“Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prison”

Washington D.C. - Barack Obama said Monday he was moving to ban solitary confinement for juveniles and low-level offenders in federal prisons, a change long sought by advocates of prison reform who argue the punishment exacts a lasting mental toll. Obama said he came to his decision after a review by the Justice Department determined the practice reduces the chances that prisoners can be rehabilitated into society. Obama said he was ordering federal penitentiaries to cease using the punishment on juvenile offenders (those under 18) -- in the federal justice system. He said that when an inmate poses a threat to staff or to himself, solitary confinement may be necessary. But he said it should "be limited, applied with constraints and used only as a measure of last resort.” The goal, officials have said, is to improve the chances that incarcerated Americans become functioning members of society after serving their sentences. In July he became the first sitting president to visit a federal prison, and he has spoken candidly about issues like prison rape and criminal re-entry programs. In his final year in office, Obama has said that he'd redouble his efforts on criminal justice reform, including improving conditions in federal prisons and encouraging states to adopt new rules that hew more closely to updated research on corrections facilities.

In Other News  It's probably been a long time since you put pen to paper to compose a letter, take notes, make a list or sign a check. For old times' sake, why not give it a try in honor of the original John Hancock? National Handwriting Day falls each year on January 23, the birthday of the American Revolutionary leader and first signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association started this holiday in 1977 to acknowledge the history and influence of penmanship. Its reason for being grows more urgent each year as pens, pencils and paper lose ground to the QWERTY keyboard. Opponents of cursive instruction argue it is no longer relevant and classroom instruction is better devoted to other subjects, including digital proficiency. While it's true that there are only so many classroom hours in the day, research shows there are still plenty of reasons to teach and practice legible penmanship. Research shows that teaching handwriting skills benefit cognitive development and motor skills, and can lead to improved writing skills and reading comprehension. In other words, children not only learn to read faster when they learn to write by hand first, but research suggests they are also better at generating ideas and retaining information than children who do not practice handwriting.  It's official. McDonald's is back. Consumers and investors are ba da ba ba ba lovin' it. McDonald's reported fourth-quarter revenues and earnings that easily topped analysts' forecasts, led by a 5.7% jump in same-store sales in the United States. CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took over at McDonald's nearly a year ago, said the company's introduction of its all day breakfast menu in October was the main reason that U.S. sales did so well. Many McDonald's fans had been calling on the company for years to make Egg McMuffins, hash browns and other early morning treats available at lunch or dinner time. The menu change clearly has paid off for Mickey D's.