Gerald Lee Cassady Attorney At Law

The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection." Johann Hari Watch the full TED Talk here: http://t.ted.com/cXvjJRp

83% of adult criminal justice sanctions in Germany are day fines, which are criminal justice fines calculated based on a combination of the seriousness of the o...ffense and the individual’s ability to pay. Day fines are a critical means through which Germany keeps its incarceration rate low, while also avoiding the poverty penalty. Many thanks to Mitali Negracha, Director of Harvard Law School’s National Criminal Justice Debt Initiative, for joining our group to begin a conversation about how day fines can be implemented in the US. Thanks also to Fabian and Exit- Deutschland for enlightening us on their important work to help people who want to leave the extreme right-wing movement.

This may look like a small college campus nestled in a residential neighborhood, but it’s actually an open prison on the outskirts of Berlin, Germany. Open pris...ons, where people are free to leave during the day to work and visit their families, can facilitate pathways for reentry and help reduce recidivism by keeping people connected to employment and the community. Many thanks to Jürgen Böttcher and his staff for welcoming us today to learn about this innovative model.

Research shows that brains continue developing up until the mid-twenties. In recognition of this starting point, Germany refuses to bring into the criminal just...ice system or charge with a crime any child under 14, and any young person under 18 will not be charged as an adult. Furthermore, the vast majority of young people up to age 20 who commit serious crimes are charged as juveniles. Today we had the privilege of watching proceedings and meeting with judges, service providers and youth police at the Berlin Youth Court to explore how Germany treats kids like kids which, ultimately, makes communities safer.

Despite comprising 5% of the global population, the United States has nearly 25% of the world's prison population. This week, FJP will be in Germany meeting wit...h criminal justice leaders and advocates, visiting NGOs, observing court hearings, and touring correctional facilities to learn new ways that prosecutors in the US can work to reduce incarceration and improve conditions of confinement when incarceration is deemed absolutely necessary. Many thanks to Prof. Kirstin Drenkhahn for welcoming us to Freie Universität Berlin, and to Stefan Konig, Olaf Stürzebecher, and Jago Russell of Fair Trials for joining us to share their expertise and insights.