Category Archives: Law Enforcement

Cops or Occupying Army? Ferguson and the Militarization of Local Police Forces — Podcast September 1, 2014

Do Small-Town Cops Need Camouflage Combat Uniforms, Machine Guns and Tanks? Democratic Perspective Looks At the Controversy Surrounding Police Militarization in the U.S.  Mike Cosentino, Gary LaMaster, and Steve Williamson discuss the consequences of racially polarized police staffing patterns, politically motivated fear-mongering about … Continue reading

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Immigration: Political Gridlock and the Latest Crisis At the Border — Podcast July 14, 2014

The Golden Door: Is It Now Closed for Good? Democratic Perspective co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson discuss the latest immigration crisis: 90,000 unaccompanied children detained at the U.S./Mexico border, with many more apparently to come. Are they refugees with rights to due … Continue reading

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Capital Punishment: Justice or Revenge? — Podcast June 2, 2014

The Death Penalty: Cruel, Unjust, and Irreversible. There is ample evidence that the U.S. has executed innocent people, and continues to do so. There is also considerable evidence that the death penalty is disproportionately applied to the poor and to minorities, yet many people … Continue reading

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Mass Incarceration: The Failure of Prisons As a Replacement for Social Services — Podcast May 26, 2014

Tough On Crime: Mass Incarceration As a Case Study in What Can Happen When You Aren’t Careful What You Wish For. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rates per capita of any country in the world, higher even than countries such as China … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona Law Enforcement, Arizona Politics, Corrections Policy, Criminology, Housekeeping, Immigration, Justice System, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Mass Incarceration, National Politics, Penology, Podcasts, Political Contributions, Private Prisons, U.S. Court System | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mass Incarceration: The Failure of Prisons As a Replacement for Social Services — Podcast May 26, 2014

When Sedition Poses As Patriotism: Cliven Bundy and His Arizona Supporters — Podcast May 12, 2014

When It’s the Right Wing Pointing Guns at Federal Officials, Does That Make It Okay? Democratic Perspective co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson, with producer Gary LaMaster, ask why Arizona State Representative Bob Thorpe and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar are so eager to support Cliven … Continue reading

Posted in Anti-Federalism, Bigotry, Conservative Paranoia, Conspiracy Theories, Domestic Extremism, Domestic Terrorism, Environment, Environmental Issues, Federal Lands, Government, Law Enforcement, National Politics, Nullification, Podcasts, Public Lands, Tax Law, Taxation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When Sedition Poses As Patriotism: Cliven Bundy and His Arizona Supporters — Podcast May 12, 2014

Civil Liberties and Public Advocacy: the Role of the ACLU — Podcast March 17, 2004

The ACLU vs. Governmental Overreach. Democratic Perspective welcomes Alessandra Soler Meetze, Executive Director of the ACLU for Arizona, and Michael Lacey, co-founder of the Phoenix New Times, for a discussion of the role of whistleblowers and  journalists in exposing the government’s abuses of … Continue reading

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Dianne Post Interview — Podcast December 9, 2013

Who Benefits from For-Profit Prisons? The Ideological Myths, Perverse Incentives, and Corruption that Underlie the Private Prison System in Arizona. Attorney and long-time campaigner for women’s equality and the rule of law Dianne Post joins Democratic Perspective co-hosts Mike Cosentino and Steve Williamson for a … Continue reading

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Sasha Abramsky Interview — Podcast November 25, 2013

Throwing Away the Key: Mass Incarceration As a Substitute for Effective Social Policy. Author and journalist Sasha Abramsky returns to Democratic Perspective to discuss his research on the Prison Industrial Complex. How the justice system in the United States has become a one-way … Continue reading

Posted in Corrections Policy, Criminology, Drug Trafficking, Education, Education Policy, Government, Gun Control, Income Inequality, Interviews, Law Enforcement, Legal Issues, Mass Shootings, National Politics, Penology, Podcasts, Privatization, Unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sasha Abramsky Interview — Podcast November 25, 2013

Restorative Justice in Theory and Practice — Podcast November 4, 2013

Restorative Justice: An Emphasis on Healing Rather Than Retribution.  Democratic Perspective’s Steve Williamson and Mike Cosentino are joined by Elizabeth Yancey, mediator and former Presiding Magistrate of the Municipal Court of Sedona, Arizona, and Warren Sanford, Magistrate Pro-Tempore of the Municipal … Continue reading

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Immigration Nation.

On July 22, 2013, Democratic Perspective took on the politically-charged subject of immigration policy and Senate Bill 744, the Immigration Reform Bill that recently passed the US Senate. It seems almost everybody has an opinion about immigration. But many lack … Continue reading

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