New Marquette Law School Poll Puts Enthusiasm of Voters in Spotlight

How important is enthusiasm among voters in determining the outcome of an election? Very, and the closer the election, the more important enthusiasm usually is because it indicates who will actually turn out to vote.

So how important are the “enthusiasm” results in the Marquette Law School Poll released Wednesday? That remains to be seen, starting with keeping an eye on the remaining rounds of polls that will be released before the Nov. 4 election.

But it is a sure bet that people working in the campaigns of Republican Gov. Scott Walker and his Democratic challenger, Mary Burke, are paying close attention to the new results. While the poll showed that the race for governor remains essentially tied, there was an uptick in how enthusiastic Walker supporters are and in the percentage of people who identified themselves as Republicans.

Overall, the poll found that Walker and Burke are tied at 46% each among registered voters. Among those considered likely voters (people who said they are registered and are certain to vote), Walker was supported by 49% and Burke 46%. In both cases, the outcomes were within the poll’s margins of error.

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Congratulations to AWL Scholarship Winners Cavey and LaFond

lafondPhotographerOn Tuesday, September 16, 2014, the Milwaukee Association for Women Lawyers (AWL) Foundation honored two Marquette University Law School students with scholarships.

Britteny LaFond, 3L (pictured at left), received the AWL Foundation scholarship. The AWL Foundation Scholarship is awarded to a woman who has exhibited service to others, diversity, compelling financial need, academic achievement, unique life experiences (such as overcoming obstacles to attend or continue law school), and advancement of women in the profession. LaFond grew up in a small Wisconsin town, never, in her words, seeing firsthand some of the difficulties that people face, like poverty and homelessness. Since being in law school, LaFond has spent many hours volunteeringat: the Milwaukee Justice Center’s Family Forms Assistance Clinic, the Domestic Violence Injunction Project, and the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic. LaFond completed a judicial internship with Judge Pocan in Milwaukee County and an internship with the Legal Aid Society (Guardian ad Litem division). She is also presently interning at the state public defender’s office with a year-long clinical placement. LaFond is an auction chair for the Public Interest Law Society, a member of the Pro Bono Society, as well as secretary of the Criminal Law Society.

Kelly Cavey (pictured at right) received the AWL Foundation’s Virginia A. Pomeroy scholarship. This scholarship honors the late Virginia A. Pomeroy, a former deputy state public defender and a past president of AWL. In addition to meeting the same criteria as for the AWL Foundation scholarship, the winner of this scholarship must also exhibit what the AWL Foundation calls “a special emphasis, through experience, employment, class work or clinical programs” in one of several particular areas: appellate practice, civil rights law, public interest law, public policy, public service, or service to the vulnerable or disadvantaged. Cavey, a part-time student now in her final year of law school, was for five years a juvenile corrections officer. She now works full-time with the state public defender’s office as support staff while she is finishing her law school. She is a member of the Marquette Law Review, the Pro Bono Society, AWL, and has often made the Dean’s List. Cavey was an intern at the U.S. Department of Justice this past summer (2014) and an intern with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps during the summer of 2012.

Congratulations to both women for outstanding service and for their representation of Marquette University Law School.

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“Good Time” in Washington: A Model for Wisconsin?

In an earlier post, I argued that Wisconsin should consider reinstituting “good time” for prisoners, that is, credits toward accelerated release that can be earned based on good behavior.  An established program that Wisconsin might emulate is Washington’s.

Washington has long been regarded as a national leader in criminal justice.  Indeed, Wisconsin has previously borrowed from other Washington innovations, such as its “three strikes and you are out” law and its civil commitment program for sexually violent offenders.  Washington’s good-time law takes a balanced, moderate approach.  It is neither among the most generous nor the most stringent in the nation.

Notably, Washington’s recidivism rate has been consistently lower than both the national average and Wisconsin’s.  Although many factors contribute to a state’s recidivism rate, some research suggests that the incentives established by a well-designed good-time program may help to reduce repeat offending.

With the rules set forth here, the Washington program works like this:  

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