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What one town learned by charging residents for every bag of trash

Tik Root

June 23, 2025 |

Grist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Plympton, Massachusetts

When Plympton, Massachusetts residents agreed to institute a "pay-as-you-throw system" (PAYT), the community halved its trash disposal—in part thanks to robust compost and recycling systems. In 2022, before the PAYT system, the town threw away 640 tons of trash; in 2024, that figure was 335 tons.

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Prison Reform Left Women Behind. Then Prosecutors Stepped In.

Issie Lapowsky

June 13, 2025 |

The New York Times |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chowchilla, California

For the People identifies eligible cases for California’s resentencing law, conducts outreach to incarcerated women, reviews applications, and makes referrals to prosecutor resentencing units in participating counties in an effort to address the gender gap in resentencing cases. The program has helped resentence about 1,000 people, including three women, and is being implemented in five other states.

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How client advocates are quietly reshaping criminal defense

Amanda Hernández

June 10, 2025 |

Stateline |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Partners in Justice pairs trained client advocates with public defenders to help people facing charges get access to support and resources that can improve their outcomes in court. One study found that this type of holistic model helped reduce expected sentence length by 24 percent.

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How Treating Teens' Trauma Is Stopping Violence in Chicago

Dan Gorenstein, Ryan Levi

June 05, 2025 |

Tradeoffs |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

The violence prevention program Choose to Change pairs cognitive behavioral therapy with intensive mentoring for high-risk Chicago teens, resulting in participants being 31% less likely to be arrested than their peers who did not participate in the program.

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To improve youth mental health, these programs start by educating parents

Ethan Therrien

June 02, 2025 |

Capital News Service Maryland |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Kensington, Maryland

Parent Encouragement Programs teach parents new ways to connect and communicate with their children, helping them become more understanding and less authoritarian. Research shows that after seven weeks of classes, parents report increased satisfaction in their relationships with their children.

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'Motivated and inspired': California inmates are improving mental health behind bars

Francine Kiefer

May 16, 2025 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In Los Angeles County Jail, a peer-to-peer mental health program called Forensic Inpatient (FIP) Stepdown has incarcerated individuals trained as mental health assistants supporting fellow inmates struggling with severe mental illnesses. Started by inmates themselves, the program has significantly reduced self-harm incidents, improved hygiene and social functioning, and restored dignity to inmates who participate.

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Cash assistance may curb recidivism among people leaving prison, study says

Amanda Hernández

May 14, 2025 |

Stateline |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

The Returning Citizens Stimulus provides cash payments to people leaving incarceration for 60 days after their release, with the goal of helping them get back on their feet. One study found that participants were much less likely to violate their parole than those who did not receive payments.

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Baby Saver boxes: Lifelines to moms or criminal tools?

Mia Malan, Jessica Pitchford, Yolanda Mdzeke, Anna-Maria van Niekerk, Thatego Mashabela, Justin Barlow

April 30, 2025 |

Bhekisisa |

Video |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: South Africa, Johannesburg

Baby Savers allow mothers to place their babies for adoption anonymously. The box is monitored, and once a baby is received, social workers are notified to help organize housing and care. Many mothers and advocates see this as life-saving care, though many others are critical of the boxes, and they don’t have support from local government agencies. Despite that, some Savers have been open for over 20 years, taking in thousands of babies over the years.

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Rapid-response teams aid troubled youths in New Jersey – but funding limits Maryland's similar effort

Colin McNamara

April 07, 2025 |

Capital News Service Maryland |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

New Jersey’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services help support youth in crisis by connecting them with a mental health professional to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits or police calls. New Jersey’s system has been an inspiration to other states looking to implement similar services, and it served over 32,000 youth in 2023 alone.

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Care About Food Waste? In Massachusetts, You Can Be a Compost Consultant.

Somini Sengupta

March 25, 2025 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

To support a mandate requiring certain businesses to divert organic materials from landfills, Massachusetts provides state-funded consultants that offer free, hands-on assistance. These consultants visit businesses like restaurants, identify specific challenges, propose practical solutions such as targeted bins and signage, and connect owners with compost haulers and food recovery charities.

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