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Publication of letters to the editor, guest columns and other opinion material does not imply endorsement by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Authors are solely responsible for the facts and views expressed in opinion material published by the Center.
Your May piece by Natalie Yahr about illegals detained at our border reinforces the growing argument that our media is doing this country no favors by continuing to cover the immigration issue from just one perspective, i.e. “us vs. them.”
When University of Wisconsin-Madison student journalist Peter Coutu investigated frequent lottery winners in Wisconsin in 2018, he uncovered a pattern: The owners and clerks of stores that sell lottery tickets seemed to have more luck than normal.
When so much about politics is partisan, one might expect a topic like police body cameras to be contentious, particularly as it relates to public access to recordings.
Wisconsin legislators are looking to reform current law governing the expungement of criminal records. Among other things, SB-39 would allow those convicted of crimes for which the maximum term of imprisonment is six years or less (including some felonies) to ask a judge to expunge their convictions even if they fail to do so at the time of sentencing, as is currently required. It would also allow those older than age 25 at the time of an offense to request expungement, and expressly provide that an expunged record cannot be considered a conviction for purposes of employment. The standard under present law would be carried forward, which lets judges grant expungement if they determine “that the person will benefit and society will not be harmed.”
The rationale for the bill, which has broad bipartisan support, is to give those who have made minor mistakes a fresh start, including supposedly enhanced employment opportunities. It is one of several current proposals to expand the availability of expungement.
Many people in Wisconsin feel state government is moving in the wrong direction, away from the citizenry and toward the interests of politicians and their financial backers.
This letter was written in response to the Center’s Sept. 30, 2018 report titled: Voter ID linked to lower turnout in Wisconsin, other states; students, people of color, elderly most affected.
Secrecy in government, compounded by court-ordered secrecy, gives rise to speculation and rumor. That never serves the public interest.
This letter was written in response to the Center’s Oct. 16, 2018 collaborative report with HuffPost titled: As Trump disparages immigrants, Midwest dairy farmers build bridges to Mexico
This letter was written in response to the Center’s Oct. 16, 2018 collaborative report with HuffPost titled: As Trump disparages immigrants, Midwest dairy farmers build bridges to Mexico.
This column is a companion to our story revealing that the length of time bills were deliberated dropped significantly soon after Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators took control in 2011. In this piece Center managing editor Dee J. Hall explains the origins and methodology of the analysis.