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by National Public Radioaward-winning radio that engages listeners in timely, refreshingly honest debates on the current legal battles that capture our nation's attention
Recent podcasts
Do Our Fighting Men and Women Have a Right to Free Speech?
26/09/2007
When a solider joins the armed forces, he or she agrees to abide by military law -- these rules and regulations are meant to ensure good order and discipline in the military. But what about when it comes to free speech? By putting on a uniform, does a soldier surrender his or her First Amendment rights? Today more and more soldiers are posting their thoughts and feelings in online diaries or blogs, but military officials are beginning to worry that sensitive information could make its way onto the Internet. Tune in to this edition of Justice Talking as we examine whether our fighting men and women have a right to free speech, from blog posts to protests. KEYWORDS: rights of soldiers; military rights; free speech in uniform; troops; soldier rights; soldier blogs;
Revisiting New Orleans
17/09/2007
Two years after the largest natural disaster in U.S. history, New Orleans has been forced to redevelop neighborhoods, schools and most of its urban infrastructure. But what has happened to the city's criminal justice system? Join us on this edition of Justice Talking for a detailed look at how Hurricane Katrina has affected police practices, the state and federal court systems, jails and alternative sentencing plans, and what the changes mean for citizens of and visitors to this famous city. KEYWORDS: Katrina; New Orleans; disaster recovery; judicial system; courts; prosecution; parole;
The Death Penalty
11/09/2007
First used in Texas in 1982, lethal injection is the method of execution now authorized in 37 of the 38 states that have the death penalty. But the recent botched execution of Angel Nieves Diaz in Florida raises new questions of whether the method violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Join us on this edition of Justice Talking as we take a new look at capital punishment and ask age-old questions about whether the death penalty is appropriate retribution for heinous crimes, whether it deters criminal activity and whether it can be administered in a fair and humane way. KEYWORDS: death penalty, lethal injection, capital punishment, cruel and unusual punishment, deterrence,
Have Health Officials Become the Diet Police?
04/09/2007
Health officials recently voted to make the Big Apple the nation's first city to ban artery-clogging trans fats at restaurants and many other cities are considering similar measures. At the same time, officials are banning soda and snack machines in schools and forcing restaurants to list the calorie content of each item on their menus. Tune in to this edition of Justice Talking as we discuss whether these measures are effective ways to overcome the epidemic of obesity or proof that Big Brother has joined Americans at the dinner table. KEYWORDS: food ban; diet police; trans-fat; cholesterol;
School Violence
28/08/2007
In 2006, the shooting at Virginia Tech put the spotlight on violence at colleges and universities, and a shooting in an Amish community near Lancaster, Pa., pointed out that school violence can occur anywhere in the nation, from inner city high schools to suburban or rural elementary schools. But will lockdowns, random searches and metal detectors make students safer? And do programs to reduce bullying really work? Join us on this edition of Justice Talking as we take a look at the ways policymakers and educators are trying to prevent school violence. KEYWORDS: columbine, bully, bullies, bullying, school shootings, violence, killings, student shootings, classroom violence, metal detectors, zero-tolerance,
