmund Tutu as well as a host of conservatives and death row proponents such as former Congressman Bob Barr. The Former FBI Director also has called for clemency for Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis.
Last week, “…In a high-profile plea published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
William S. Sessions, former federal district judge and FBI director under
presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, writes that
Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis, who is scheduled to be executed [September
21, 2011] , should be granted clemency. Sessions notes there is significant
doubt about Davis’ guilt, as seven of the nine witnesses who testified
against him have recanted and the “case continues to be permeated by doubt,”
with there being no “physical or scientific evidence” available to tie Davis to
the killing of a Savannah police officer. The Georgia State Board of Pardons
and Paroles is the one body left that could issue a stay of execution or
executive clemency for Davis.”
Again, a spokesman for the Georgia’s Parole Board said they would not decide before
Tuesday. For further information, visit the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles’ website.
Sources: “Board weighs clemency for Georgia death row inmate”. Reuters, Matthew Bigg, Monday, September 19, 2011. http://www.dcor.state.ga.us.www.thinkprogress.org.
www.forbes.com. Creative Loaffing. Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Hidden Victims
Over 15 million children in our nation live in homes where there has been at least one incident of domestic violence in the past year, and seven million children live in families where severe partner violence has occurred. Data indicates that 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the home. Growing up in abusive household can pose a threat to not only the child’s physical health but his mental health as well.
Research indicates that the non-abusive parent is often one the most important protective factors in the lives of children who witness domestic violence. All women, children, and men have the right to live in a safe environment and to conduct their lives without emotional, physical or sexual abuse or the fear of abuse.
Often, one of the greatest concerns for battered women is the affect of living in a violent home environment on children. In some instances, the domestic becomes so severe that women with children leave their homes without a place to go. Research indicates that domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness. In a 2007 report by the United States Conference of Mayors, thirty-nine percent of the city leaders who were surveyed identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness among households with children.
Victims of domestic violence experience difficulty finding housing. There simply are not sufficient beds to house all the battered women and their children seeking shelter. The U.S. Conference of Mayors report indicated that city leaders turn persons experiencing homelessness away from shelters and transitional housing because of lack of capacity all or some of the time. Not only do battered women experience challenges in securing a bed in a shelter, they also often have difficulty securing a safe, decent, affordable apartment.
Domestic violence thrives on apathy. It can be eradicated with an equal amount of conscience, mind, heart, and collective action. How you can help? Advocate for increased funding for domestic violence programs and public housing.
Sources:United States Conference of Mayors. Center for Diseaese Control & Prevention (CDC), National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. McDonald, Renee, Ernest N. Jouriles, Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler, et al. 2006. Estimating the Number of American Children Living in Partner-Violent Families; Edelson, J.L. (1999). “The Overlap Between Child Maltreatment and Women Battering.” Violence Against Women. 5:134-154; U.S. Conference of Mayors. 2007. A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities: A 23-City Survey. Washington, DC.
Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
In the United States, child abuse and/or neglect are growing public health issues. The few cases of abuse and/or neglect which appear in the press are only a small part of this pressing public health issue. Many assert that a notable portion of the child abuse cases are not reported to police or social service agencies. What we do know about the prevalence of child abuse is as follows:
• 1,740 children died in the United States in 2008 from abuse and neglect.1
• 772,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment by child protective services in 2008.1
In response to concerns regarding abandonment, abuse, and or neglect of their grandchildren, a growing number of grandparents have become full-time caregivers for their grandchildren. The 2000 United States Census indicates that 4.5 million of our nation’s poorest children reside in grandparent-headed households and that number is escalating rapidly. Data indicates that approximately one-third of these children have no parent present in the home. The number of children in grandparent-headed households has increased 30 percent since 1990.
Research data indicates that in New York, there are 297,239 children living in grandparent-headed households which constitutes 6.3% of all the children in that state. Twenty-eight (28) percent of these grandparents live in households without the children’s parents present. The literature on this phenomenon suggests that there are probably many more children in informal care arrangements residing with their grandparents than the data can capture.
AARP indicates that the majority of grandparents rearing grandchildren are between ages 55 and 64. Approximately 20 to 25 percent are 65 or older. While grandparent-headed families cross all socio-economic levels, these grandparents are more likely to live in poverty than are other grandparents. AARP materials also state that there are eight times more children in grandparent-headed homes than in the foster care system.
