Category: Courts & Justice
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Ohio GOP Pushes Child-Care Camera Mandate, Exposing Divide Over Fraud Oversight
Ohio Republican lawmakers propose a bill requiring video cameras in publicly funded child-care centers to enhance oversight and prevent fraud. Supporters argue it increases transparency, while critics raise privacy and cost concerns. The debate reflects a national divide within the GOP regarding the balance between accountability and surveillance in public funding.
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Illinois’ ‘Clean Slate’ Law Raises Familiar Questions About Accountability, Transparency, and Public Safety
Illinois has passed the Clean Slate bill, which allows automatic sealing of certain nonviolent criminal records, aiming to enhance employment and housing access. Critics question the absence of judicial review, arguing it could undermine public trust and safety, as nonviolent offenses may still pose risks. The long-term effects of this reform remain uncertain.
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Champlin Tragedy Raises Hard Questions About Family Court, Custody Transitions, and Child Safety
A tragic child homicide in Champlin, Minnesota, following a temporary custody ruling is raising urgent questions about how family courts handle high-conflict cases, mental-health risk, and child safety during custody transitions.
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VIGO COUNTY LOOKS TO OPIOID FUNDS TO SUPPORT FAMILY COURT COUNSELING PROGRAM
Vigo County officials are debating using opioid settlement funds for trauma counseling linked to family court cases, aimed at addressing issues arising from high-conflict divorces. Judge Reddy argues that early intervention can prevent future substance abuse and mental health crises. However, there are concerns about expanding spending beyond addiction treatment focus.
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Indiana Lawmakers Revisit the “Gabby Petito Act”: A Public Safety Tool Worth Getting Right
As the 2026 legislative session begins, Indiana lawmakers revisit domestic violence response strategies. Rep. Maureen Bauer’s reintroduced “Gabby Petito Act” mandates lethality assessments by police on domestic disturbance calls to enhance victim safety and officer awareness. The bill aims for better intervention without imposing rigid mandates on law enforcement.
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Minneapolis’ $250M Fraud Scandal Raises Uncomfortable Questions for City Hall
The ongoing federal investigation into Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud case has cast doubt on Mayor Jacob Frey’s administration amid connections to individuals implicated in the $250 million scheme. While Frey and his wife have not been charged, their associations raise concerns about political oversight and accountability, highlighting vulnerabilities in government spending and ethics.
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Minnesota’s Fraud Reckoning: When Oversight Fails, Everyone Pays
Federal investigators are probing what prosecutors describe as “industrial-scale fraud” across Minnesota’s social services programs. From the Feeding Our Future scandal to new daycare allegations, the state faces a reckoning over lax oversight—and taxpayers are left holding the bill.
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Ohio Lawmakers Call for Scrutiny of Publicly Funded Daycares as Fraud Allegations Surface
Ohio lawmakers are calling for unannounced inspections and audits of publicly funded daycare centers in Columbus amid growing concerns about potential misuse of taxpayer dollars, though no confirmed fraud cases have been identified so far.
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When the Safety Net Frays: Nebraska’s Murder-Suicide Spike Exposes a Broader Crisis
A sharp rise in murder-suicides in Nebraska during 2025 exposes what happens when domestic violence services, protection order enforcement, and mental health intervention all fall short at once—leaving families, especially children, to bear the cost.
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When Compassion Waits for a Crime: Wisconsin’s Mental Health Law Faces a Hard Question
A Milwaukee mental health crisis that ended with children placed in danger is forcing Wisconsin to confront a hard question: should the law wait for a crime before allowing intervention, or can public safety and civil liberties be balanced sooner?
Wisconsin Bay News 