Acupuncture Helps Addicted Inmates (Baltimore Sun)

"Beyond the iron gate, the fence and the razor wire, 10 inmates in maroon uniforms sit in stillness, listening to the serene sounds of sitar music. Eyes closed, hands folded, they await the tiny pricks of acupuncture needles being inserted delicately in their ears.

"Ancient Chinese medicine came to Baltimore's jail 16 years ago with the promise of curbing the cravings of drug addiction. Since then, acupuncture has been the centerpiece of a treatment program that serves nearly 700 inmates each year.

"Modern science has not found solid evidence that it works. Still, the inmates claim that with acupuncture, all they crave are the meditative moments it brings. They say it soothes them and helps clear their cluttered minds to find the strength to confront their addiction." Read On...

(Hat tip: Benoit Denizet-Lewis' blog: "America Anonymous")

National Youth Violence Prevention Week: March 23-March 27, 2009

"During this week-long national education initiative, various activities will demonstrate the positive role young people can have in making their schools and communities safer. With the support of several national premier youth-serving organizations, each day of the week will focus on a specific violence prevention strategy. These include promoting respect and tolerance, anger management, resolving conflicts peacefully, supporting safety, and uniting in action."

Learn More at: National Youth Violence Prevention Week or visit the National Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) website

"A Higher Hurdle: Barriers to Employment for Formerly Incarcerated Women"

From Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice, UC Berkeley School of Law...

"Today there are more than two million incarcerated men, women, and children in the United States, with more than 167,000 men and women incarcerated in California’s 33 adult prisons alone. In 2008, one in every 100 Americans is incarcerated, with higher rates of incarceration for men and women of color, particularly African Americans. As a result of disproportionate arrest rates and punitive responses to drug and property crimes, women comprise the fastest-growing segment of the incarcerated population. In California, two-thirds of incarcerated women are mothers of children under the age of 18, compared to about half of the population of incarcerated men."
View the (PDF) Report

Amnesty policies provoke debate - News

Cornell University pioneered a Medical Amnesty Policy (MAP) in 2002 to deal with drug and alcohol abuse and the medical emergencies that result from it. The policy, also referred to as a "good Samaritan" policy, allows students to call for transportation to the infirmary or hospital for themselves or friends without fear that the school will take judicial action against them, in the hope that students will be more willing to seek medical attention for a drug or alcohol related illness. Since then, over 90 schools have adopted similar policies, including Emerson College in Boston, which changed its policy several months ago. Recently, Boston University began debate over the adoption of a similar policy, but has not reached a conclusion.

Read More from the College Media Network

America's Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness

"The National Center on Family Homelessness' new report, America’s Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness, offers comprehensive state-by-state data on the status of homeless children. The report documents the extent of child homelessness, describes the plight of these children, profiles and ranks the states, and proposes solutions. 'Children without homes are on the frontline of the nation’s economic crisis. These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise,' said Ellen L. Bassuk, M.D., president of the National Center on Family Homelessness. 'Our report underlines the need for every state—as well as the Obama Administration and Congress—to provide equal opportunities for all American children to grow and thrive in the safety and security of their own homes.'"

Visit "America's Youngest Outcasts" at www.homelesschildrenamerica.org and check out the interactive map to see your State's profile.

National Center on Family Homelessness Website: www.familyhomelessness.org

Don't Put Your Health in the Hands of Crooks (FBI)

It couldn’t be easier—ordering prescription drugs online with a few clicks of the mouse and having them delivered right to your door, without ever having to see a doctor.

But is it safe? Is it legal? Often not. And you need to know the risks.

Yes, there are plenty of legitimate U.S. pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies (including online ones) that follow all the laws and regulations and put public safety first. But there are many that don’t—they are just out to make a fast buck at your expense.

Read On...

Shelter director wins wide praise (PPH)

By TOM BELL, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald - March 2, 2009

"Josh O'Brien has made Oxford Street safer, residents say; other agencies laud his efforts to get people off the streets. Outside the Oxford Street Shelter on a recent night, a crowd of men form a line as they wait for the doors to open. Many look disheveled, the outward signs of lives in disarray. Inside, the shelter is as orderly as a Marine barracks. Every pillow on each of the 154 bed mats is precisely arranged. Josh O'Brien adjusts any pillow that seems at all out of kilter." Read On...