Although the phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren is neither novel nor new, this emerging social issue is garnering a great deal of national attention due to its impact on the welfare of an ever increasing number of our nation’s children. The rise in the number of grandparent headed households is due to serious family problems. The reasons for the increase in grandparent headed households include but are not limited to: abandonment, child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, death, divorce, incarceration, AIDS, and the parent’s lack of employment.
Caring for their grandchildren can have life altering consequences for the grandparents. Many grandparents have not planned to raise a second family or may be retired and living on a fixed income. Having sufficient income or resources to provide housing, food, clothing, medicine, and school supplies for their grandchildren may be of critical concern. Research indicates that children raised by their grandparents are more likely than children in traditional foster care to live in poverty, to have special health and educational needs, and to lack access to health care.
While grandparents have played a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren for generations, the increasing numbers of grandparents with responsibility for their grandchildren and the rise in social factors necessitating this arrangement have created millions of vulnerable families with unique needs. For further information on the topic of grandparents raising grandchildren or to get help, please call or visit the website of: AARP’s Grandparent Information Center: 202-434-2296; and Generation’s United: 202-289-3979.
Sources: Children’s Defense Fund website, AARP’s Grandparent Information Center website, US Census Bureau, Generations United website, Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Child Welfare League of America, Center for Disease Control & Prevention, National Child Abuse Hotline, Child Welfare Information Gateway, FRIENDS National Resource Center, and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.
1. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2008 [online]. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office; 2010. [cited 2010 Apr 8]. Available from: www.acf.hhs.gov. Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Nichelle Mitchem Poses the Question, “Who is Caring for an Ever Increasing Number of Our Nation’s Poorest Children?”
In the United States, child abuse and/or neglect are growing public health issues. The few cases of abuse and/or neglect which appear in the press are only a small part of this pressing public health issue. Many assert that a notable portion of the child abuse cases are not reported to police or social service agencies. What we do know about the prevalence of child abuse is as follows:
• 1,740 children died in the United States in 2008 from abuse and neglect.1
• 772,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment by child protective services in 2008.1
In response to concerns regarding abandonment, abuse, and or neglect of their grandchildren, a growing number of grandparents have become full-time caregivers for their grandchildren. The 2000 United States Census indicates that 4.5 million of our nation’s poorest children reside in grandparent-headed households and that number is escalating rapidly. Data indicates that approximately one-third of these children have no parent present in the home. The number of children in grandparent-headed households has increased 30 percent since 1990.
Research data indicates that in New York, there are 297,239 children living in grandparent-headed households which constitutes 6.3% of all the children in that state. Twenty-eight (28) percent of these grandparents live in households without the children’s parents present. The literature on this phenomenon suggests that there are probably many more children in informal care arrangements residing with their grandparents than the data can capture.
AARP indicates that the majority of grandparents rearing grandchildren are between ages 55 and 64. Approximately 20 to 25 percent are 65 or older. While grandparent-headed families cross all socio-economic levels, these grandparents are more likely to live in poverty than are other grandparents. AARP materials also state that there are eight times more children in grandparent-headed homes than in the foster care system.
Although the phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren is neither novel nor new, this emerging social issue is garnering a great deal of national attention due to its impact on the welfare of an ever increasing number of our nation’s children. The rise in the number of grandparent headed households is due to serious family problems. The reasons for the increase in grandparent headed households include but are not limited to: abandonment, child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, death, divorce, incarceration, AIDS, and the parent’s lack of employment.
Caring for their grandchildren can have life altering consequences for the grandparents. Many grandparents have not planned to raise a second family or may be retired and living on a fixed income. Having sufficient income or resources to provide housing, food, clothing, medicine, and school supplies for their grandchildren may be of critical concern. Research indicates that children raised by their grandparents are more likely than children in traditional foster care to live in poverty, to have special health and educational needs, and to lack access to health care.
While grandparents have played a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren for generations, the increasing numbers of grandparents with responsibility for their grandchildren and the rise in social factors necessitating this arrangement have created millions of vulnerable families with unique needs. For further information on the topic of grandparents raising grandchildren or to get help, please call or visit the website of: AARP’s Grandparent Information Center: 202-434-2296; and Generation’s United: 202-289-3979.
