The Rundown: The cost of dead-end drug arrests

The Rundown: The cost of dead-end drug arrests

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Hey there! It’s Friday, and my nephews got me a Lego Star Wars advent calendar that is on my desk because I have no idea where to put it, but it’s really amazing. Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. Tens of thousands of Chicago residents were jailed on drug charges that police, prosecutors and judges knew wouldn’t stick

About half of drug possession cases in Chicago between 2000 and 2018 were tossed at their earliest stages. That’s according to an analysis of court data by the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association, which reviewed 280,000 drug possession cases.

The investigation found that tens of thousands of people — mostly Black men — were “jailed in the past two decades on drug charges everyone knew from the beginning were never going to stick.”

The Sun-Times and the BGA report there is a “longstanding, commonly understood rule among prosecutors not to pursue criminal charges against anyone caught with user-level amounts — around a gram.”

As a result, this “catch-and-release” system cost taxpayers millions of dollars — and those arrested jobs, housing, and their freedom. [Sun-Times]

2. South Africa may offer clues to omicron’s impact

Coronavirus infections are surging in South Africa, and health experts say the new omicron variant may be driving this latest wave, offering something of a preview of what could be in store for the rest of the world.

As The Associated Press reports, cases in South Africa have jumped from “about 200 a day in mid-November to more than 11,500 on Thursday.”

But the country’s health minister says only a small number of cases have been identified in people who were fully vaccinated, and most of them developed mild symptoms. The vast majority of people who have been hospitalized were unvaccinated.

South African scientists, however, say omicron appears more likely to cause reinfections among people who already had a bout with COVID-19. [AP]

As scientists around the world are racing to gather data on the still-mysterious variant, The Atlantic looks at the best- and worst-case scenarios. The magazine reports that if omicron causes milder symptoms than the delta variant and is more transmissible, that could actually be a good thing. [Atlantic]

3. The parents of the suspect in the Michigan school shooting are charged

Prosecutors in Michigan today filed four involuntary manslaughter charges each against the parents of a high school sophomore accused of killing four classmates in the halls of Oxford High School. Seven other people were wounded in the mass shooting that took place Tuesday.

The charges come after authorities said the student’s father purchased the semi-automatic handgun used by his son to carry out the deadly shooting.

“While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there are other individuals who contributed to the events of Nov. 30, and it’s my intention to hold them accountable as well,” Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said at a press conference today.

The student, Ethan Crumbley, has been charged as an adult on several charges, including terrorism causing death and first-degree murder. He could face up to life in prison. [NPR]

4. U.S. employers added fewer jobs than expected last month, but the jobless rate dropped

New federal data released today offered a mixed picture of the American economy. Hiring last month unexpectedly and dramatically dropped, with employers adding just 210,000 jobs.

At the same time, the jobless rate fell to a pandemic low of 4.2%, down from October’s 4.6%. That signals many more people reported having a job.

So what does this mean? And how can two things that sound contradictory happen at the same time?

The drop in unemployment suggests “November was a healthier month for job growth than the modest 210,000 gain the government reported,” reports The Associated Press.

The reason why these two big economic indicators diverged is because the Bureau of Labor Statistics sends out two surveys each month — one to businesses to measure hiring, and another to households to gauge employment. [AP]

5. NPR’s song of the year is …

Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”!

As NPR writes, the song “covers a lot of ground, both stylistically and sonically: It’s a sleek, chart-topping pop banger about coming out as queer, and it’s got a striking video in which Lil Nas X rides a stripper pole to hell and gives Satan a lap dance.”

The rapper and singer sat down with NPR for an amazing and hilarious interview to talk about the single and his spectacular year. It’s worth a listen.

For example, when talking about creating “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X says: “I already knew it was, like, a really great pop song. And I was like, OK, how do I add density to this? How do I make this different from the rest? And that was by being myself. You know, telling a story that just happened to me. And, you know, having a song about gay sex. It was really fun.” [NPR]

You can find a list of NPR’s 100 best songs of 2021 in this link. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

  • A Chicago alderman and nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley says a move to create the city’s first Asian American-majority ward is “racism.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
  • Astronomers found a planet that is mostly made of iron. [NPR]
  • People in North America could see the “brightest comet of the year” Monday morning. [NPR]
  • Olympic diver Tom Daly opened an online knitting shop. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

Here come more “best of 2021” lists.

The New York Times is out with the best TV shows of the year, which is great because I’m running out of things to watch. Among the shows included are Hacks, Reservation Dogs, The Underground Railroad and Station Eleven, which I somehow missed. [NYT]

Meanwhile, The French Dispatch and Zola are toward the top of an eclectic list of the top movies from The New Yorker. [New Yorker]

Over at Rolling Stone, albums from Adele, Lil Nas X and Tyler the Creator are among the best of the year. [RS]

Tell me something good …

What was the best movie, book, TV show, play, song, podcast or video game you enjoyed this year?

Sarah writes:

“Best movie I’ve seen this year is tick, tick … BOOM! I’ve loved Rent and Jonathan Larson since college, and the tick, tick … BOOM! soundtrack was a staple for me then, as well. I watched the movie over the long weekend and cried through the whole thing. From the music, to the directing, to the acting, it was just everything that I wanted and needed. It felt nostalgic and fresh, while reminding me to keep moving forward. 10/10 would recommend.”

Thanks for all the recommendations this week. I’m sorry I couldn’t share everyone’s, but it was nice hearing from you!

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