Several state lawmakers are working on a bill that would keep immigration officers out of “safe havens” throughout Wisconsin.
Author Archives: Devin Blake / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Devin Blake started as a journalist at Patch, writing about the Southern California neighborhoods he grew up in. He focused on local business communities throughout the area and was drawn to stories about unemployment, worker resources, and businesses that were filling unmet needs in their communities.
Watching the homelessness crisis continue to deepen over those years, he began working as a resource and information coordinator for community groups and nonprofits so they could better serve populations without stable housing—populations that included the elderly, developmentally delayed and those with HIV/AIDs, among others.
Blake has contributed to a number of publications, including New York magazine, The Onion, and McSweeney’s. He loves spending time with his wife and negotiating with his son.
Posted inEducation, Justice & Safety
Will police officers be placed in Milwaukee public schools before Feb. 17 deadline? Not likely
It appears unlikely that the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools will meet the Feb. 17 deadline to place at least 25 student resource officers in schools.
Posted inHealth & Welfare, Justice & Safety
Milwaukee is losing a generation of Black men to drug crisis
Older Black men account for a growing share of Milwaukee drug deaths as fentanyl creeps into cocaine supplies, catching a generation unaware.
Posted inGovernment, Justice & Safety
Milwaukee leaders voice opposition to ICE facility on city’s northwest side
Milwaukee Alderwoman Larresa Taylor said she is confident of two things: that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants to move its Milwaukee-based facility to the northwest side of the city and that she is going to fight any such move.
Posted inJustice & Safety
Criminal justice advocates express high hopes for Milwaukee County’s new district attorney
Newly elected Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern has made it a priority to listen to residents on the north and south sides of Milwaukee.
Posted inGovernment, Justice & Safety
A new Trump presidency raises questions for immigrants. Here’s what we know.
Members of Milwaukee’s immigrant community are bracing for the next four years. Here are answers to five key immigration-related questions.
Posted inJustice & Safety
Staff shortages in Milwaukee County create less support for people after incarceration
Vacancies for community corrections staff in Milwaukee County, including probation and parole officers, have nearly tripled since before the pandemic, Wisconsin Department of Corrections data shows.
Posted inJustice & Safety
One-stop digital shop launches for people leaving incarceration
A new website launched in November aims to make the post-incarceration process easier by providing clear, accurate information about resources most often needed.
Posted inEconomy
Former Social Development Commission employees still waiting to be paid
While some are celebrating the reopening of the Social Development Commission, not everyone is joining in. “SDC stands for ‘Still Didn’t Compensate,’” said Sarah Woods, a former youth and family services supervisor for SDC.
Posted inJustice & Safety
One child, $463,000 per year: Ballooning costs of troubled Lincoln Hills youth prison
A budget request would nearly double incarceration costs in Wisconsin’s juvenile justice system. Many say the funds would be better used to prevent crime.
Posted inJustice & Safety
Virtual reality technology connects people who are incarcerated to a new type of job training
Transfr, a New York company, seeks to put virtual reality technology in the hands of people who are incarcerated in Wisconsin, hoping they can overcome barriers to employment once released.
Posted inJustice & Safety
What does marriage look like while incarcerated?
As Marshall Jones, who grew up on Milwaukee’s North Side, serves two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, the way he and his wife build their lives today centers around faith in God and family.