Sources: Children’s Defense Fund website, AARP’s Grandparent Information Center website, US Census Bureau, Generations United website, Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Child Welfare League of America, Center for Disease Control & Prevention, National Child Abuse Hotline, Child Welfare Information Gateway, FRIENDS National Resource Center, and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.
1. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2008 [online]. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office; 2010. [cited 2010 Apr 8]. Available from: http://www.acf.hhs.gov.
Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Child Witnesses to Violence
Domestic violence is a pressing public health issue. Over 15 million children in our nation live in homes where there has been at least one incident of domestic violence in the past year, and seven million children live in families where severe partner violence has occurred.[i]
Data indicates that 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the home.[ii] Growing up in abusive household can pose a threat to not only the child’s physical health but his mental health as well.
Research indicates that the non-abusive parent is often one the most important protective factors in the lives of children who witness domestic violence. All women, children, and men have the right to live in a safe environment and to conduct their lives without emotional, physical or sexual abuse or the fear of abuse.
Often, one of the greatest concerns for battered women is the affect of living in a violent home environment on children. In some instances, the domestic becomes so severe that women with children leave their homes without a place to go. Research indicates that domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness. In a 2007 report by the United States Conference of Mayors, thirty-nine percent of the city leaders who were surveyed identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness among households with children.[iii]
Social science research indicates that children’s reaction to witnessing domestic violence may appear immediately after the traumatic event or days or even weeks later. Some children are more vulnerable to trauma than for others. It has been shown that the impact of witnessing a domestic violence incident is likely to have the greatest impact in children or adolescents who have experienced or witnessed other traumatic events.
Children with poor family supports is more at risk for a poor recovery. It is important for children that have witnessed incidents of domestic violence receive counseling to discuss their feelings and ways to keep them safe. To find counseling programs in your area specifically for child witnesses to domestic violence you should reach out to your local domestic violence program.
Source(s): Center for Disease Control and Prevention; McDonald, Renee, Ernest N. Jouriles, Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler, et al. 2006. Estimating the Number of American Children Living in Partner-Violent Families; Edelson, J.L. (1999). “The Overlap Between Child Maltreatment and Women Battering.” Violence Against Women. 5:134-154; U.S. Conference of Mayors. 2007. A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities: A 23-City Survey. Washington, DC.
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
——————————————————————————–
[i] McDonald, Renee, Ernest N. Jouriles, Suhasini Ramisetty-Mikler, et al. 2006. Estimating the Number of American Children Living in Partner-Violent Families.
[ii] Edelson, J.L. (1999). “The Overlap Between Child Maltreatment and Women Battering.” Violence Against Women. 5:134-154.
[iii] U.S. Conference of Mayors. 2007. A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities: A 23-City Survey. Washington, DC.
Nichelle Mitchem Poses the Important Question, “Is Every House A Home?”
For many women violence and danger are their constant companions. Despite concerted efforts to eradicate domestic violence, data indicates that intimate partner violence continues to pose a clear and present danger to the health and well-being of countless persons. Social science research indicates that one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Indigent women are more vulnerable.
On average, more than three women a day are murdered by their intimate partners in our country . Annually, women experience an estimated 2 million women injuries resulting from an abusive relationship. Women who are between the ages of 20-24 years old are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence. Research indicates that most incidents of domestic violence are not reported to the police. The dearth of safe, decent, affordable housing causes many poor women to confront the unenviable choice of homelessness or remaining in a home plagued by violence and turmoil resulting from domestic violence.
Over 15 million children in our nation live in homes where there has been at least one incident of domestic violence in the past year, and seven million children live in families where severe partner violence has occurred. Data indicates that 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the home. Growing up in abusive household can pose a threat to not only the child’s physical health but his mental health as well.
Research indicates that the non-abusive parent is often one the most important protective factors in the lives of children who witness domestic violence. All women, children, and men have the right to live in a safe environment and to conduct their lives without emotional, physical or sexual abuse or the fear of abuse.
