Number of adults in US prisons on the rise, DOJ says News
Number of adults in US prisons on the rise, DOJ says

[JURIST] The number of adults in prison is on the rise in the United States, according to a report [PDF text; press release] released by the US Justice Department [official website] Wednesday. Nearly 7 million adults were in US prisons, on probation or on parole at the end of 2004, 30 percent more than in 1995. Allan J. Beck, who oversaw the preparation of the department's annual report on probation and parole populations stated that he believes the increase in incarceration may be attributed to the sentencing changes put in effect since the 1990s. The Department of Justice recently released a report [PDF text] showing that the number of female prisoners is on the rise, having increased four percent from the previous year [JURIST report]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.