Often, one of the greatest concerns for battered women is the affect of living in a violent home environment on children. In some instances, the domestic becomes so severe that women with children leave their homes without a place to go. Research indicates that domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness. In a 2007 report by the United States Conference of Mayors, thirty-nine percent of the city leaders who were surveyed identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness among households with children.
Victims of domestic violence experience difficulty finding housing. There simply are not sufficient beds to house all the battered women and their children seeking shelter. The U.S. Conference of Mayors report indicated that city leaders turn persons experiencing homelessness away from shelters and transitional housing because of lack of capacity all or some of the time. Not only do battered women experience challenges in securing a bed in a shelter, they also often have difficulty securing a safe, decent, affordable apartment.
Domestic violence thrives on apathy. It can be eradicated with an equal amount of conscience, mind, heart, and collective action. How you can help? Advocate for increased funding for domestic violence programs and public housing.
Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
WEBCAST: Competing Meanings of Childhood – Implications for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
How do you view children? Vulnerable? Innocent and inherently good? Knowledgeable and active participants in society?
Join Stop It Now! for a FREE webcast on December 7, 2010 when Dr. Dominic Pasura of the Centre for Applied Childhood Studies at the University of Huddersfield, UK, will help unpack assumptions about children with the overarching goal to improve practices designed to prevent child sexual abuse.
The webcast is with the University of Huddersfield and follows a webcast by Centre Director, Dr. Adele Jones, on child sexual abuse in the Caribbean. It is one way you can mark World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse on November 19, 2010 and World Day of Prayer and Action for Children on November 20, 2010. Learn more.
Join Dr. Dominic Pasura of the Centre for Applied Childhood Studies as he explores different meanings of children and childhood internationally and their significance in the prevention of child sexual abuse. Date: Tuesday, December 7, 2010. Time: 9am-10am Eastern USA. Cost: FREE. Register nowPhoto Credit Microsoft Clip Art
Nichelle Mitchem Shares Information on Crimes Against Women Conference
The 6th Annual Conference on Crimes Against Women will be held March 28-30, 2011 at the Sheraton, Downtown Dallas. This upcoming conference on crimes against women promises to be the national clearinghouse of best practices for law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, advocates, medical personnel and others who work in the area of crimes against women.
The Conference on Crimes Against Women was established with the overarching goal of serving as the national clearinghouse for training on best practices regarding the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women.
According to the conference materials, “…national experts will present the most relevant training and cutting edge techniques in addressing these crimes. This is the only national conference that addresses the entire range of crimes committed against women.” For further information, click here to visit the Conference Web Site.
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Nichelle Mitchem Teaches You How to Create a Safety Plan Against Domestic Violence
Everyone has a right to be safe. Toward that goal, it is important to create a safety plan. There are many helpful safety planning websites for adult and teenage victims of domestic as well as elder abuse victims. Because October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we will focus on the importance of creating a safety plan for victims of domestic violence in this post. If you are in an abusive relationship, it is particularly important to create a personal safety plan and to share it with others.
Research indicates that if you have been battered in your present relationship, you should understand that you are never safe. Perhaps, you may feel that the abuse has ceased and the relationship is improving because the batterer promised to change. You may even convince yourself that the abuse will end if you are the “perfect” partner. Persons who abuse their partners do not just “stop” the battering behavior. In fact, research indicates that often abusive behavior increases over time. The abusive incidents tend to occur more frequently and the level of violence escalates. As a result, it is critical to create a safety plan.
For further information on the creation of a personal safety plan for victims of domestic violence here is a list of a few very helpful websites: www.safehorizon.org; www.domesticviolence.org; www.thesafespace.org; and www.acadv.org; and www.thorpe.ou.edu.
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Nichelle Mitchem Shares Information on Violence Against Women Act: VAWA
In September, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) turned sixteen years old. On September 13, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed this piece of legislation. VAWA provides money to: enhance investigation and prosecution of violent crimes perpetrated against women, increase pre-trial detention of the accused, impose automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allow civil redress in cases where prosecutors elect not to prosecute. Some have described this law as “the greatest breakthrough in civil rights for women in nearly two decades.”
VAWA was reauthorized by Congress in 2000, and again in December 2005. The bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 5, 2006. VAWA will be up for reauthorization in 2011.
For more information, visit the Department of Health and Human Services violence against women website and the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.
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